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March 9, 2001/Adar 14, 5761, Vol. 53, No.23
Local attorney aids needy with legal services
BETH OLSON
Editorial Assistant
Ken Abrams became an attorney because he wanted to help others - and so he has.
Abrams, a resident of Phoenix for more than 50 years, was recently named "Attorney of the Month" by the Maricopa County Bar Association for his participation in the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP).
Abrams is a partner in the firm Abrams & Schenk and practices primarily in the area of commercial real estate. He joined VLP five years ago and has worked five pro bono cases in that time.
VLP was started in 1981 by the Maricopa County Bar Association and Community Legal Services - more commonly referred to as Legal Aid. According to VLP Director Patricia Brown, the program was started to assist poor people with civil legal problems through the use of volunteer attorneys.
She says that VLP attorneys assist people with everything from brief advice on landlord/tenant issues to assistance with family law issues to direct representation from participating lawyers.
Abrams has represented five clients since he began participating in the program. His most recent case was that of a 35-year-old man suffering from multiple sclerosis. This client had purchased a home along with an elderly friend. Since the client was unable to work due to his disability, and was living on a fixed income of $700 per month, the two men had an arrangement that the elderly man would make the mortgage payments and the client would do the necessary remodeling and upkeep on the home.
The arrangement continued for six or seven years, until a visit from the older man's brother. The brother was concerned about the elderly man's health and placed him in a group home facility. The elderly man granted his brother power of attorney and, unfortunately for Abrams' client, refused to make payments or sell the home.
According to Abrams, he managed to prevent a foreclosure on the home and was then able to convince the brother that selling the home was in his best interest, as well as his elderly brother's. Abrams' client's remodeling of the home resulted in a $30,000 profit on the sale of the home, which was split between the parties.
Abrams' desire to help others is apparent not only in his willingness to volunteer his legal services, but in his commitment to the local Jewish community as well.
He says that beginning in the early 1960s, he became very active in the Jewish community in Phoenix. He was on the Jewish Federation Council, the Jewish Community Center board, the Israel Bonds committee and worked with the Anti-Defamation League. He served as president of B'nai B'rith and has been an active member since 1960.
Currently, Abrams is a member of Beth Ami Temple in Phoenix and in the past has been a member of Temple Beth Israel and Beth El Congregation.
Abrams and his wife, Joy, have three children. Their daughter Nancy resides in California and their son Michael lives in Amarillo, Texas. Son David lives in Phoenix and is employed at Insight in Tempe.
Abrams says that many people don't understand the law and what their rights are, and he enjoys being able to address their needs.
"One of the reasons I became a lawyer is because I wanted to help people. There are so many unfortunate situations that occur and people just don't have the wherewithal to get the help they really need to exercise their rights. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction when I can - through the law - right those wrongs."
Brown asserts that although there are 1,600 attorneys enrolled in VLP, there is still a need for more volunteers, particularly in the family law area.
"There are so many people who have low incomes that can't get access to civil justice without at least advice and sometimes representation from volunteer attorneys, so we really appreciate the volunteer attorneys who donate their services."
For more information about the Volunteer Lawyers Program, call 602-258-3434.
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