Greetings from Executive Director Tiffany Liston
Dear MFJ Friends and Supporters,
I hope you had a relaxing and rejuvenating summer. It certainly went by too quickly, but post Labor Day momentum and activities are afoot. As always, Mobilization for Justice continues to fight hard and with passion for our clients, work that does not slow in the summer. And so much good work has transpired since our last newsletter, it is time we send an update. I also wanted make sure you Save the Date for our Gala on Monday, October 21, celebrating our clients, our work and honoring Eric Holder Jr. and MUFG Bank. I thank you for your collaboration, support, and commitment to our mission of bringing justice to New York City’s under-served people.
Mobilization for Justice 60th Anniversary Gala Celebration
Mobilization for Justice’s 60th Anniversary Gala celebration was in June 2023 at Pier 61 in Chelsea Piers. And what a celebration it was!
While celebrating 60 years of Mobilization for Justice (& MFY Legal Services) bringing legal justice to so many thousands of New Yorkers, we proudly recognized two giants of social justice: former Chief Justice of New York Jonathan Lippman and former United States Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. We also honored the pro bono work of JPMorgan Chase and their demonstrated commitment to the mission of Mobilization for Justice for over 20 years. We were thrilled to have as Master of Ceremonies WABC newscaster Bill Ritter.
We were also privileged to be joined and entertained by singer Aloe Blacc and the Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir from Harlem’s famed Church. The event brought together over 350 attendees from the legal, business, and philanthropic communities. And as usual all sponsorships, ticket sales and journal ads supported the essential legal work of Mobilization for Justice. See our benefit journal and photos here.
 MFJ Kinship Care Law project clients Gwendolyn Handsford and her grandchildren Jayden and Jorden  Master of Ceremonies WABC News anchor Bill Ritter, former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, MFJ Executive Director Tiffany A. Liston, and Judge Jonathan Lippman  Singer Aloe Blacc and guitarist  The Inspirational Voices of Abyssinian Baptist Church Barker v. Rokosz – an amazing win for all!
Mobilization for Justice won an amazing result in a recent predatory lending case in the Eastern District of New York, Barker v. Rokosz.
Ms. Barker has lived in her two-family house in East Flatbush since childhood. The house was inherited by Ms. Barker and her half-sister after her mother passed away. Ms. Barker was undergoing cancer treatment at the time and was not able to buy out her sister’s interest in the property. Her sister sued to force a sale of the property. To settle the judgment, Ms. Barker sought financing, but was unable to obtain traditional financing, so she obtained a high-interest, hard-money loan from the unlicensed lender, Izia Rokosz, which she would then repay with a conventional loan.
MFJ’s Foreclosure Prevention Project took the case, and noting the circumstances of Ms. Barker’s loan, began to investigate the lender’s practices throughout New York State. MFJ contacted many of the homeowners to whom Mr. Rokosz had lent money. Based on this research, MFJ saw the potential for a predatory lending suit.
Eventually, as expected, the lender tried to evict Ms. Barker and take possession of her home. MFJ represented Ms. Barker in housing court and successfully had the case dismissed. The lender appealed the dismissal, and while that appeal was pending, MFJ filed suit in federal court on Ms. Barker’s behalf. In January 2019, an MFJ attorney obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent the lender from evicting Ms. Barker. In response, MFJ and our staff attorneys were sued for malicious prosecution.
In addition to the sheer volume of work, it was extremely difficult on a technical level. The bases of our suit were several consumer protection laws: the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) and New York’s Banking Law. But these laws were designed to apply to loans made to individuals, not companies like Mr. Rokosz’s.
After years of litigation, in July 2024 we received the Court’s decision. The result was incredible, first and foremost for the relief that it provided: Ms. Barker’s mortgage was cancelled entirely; she is entitled to monetary damages; and MFJ will recover all fees and costs. Ms. Barker is very happy about the outcome.
But even more important, the decision will serve as a precedent for these kinds of hard-money lending schemes, which are a growing equity-stripping scheme in New York City. This is the first time that a court has granted judgment on such a claim when the homeowner had mistakenly transferred ownership to a business entity. Through expertise, passion and persistence – MFJ was able to change the lives of Ms. Barker, and hopefully many others.
Another Great Win for an MFJ Client!
