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Joseph Greenwald Laake To Receive National Award For Pro BonoService

#8212; Joseph, Greenwald 's38; Laake, P.A., will receive the 2009 Beacon of Justice Award on June 3, 2009, for its Thousand Hours Project, dedicated to helping Maryland homeowners facing foreclosure.

The Beacon of Justice award is awarded by the National Legal Aid 's38; Defender Association (NLDA) for pro bono work in partnership with a legal aid program, representing disadvantaged families in foreclosure proceedings. JGL is one of three firms in the United States to receive this award and the only firm in Maryland. Other recipients are from Philadelphia and Phoenix.

The Award will be presented at the NLDA Exemplar Award Dinner on June 3, 2009, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. JGL partner, Barbara A. Jorgenson, Esq., who created and manages the Thousand Hour Project for JGL, will accept the award on the firm's8217;s behalf.

JGL is being honored for its Thousand Hour Project, in which the firm has pledged 1,000 hours of pro bono time to assist Maryland homeowners facing foreclosure. The Project began in the late summer of 2008. 's8220;You couldn's8217;t pick up a newspaper or turn on the radio without hearing about the foreclosure crisis or without hearing about how Prince George's8217;s County had one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country,'s8221; Ms. Jorgenson said. 's8220;There was no question that our home county was at the heart of this crisis, and we wanted to help.'s8221;

The Project received its first referral in October 2008 and since has logged more than 300 hours of pro bono time for homeowners. The Project accepts client referrals from Community Legal Services of Prince George's8217;s County, Maryland, from Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, from the Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project of the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Inc., and from the Sustainable Homeownership Project of Civil Justice, Inc., each of whom is working in a statewide consortium to identify and assist homeowners at risk of foreclosure.

In addition to assisting homeowners directly, JGL serves as Of Counsel to three local housing counseling agencies: Housing Initiative Partnership of Hyattsville; KAIROS of Camp Springs; and Housing Options and Planning Enterprises (HOPE) of Oxon Hill. In this role, the Firm's8217;s attorneys answer questions from housing counselors and assist as needed.

The Project also participates in Foreclosure Solutions Workshops at which homeowners are invited to attend with their questions. These workshops are sponsored by housing counseling agencies, state and federal legislators, and/or the statewide consortium.

's8220;We's8217;re not done,'s8221; remarked Ms. Jorgenson. 's8220;We have every intention of fulfilling our pledge of 1,000 hours and given the continuing wave of foreclosures rolling across our state, it appears we will have no trouble doing so.'s8221;

The 2009 Beacon of Justice Award is the first time JGL has received a national award. 's8220;It is gratifying enough,'s8221; said JGL managing director, Burt M. Kahn, 's8220;to see a single idea grow into a worthwhile project. When that worthwhile project then receives a national award, it's8217;s a real honor.'s8221;

Joseph, Greenwald 's38; Laake, P.A., is one of the oldest and largest firms in Prince George's8217;s County, Maryland. It was founded in 1967 and currently has 31 lawyers, operating from its headquarters at 6404 Ivy Lane, Suite 400, Greenbelt, Maryland. The Firm also has offices in Rockville and Prince Frederick. The Firm's8217;s areas of practice include family law, business, tax, criminal, personal injury, and medical malpractice. JGL serves clients in Washington, D.C., and throughout Maryland. Learn more about JGL at www.jgllaw.com.

For further information, contact Barbara A. Jorgenson, Esq., (240) 553-1195.

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