Award Winners Recognized for Providing Legal Advice, Representation and Support Services for Thousands of Tenants Facing Wrongful Evictions as well as Survivors of Intimate Partner Abuse

On April 24, 2024, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF) held its 4^th Annual AVLF All Star Awards to celebrate the many dedicated volunteer attorneys, law firms and partners who provide legal services and critical resources to tenants facing wrongful evictions as well as survivors of intimate partner abuse throughout Fulton County.

Mayor Andre Dickens kicked off the awards ceremony with a video address to the more than 170 supporters in attendance – applauding AVLF and its volunteers for being a great partner to the City of Atlanta by providing access to justice and care to individuals and families who need it most.

“It’s AVLF’s 45^th anniversary and our driving theme for the year is to inspire, innovate and invest,” said Michael Lucas, Executive Director, AVLF. “And our AVLF All Star Award winners help us manifest this with clients in impactful ways. 

“We are committed to reaching more individuals through community-focused, place-based work. So, partners like Mercedes Benz of Buckhead and Live More Campervans helped us do just that – by graciously donating a Sprinter that we transformed into an innovative mobile advocacy van. Now, when clients face threats of abuse and stalking, we can meet them in remote places — like grocery parking lots — to connect to the courts and social workers in a safe space.

“And our highly-skilled volunteer attorneys and firms invest their time and talent to ensure our clients receive first-rate pro bono services with the same dignity and care as do paying clients. So, when we show up in communities, residents know that they have a trusted partner in AVLF.”

The All-Star Awards was launched four years ago to recognize the outstanding volunteers, partners and law firms who make it possible for AVLF to deliver pro bono services to communities throughout Fulton County. Annually, AVLF volunteers and team members assist more than 5,000 residents seeking assistance with wrongful evictions and threats of abuse and stalking. All-Star Award recipients are determined by the AVLF team members who work directly with volunteers and partners to serve tenants and survivors.

Recipients of the 4^th Annual AVLF All Star Awards include:

AVLF Programs – Partners of the Year

• Community Support and Partnerships Program | Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
• Safe and Stable Families Program | The Honorable Tamika Hrobowski-Houston, Fulton County Superior Court Family Division
• Safe and Stable Homes Program | City of Atlanta Housing Help Center
• Standing with Our Neighbors Program | Stadium Neighborhoods Community Trust Fund
• Standing with Survivors and Social Work Advocacy Program | ATL 311

AVLF Programs – Volunteers of the Year

• Guardian ad Litem Program | Michelle Rapoport, Warner Bates
• Housing Court Assistance Center | Kathryn Lee, Retired Attorney
• Safe Families Office | Carissa Lavin, Alston & Bird
• Saturday Lawyer Program | Andres Sandoval, United States Department of Justice
• Standing with Our Neighbors Program:
• Jack Heron, Jones Day
• Frank Virgin, Taylor English
• Aditya Krishnaswamy, Georgia State University College of Law

AVLF Programs – Firms of the Year

• Family Law Program | Stern Edlin Graham Family Law, PC
• Safe and Stable Homes Program | Greenberg Traurig

AVLF Super Stars

• Emily Binnie | Squire Patton Boggs
• Dominyka Plukaite | Troutman Pepper
• Hillary Rightler | Kilpatrick

AVLF Partners of the Year

• Juanita Baranco, Mercedes Benz of Buckhead | The Baran Company
• Trevor Jones| Live More Camper Vans

AVLF Firm of the Year

• Jones Day

Martin Louis Ellin Achievement Award

• The Honorable Eric Richardson, State Court of Fulton County

The 4^th Annual AVLF All Star Awards was made possible thanks to the generous support of partners, including: Alston & Bird, Kilpatrick, Troutman Pepper, Warner Bates, Hunton Andrews Kurth and Benjamin Hunter.  

Click HERE to view additional pictures from the event.

About the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF)
Serving Atlanta and Fulton County since 1979, AVLF is the largest provider of free legal services to two groups: low-income tenants and survivors of intimate partner abuse. Our mission is to create safe and stable homes and families by inspiring the fight for equal justice. We believe no one standing up for their rights should have to do it alone. Whatever our clients are up against, we’re here for them. At AVLF, ‘here’ means many things. It means beside them in court; at our downtown legal clinics nearly every Saturday of the year; in our two offices in the Fulton County Courthouse; in our communities’ schools; and in our clients’ homes. For more information, visit www.avlf.org.