October 2026

Meet the Telesca Center’s Justice Corps

It took a tremendous team of volunteers and dedicated staff to bring the Telesca Center for Justice to life 20 years ago. Two decades later, that spirit of commitment is still going strong. Today, we have an equally special team of volunteers and staff: The Justice Corps!

These dedicated individuals have pledged to support the Telesca Center throughout the year as we continue to tell our story, raise awareness of the need for civil legal services, and secure additional unrestricted funds to support the work of our four civil legal service partners.

We recognize the value of personal phone calls, so I'd like to introduce you to our Justice Corps members. If they ring you up or reach out by email, please take a moment to respond and thank them for their time and commitment!

The Justice Corps: Kevin Beckford, Lindsey Bober, Rob Brown, Eileen Buholtz, Sanjeev Devabhakthuni, Barbara LaVerdi, Brad Kammholz, Sr. Beth LaValley, Danielle Mettler-LaFeir, Carolyn Nussbaum, Lori O’Brien, and Kristi Hughes.

How We Got Here
For decades, our legal service providers conducted a three-day telephone fundraising campaign each fall known as the Campaign for Justice. For three consecutive nights, members of the legal community gathered to call their colleagues and friends to ask for donations. It was an enormous undertaking, involving dozens upon dozens of volunteers, countless hours of planning, and generous law firms willing to host the events.

But the world of fundraising has evolved and so has the Campaign for Justice. Rather than concentrating our efforts into a few months, we now follow a year-round calendar. Why? Because the need for civil legal services doesn't take a break after the holiday season. People in our community need help all year long, and our fundraising efforts need to reflect that reality.

The way we communicate has changed, too. With mobile phones replacing traditional landlines and so much unwanted spam competing for our attention, reaching people isn't always easy. We're adapting by making greater use of email, social media, print, and other tried-and-true ways of staying connected.

And yes, that includes phone calls!

I know that may sound contradictory but hear me out. Many of our generous donors still appreciate a personal call—a chance to catch up with an old friend, a colleague, or even a former courtroom adversary. And then there are those who are still waiting for a call from the infamous Michael Schnittman, the Grand Master of Solicitation. The man to whom NO ONE could ever say no. In fact, hanging up wasn't really an option because he knew where to track you down! Yes, THAT Michael!

Our Justice Corps members are bringing back that personal touch, making daytime calls and reaching out by office phone and email to reconnect with our supporters and secure their donations.

We've noticed that some long-term donors have fallen off our radar. We don't believe they've stopped caring about access to legal services for underserved members of our community. We suspect they simply haven't received a personal reminder.

So, when you see one of the names above pop up on your phone or in your inbox, please take the call or respond to the email. You might just make someone's day—and help ensure that our community continues to have access to the civil legal services it needs.

Want to Join the Justice Corps?

If you'd like to join this distinguished, hardworking, funny, big-hearted, honest, tireless, fearless-when-it-comes-to-asking-for-money, and deeply passionate group of people, I'd love to hear from you!

We're looking for a few more people who believe in access to justice, enjoy a good laugh, and are willing to spend a little time hanging out with us, including me, too.

Bonus points if you know the secret handshake. You'll be fast-tracked into the Corps!

Support the Telesca Center for Justice and our four civil legal service partners. Every contribution makes a difference.

Donate Now: https://www.telescacenter.org/

#TelescaCenterforJustice #JusticeCorps #EmpireJusticeCenter #JustCauseNY #LawNY #LASNY

Introducing Nate Baldo:
Supervising Staff Attorney, Empire Justice Center

Recently, Nate represented a client facing a 14-hour per day aide service reduction from her Medicaid Managed Care plan. The reduction would have severely compromised the client's ability to continue living at home, putting her at risk of institutionalization. During the Fair Hearing, Nate submitted a detailed memorandum, supporting medical documentation from the client's medical providers, and a log of assistance she receives from her aides. In response, the state agency sided with our client, ordering the plan to withdraw their reduction and maintain her current level of aide service. As a result, the client can continue to live independently in the community with appropriate services and support.

Health insurance can be difficult to navigate particularly with all the changes at the state and federal levels. Do you or your clients have Medicare or Medicaid questions? Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are here to help! We assist clients with a wide variety of legal issues, including:

eligibility for public health insurance programs;
denials, reductions or discontinuances of health care benefits and services, including home care;
medical billing issues and cost of care; and
understanding health insurance and coordination of benefits.

Prior to this position, Nate worked as a health law paralegal at Empire Justice Center. His work here advocating for health care access inspired him to go to law school. Nate is one of the many dedicated members of the Telesca Center team, and we are so grateful to have him advocating for our community.

He can be reached at nbaldo@empirejustice.org or (585) 295-5736. To learn more about the work of Empire Justice Center, visit www.empirejustice.org.

“Oooh, what a night!” Were you there?

On Wednesday, December 2, 2009, the Late Honorable Michael A. Telesca, U.S. District Judge, threw the switch that turned on the lights of the Telesca Center for Justice for the first time! It was an incredible night as a crowd of family, friends and dedicated members of the legal community gathered to celebrate this incredible man!

When asked if the building could be named in his honor, he was speechless. For Judge Telesca, seeing his last name in lights like this was more of a tribute to his father, a proud immigrant from Italy, who would have been so proud of his son, Michael. He believed in the Constitution, our justice system, and firmly believed in access to justice for people in our community.