On the first Thursday in November, the Atlanta legal community kicks off the holiday season with the AVLF Winetasting. More than 1,000 lawyers and other friends of the Foundation celebrate lawyers’ commitment to pro bono service with a party that features exceptional wines and great food. The 2016 event took place at the Biltmore Ballrooms in Midtown Atlanta.

Jennifer Shelfer, an Arnall Golden Gregory associate, met Ms. Valiway on a recent Saturday morning at AVLF’s weekly legal clinic. Ms. Valiway explained that she, her five young children, and her elderly mother rented a house that had fallen into disrepair. The sink, bathtub, and toilet were so clogged that Ms. Valiway had to scoop water out and throw it outside. The HVAC was broken, and the house was sweltering. The appliances were barely operable, and most windows were nailed shut. There were holes in the bathroom walls. Roaches had the run of the house and even got inside the ancient refrigerator. The exterminator refused to come back after the landlord did not pay him.

This year’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month kept AVLF’s Safe & Stable Families Team incredibly busy, as they partnered and collaborated with various community organizations to educate the public on the dangers of domestic violence and how to assist survivors.

On October 20, AVLF honored the following award winners at the Atlanta Bar Association’s Celebrating Service Luncheon:

Safe Families Office Firm of the Year: Jones Day; Safe Families Office Volunteer of the Year: Richard G. Farnsworth, Farnsworth Law, LLC; Guardian ad Litem of the Year: Brandy Alexander, The Alexander Firm, LLC; Safe and Stable Homes Firm of the Year: PwC; Safe and Stable Homes Volunteer of the Year: John H. Rains IV of Bondurant, Mixson and Elmore 

Here at AVLF, we strive to change people’s lives.

People come in facing a variety of issues: severe mold throughout their home to years of abuse at the hands of a partner. While we can’t change their pasts, we hope that they leave our offices believing things can and will be different. But nothing brings us as much joy as knowing a client’s life has been changed. When Safe Families Office client Ms. Boston approached us about her experience in our offices, we knew we had to share it with others. Ms. Boston suffered years of abuse at the hands of her child’s father. But with the help of Stephanie Hudson of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan, she received a 12-month Temporary Protective Order against him. 

That order changed her life. 

Gérard Bertrand Code Rouge Sparkling White This sparkling wine Blanc de Blancs blend is produced from Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and the rare Mauzac grape variety. The cuvée comes exclusively from […]

What difference can a lawyer make? Ask Ms. Daniels, whose studio apartment flooded last summer. The resulting mold was so intense that Ms. Daniels went to the hospital several times.

Again this year, AVLF at the Movies offered the community an intimate, unflinching portrait of the challenges faced by those who are marginalized. Nearly 150 friends of AVLF gathered at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema on Tuesday, September 20, for a screening of Private Violence, which tells a story of violence, frustration, and sadness that also includes resilience, promise, and even hope for victims of intimate partner violence who choose to stand up against their abuser (www.privateviolence.com).

Quick snapshot: Rachel Fox Weitz. Received a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a JD from Emory University School of Law. In between, worked in Washington, […]

Ms. A, who spoke very little English, visited the Safe Families Office in the Fulton County Courthouse after being beaten all over her body, day after day, by her husband. The beatings often occurred in front of her four children and were sometimes directed at them.

Check out photos from the Fifth Annual Guardian ad Litem Benefit at Warner Bates on August 18, 2016. Thanks to Beth Intro Photography for making us look so good!

20—Number of people abused by a partner in the U.S. each minute. 20,000—Daily average number of calls received by domestic violence hotlines. $8.3 billion—Estimated annual cost of domestic violence in the U.S. 35 percent—Estimated number of domestic violence cases reported.