Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, a full-service business law firm with offices throughout New York, is pleased to announce that Amy L. Hemenway and Chloe J. Macdonald were recently named as recipients of the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) 2021 Champions for Justice Immigration Award.
VLP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation which provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals and small not-for-profit groups in Western New York. VLP provides these important services by utilizing both its staff and volunteers to represent clients. Over the past 30 years, more than 2,500 local attorneys have represented 100,000+ clients on a pro bono basis. VLP staff and volunteers have represented over 55,000 clients and provided information and referral to nearly 73,000 more people. Since 1993, VLP has honored their most dedicated volunteers and community 
partners through their annual Champions for Justice Awards.
VLP recognized Hemenway and Macdonald, attorneys in the Labor and Employment practice, for their work representing a detained asylum seeker in her petition for review before the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. This Togolese client had been denied Asylum when Hemenway and Macdonald stepped in to handle the appeal on short notice. Together, they provided 180 hours of free legal services for this client.
“Amy and Chloe did not hesitate to help when VLP called and went above and beyond to assist a client in need. Their hard work and generosity resulted in a remand for the client who now has another chance to request asylum. They are truly Champions for Justice!” said Gretchen Gonzalez, VLP Executive Director.
Hemenway, a partner in the firm, counsels clients on all aspects of labor and employment compliance. She has extensive experience in federal and state court litigation, as well as in administrative proceedings, involving labor and employment matters. Hemenway has worked with national and regional employers on a wide range of issues, including contracts, wage and hour issues, individual and class action discrimination claims, collective bargaining, grievance/arbitration proceedings, and NLRB and PERB proceedings.
Macdonald, an associate in the firm, counsels clients in a variety of areas related to the workplace, including the development of employee policies, wage and hour issues, discipline and termination decisions, discrimination and harassment claims, and employment contract disputes.
Harter Secrest & Emery Labor and Employment attorneys counsel employers on state and federal labor law compliance and the soundness and comprehensiveness of employment practices and policies. They represent all types of employers in nearly every industry sector ranging from private employers with employees in a traditional manufacturing environment, to municipalities and school districts with employees spread out in numerous locations, to public employers with thousands of traditional and “virtual” employees located across the United States.
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