Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), a nonprofit legal aid group serving New Jersey residents in poverty, presented McGuireWoods with its Community Vision Award at an Oct. 7, 2025, gala.
The firm won the honor for its involvement in VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program. Since 2017, McGuireWoods lawyers have collaborated with client Panasonic to help more than 130 veterans resolve legal issues with debt relief, eviction defense, expungement, child support modification and estate planning, among others. Partners Jonathan Blank and Stephen Foresta spearhead the pro bono partnership with Panasonic, with support from the firm’s Charlottesville, Virginia, and New York offices.
“Their efforts have made a significant impact in the lives of many individuals,” the VLJ said in announcing the award.
Partner Michael Podberesky, chair of McGuireWoods’ Veteran Lawyers Network, said: “We are proud of our longstanding pro bono partnership with VLJ and honored to help military veterans who selflessly served our country.”
McGuireWoods’ Veteran Lawyers Network leverages the experience, talent and generosity of the firm’s lawyers and business professionals to provide pro bono legal assistance to former service members nationwide. The firm received the National Veterans Legal Services Program’s Pro Bono Partner of the Year Award in 2022 for its work with NVLSP’s Lawyers Serving Warriors program. McGuireWoods also won Chambers and Partners’ award for Veterans Program of the Year in 2021.