Robert M. Elardo, Managing Attorney of the Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc., was nominated by the BAEC’s Appellate Practice Committee of the Bar Association and unanimously supported by the Awards Committee. Elardo has managed the Volunteer Lawyers Project since 1984. During that time, he also served as president of the National Association of Pro Bono Coordinators, co-chair of the New York Pro Bono Coordinators Network and as a consultant to the American Bar Association Center for Pro Bono. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Presidents Committee on Access to Justice.

According to one nomination, “Bob has been instrumental in keeping our Volunteer Lawyers Project operating and operating effectively for the numerous clients it serves each year, notwithstanding the difficulties constantly present in obtaining funding appropriate to the task with which the Volunteer Lawyers Project is charged.”

A VLP colleague wrote that “Bob is extremely committed to VLP and greatly values those of us who work (there). He is a kind, patient, and generous person. What we find amazing is that he never seems to burn out. He has some source of renewable energy. After 25 years, he still hears each client with enthusiasm and treats each case as if it were the only one. At the same time, he bears the responsibility of not only keeping the organization afloat during constant budget cuts, but in developing it to maximize its reach within the community and the legal profession.”