The Legal Services of the Hudson Valley held its annual Equal Access to Justice Gala on Sept. 14 that honored New York Gov. Kathy Hochul with the Champion of Ju

RYE—The Legal Services of the Hudson Valley held its annual Equal Access to Justice Gala on Sept. 14 that honored New York Gov. Kathy Hochul with the Champion of Justice Award, Paul Adler, Chief Strategy Officer, Rand Commercial, and Jonathan C. Harris, General Counsel and Secretary, MBIA Inc, who each received the Access to Justice Award.

More than 400 members of the legal, business and nonprofit communities attended the event at the Westchester Country Club in Rye.

“Since 1967, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley has assured fairness in the justice system – regardless of income – to hundreds of thousands of our neighbors who have nowhere else to turn,” said Rachel Halperin, CEO of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. “The work we do each day provides free civil legal services to those who can’t afford an attorney when their basic needs are at stake. We handled almost 12,000 cases last year, impacting over 27,000 household members.”

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley stated that Gov. Hochul has displayed a commitment to ensure that there is fairness in the justice system for all in her tenure as governor. She has worked to expand access to legal services throughout New York State with $25 million recently received in federal funding to offer free legal assistance and comprehensive housing stability services, with LSHV receiving $5,591,108 to serve the Hudson Valley region. In addition, Gov. Hochul has also worked to ensure that immigrants receive legal assistance they are entitled to, and also promote greater fairness and restore dignity for individuals that have been affected by the criminal justice system.

Adler is an attorney, veteran commercial real estate broker, and creative development professional who has an outstanding reputation as an industry leader throughout New York, New Jersey, and the New York City area for more than three decades, the organization stated in its announcement of the award honorees. A native of Rockland County, Adler earned his Bachelor of Arts from Pace University, Masters of Public Administration from Long Island University with Honors, and Juris Doctorate from Pace University School of Law. He served on LSHV’s Board of Directors from April 2013 – March 2022.

Harris is responsible for advising MBIA and its senior team on a wide range of key legal, business, and strategic issues, and for leading its legal department, including for all corporate, commercial, litigation, and regulatory matters. Harris earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina and his Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School. He served on LSHV’s Board of Directors from December 2014 – March 2022, and was active as Chair of the organization’s Development Committee.

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley’s (LSHV) mission is to provide high-quality counsel in civil matters for low-income individuals and families and other vulnerable persons who do not have access to legal representation to maintain their basic needs, and to pursue equity through dismantling systemic oppression. LSHV provides free, high-quality civil legal services in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster counties.