AS is from Nigeria and was a victim of domestic violence in her home country. She survived life-long abuse by her family, as she was considered to be property by her husband and in-laws. When her husband died, her in-laws treated her as family property and forced her to marry her brother-in-law while suffering ongoing physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. After escaping with the help of her children and a family friend, she flew to the U.S. and reached out to MFJ. Her MFJ attorney provided countless hours of application preparation, including a detailed affidavit of traumatic events, country conditions, while also obtaining an expert who could testify to her case and conditions in Nigeria. Mobilization for Justice navigated AS through four hours of testimony and cross-examination until the Judge granted Asylum in AS’s favor.
Volunteers Bring Out The Best in MFJ!
Congratulations to MFJ super volunteer Jonathan Zich, who received The NYS Attorney Emeritus Program Special Recognition Award during their 2023 Pro Bono Week Celebration, which took place in October. The program is hosted by the New York State Unified Court System, the New York State Bar Association, and the New York County Lawyers Association. Congratulations Jonathan… and thank you!
MFJ Supervising Attorney Andrew Darcy wins New York Law Journal’s prestigious Rising Star Award
In his role as Supervising Attorney at Mobilization of Justice, Andrew Darcy represents low-income New Yorkers in various matters to ensure their housing rights. He supports a team of staff attorneys who do the same work. Additionally, he helps lead MFJ’s Housing Project as it navigates providing services under the New York’s Right to Counsel Law.
In addition – “Darcy” as we call him – is also an almoner with the Haven Relief Fund Society and is a member of two committees at the New York City Bar Association: the Legal Referral Service Committee and the Housing and Urban Development Committee. In his free time, Darcy writes and publishes pieces relating to housing and civil rights.
Asked what advice he would give to young lawyers, Andrew responded: “The practice of law is unbelievably varied, which can be daunting. Your goal should be to find the intersection of your interests and society’s needs, and the best way to do that is to remain intensely curious and unafraid to try new things.”
Congratulations Andrew for a well-deserved honor and recognition!
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2023/10/02/rising-star-andrew-darcy/
Mobilization for Justice’s Fight for Consumer Protections Continues
While the final victory eluded us, MFJ’s Consumer Rights Project fought until the very last hours of the legislative session to enact the Consumer and Small Business Protection Act (CSPA), which would ban unfair businesses practices in New York. Huge shout out to Director of Litigation for Economic Justice Carolyn Coffey and her team for leading the campaign to pass Senate bill 795 introduced by Senator Leroy Comrie and Assembly bill 7138 introduced by Assemblymember Helene Weinstein.
Our efforts to pass this important legislation included helping to host a virtual legislative briefing, drafting materials, authoring numerous op-eds and garnering press coverage, participating in countless meetings with legislators, their staff, and other advocates, and hosting a press conference in May that brought out many supporters from across New York State. CSPA enjoyed tremendous support and moved further than it ever has, but ultimately did not pass. Undeterred, MFJ will continue the fight for our clients during the 2025 legislative session.
Mobilization for Justice Annual Gala Coming Up Soon – Celebrating the Next 60 Years of Justice!
Mobilization for Justice will celebrate the next 60 years of Justice on Monday, October 21st with a gala event at the fabulous event space Tribeca 360. Our honorees this year are former Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., and MUFG Bank Ltd.
Eric H. Holder, Jr. served as the 82nd United States Attorney General from 2009 to 2015. As the first African American to hold the office, Mr. Holder is an internationally recognized leader. In 2014, Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People, noting he had “worked tirelessly to ensure equal justice.” Mr. Holder served in government for more than thirty years, having worked for Presidents Obama, Clinton and Reagan. Mr. Holder is currently Senior Counsel at Covington & Burling LLP, and Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. He recently led Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ Vice President exploratory committee.
MUFG Bank Ltd. has been a long-time pro bono partner of Mobilization for Justice. As one of the world’s largest financial institutions, MUFG has long supported organizations dedicated to social justice, racial and gender equity, arts and culture, and economic prosperity through access to economic opportunities in a variety of communities and neighborhoods
As we do each year, we look forward to a fun, exciting, as well as educational, evening of cocktails, dinner, entertainment, and awards ceremony. And there will be the return of the renowned, beautiful voices of the Abyssinian Baptist Choir! As always, all sponsorships, tickets, journal ads, and auction sales support the essential legal work of Mobilization for Justice. Please purchase tickets, journal ads, or make a contribution to support the event right here. |
