Bet Tzedek Annual Report Highlights Growth, Achievements

Trial attorney Sanford Michelman, cofounder of Michelman & Robinson, is a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office. In addition to this role, Sanford Michelman spends considerable time giving back to the Los Angeles community. He has been honored by the California State Bar for his pro bono work at Bet Tzedek, an organization that provides free legal services to people in need. 

In February 2018, Bet Tzedek published its Annual Report, detailing the organization's activities and achievements over the past year. The report reveals a busy and productive year for Bet Tzedek, with twice as many people served than in 2016. In 2017, the organization served 41,077 people and raised $9.1 million in donations. Additionally, it donated 60,000 hours of pro bono assistance, serving low-wage workers, immigrant families, and other people in need.

The report also highlights the ways in which Bet Tzedek has been honored for its work. In September 2017, the organization received the Judicial Council Distinguished Service Award for its Rapid Response Program for immigrant families, becoming the first organization ever to receive the award.

Michelman & Robinson, LLP, Recognized Through High-Profile Awards

Sanford Michelman serves as Michelman & Robinson, LLP (M&R), co-founder and is a litigation partner with the Los Angeles Office of the firm. In August 2017, Sanford Michelman was among five M&R attorneys who earned a spot on the Best Lawyers in America’s 2018 list. A peer-reviewed publication, Best Lawyers is known for its unbiased legal referrals, with inclusion on the list considered a major honor. 

This recognition was followed in November with M&R’s Tier 1 ranking by U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers for its Orange County and Los Angeles Commercial Litigation practices. In tandem with this, the Los Angeles office was acknowledged for its Tier 2 Labor Law (Management) practice and the Orange County received Tier 2 ranking for Mass Tort Litigation (Class Actions/Defendants). Areas of Tier 3 ranking included Insurance Law in Los Angeles and Litigation (Labor & Employment) at the New York City office. 

These high profile awards were described as reflecting the consistently top-tier efforts of M&R’s support staff and lawyers, in support of a quality work product.

ecord Volunteer Contributions during IICF's 2017 Week of Giving

A co-founder of the Los Angeles-based law firm Michelman & Robinson, LLP, Sanford Michelman is an experienced attorney whose clients include insurance companies, advertising agencies, and private equity groups. In addition to his legal work, Sanford Michelman is a board member of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF).

One of IICF's largest volunteer initiatives of the year is the Week of Giving. Adopted in 1998, the eight-day initiative has resulted in over 240,500 volunteer hours dedicated to hundreds of projects throughout the United States and United Kingdom. The 2017 Week of Giving took place from October 14 to 21 and once again set new records in volunteer hours and cities.

A total of 10,200 insurance professionals throughout 39 states and the UK combined to contribute 28,800 hours of volunteer service during the eight-day initiative. The year prior, 8,500 insurance professionals dedicated a combined 21,700 volunteer hours to over 400 community projects. The biggest year-over-year increase, however, was in the Week of Giving's presence: last year, volunteers in 115 cities took part in the initiative, whereas volunteers were active in 173 cities during the 2017 campaign.

Zimmer Children's Museum Welcomes V.I.B. Visitors Under the Age of 2

A respected presence in the Southern California legal sphere, Sanford Michelman guides Michelman & Robinson, LLP, as co-founder and litigation partner. Community involved, Sanford Michelman has provided pro bono assistance to those of limited means through Bet Tzedek and served on the board of the Zimmer Children's Museum.

The Los Angeles museum is unique in offering to visitors of all ages a wide range of activities, from the multi-instrumental musical jam Rhythms of the World to the Wishing Wall, which encourages children to envision a better tomorrow. 

Visitors under the age of 2 can also take part in a number of fun activities, with the V.I.B. (Very Important Babies) Lounge offering a brightly colored environment that contains activity mats, mirrors, and plush toys. 

Wednesday at 9 am is the anticipated V.I.B Hour, when young guests take over the museum and crawl and climb in a relaxed setting. Twice a month, this includes the Art Crawl, when the art room is transformed into a giant blank canvas that allows babies and toddlers to create messy, colorful artwork together.

Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Supports Early Literacy

A litigation partner with Michelman & Robinson LLP in Los Angeles, Sanford Michelman co-founded the firm, which focuses on the advertising, digital media, financial services, and insurance industries. To stay active with his professional community, Sanford Michelman belongs to the board of directors of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF). This organization leverages the success of the insurance industry to make a difference in communities across the nation.

IICF has partnered with Sesame Workshop, the organization behind Sesame Street, to support early literacy and the two organizations have recently renewed the partnership based on the success of their joint efforts. The renewal comes with new, bilingual content that will provide multimedia tools for increasing early literacy.

The content will include 100,000 storybooks featuring Sesame Street characters to be distributed to charities and children’s organizations along with copies of Every Day is a Reading and Writing Day study materials. The partnership will also produce a free online course for early childhood professionals that emphasizes family engagement and early literacy, as well as webinar for IICF volunteers that teach them how to use the materials in a meaningful way.

San Fernando Valley Business Journal - Top 25 Lawyers Award

As the chairman and partner of Michelman & Robinson, LLP, in Los Angeles, California, Sanford Michelman is responsible for overseeing the daily litigation practice in the law firm, where he focuses on financial services and insurance companies. Sanford Michelman has been a practicing attorney for over 15 years and has been named one of the “Top 25 Lawyers” by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

The San Fernando Valley Business Journal provides local and regional news for the residents of the Northern Los Angeles community, along with information about some of the top businesses and people in the area. The Top 25 Lawyers awards program is one of several programs designed to recognize individuals and business owners in the Los Angeles area who have made a positive impact in the community. Held each year, the awards programs for the various categories generally draw 200 to 500 attendees and offer excellent visibility to their sponsors.

Bet Tzedek Provides Legal Services on a Variety of Matters

A co-founder of Michelman & Robinson, LLP, Sanford Michelman serves the firm as a litigation partner in Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Sanford Michelman has been recognized for his legal work and dedication to community service. He has donated his time and resources to numerous organizations over the years, including Bet Tzedek, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides free legal assistance.

Bet Tzedek offers pro bono services in a variety of areas, including disability, government benefits, housing, and employment rights. The organization also oversees programs to help with elder law and estate planning issues such as guardianships, wills, home equity fraud, and elder abuse. 

As part of its Community Outreach Project, Bet Tzedek offers legal services and representation on these and other matters at senior centers and Jewish Family Service SOVA centers throughout Los Angeles County. Other services provided through Bet Tzedek’s Community Outreach Project focus on debt counseling, bankruptcy, consumer protection, and public benefits. 

Another popular Bet Tzedek offering is the group’s Self-Help Conservatorship Clinic, which provides assistance to those considering filing a conservatorship without the aid of legal counsel. Offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, the Self-Help Clinic is held at several locations, including the Norwalk Library, the Lancaster Regional Library, and the Long Beach Courthouse.