Client Testimonial

Gina Mendez - The Work of Practitioner Flamenbaum

Gina Mendez was trapped. 

Her husband, a homeless drug addict, came and went whenever he pleased. She moved, but he followed. He threatened her and hit her at will. He took her money whenever he pleased. He showed up at her employer's office in a rage, which got her fired from her job. Her two young children, who often witnessed the abuse, were emotionally traumatized. "I was afraid for my life constantly, and I was depressed" recalls Mendez.

She knew she needed to get out of the marriage, but money was tight. Although her income from her job as a secretary was too high for Legal Aid to take her case, she did not make enough money to interest many divorce lawyers. At the end of her rope, she received the name of Judith Flamenbaum, one of the lawyers participating in a practitioner network run out of City University of New York School of Law.

The practitioner networks, which were created at CUNY Law School, University of Maryland Law School, and Northeastern University Law School, are part of the Law School Consortium Project. The Project aims to increase access to justice by supporting law schools to expand their educational and institutional mission beyond graduation to include support and service to solo and small-firm practitioners who are committed to serving low and moderate-income individuals and communities.

Flamenbaum, because of her goal of doing good while doing well, did not turn Mendez away. She worked with Mendez to create a payment plan that Mendez could meet and went promptly to work. Throughout the case, Flamenbaum only did what was necessary to get the best result for Mendez and her kids but never to inflate the price, recalls Mendez. "I was thankful that she took my case and that I was able to afford her," says Mendez.

But Flamenbaum was more than just affordable. She was a compassionate, hard working advocate for Mendez, who often went above and beyond for her client, points out Mendez. "She made me feel that she would never turn her back on me," she says.

In addition to seeking the best result, Flamenbaum delicately saw Mendez through this very difficult time in her life. "I was a mess. Judith was like a counselor to me. She gave advice even outside of the divorce, like that I had to file a report for every abusive incident with the police and about my order of protection," she explains.

Flamenbaum was gentle yet persistent and compassionate yet always professional, says Mendez. "I don't think anyone would have helped me the way she did. She had that personal touch," says Mendez.

"But most importantly, Judith never made me feel like she judged me in any way. It is easy for people to judge or label depending on how they view minorities," says Mendez, who is Hispanic. "Judith only made me feel that she wanted to help."

Wanda Banke, a violinist with two kids, was also trying to get out of an abusive marriage. Judith's professional yet kind manner saw her through the turmoil in her life as well. "She has a certain kind of demeanor that is comforting yet confident….I always felt that I was in the right hands," says Banke. "And she was very sensitive to the emotional rollercoaster that I was on. She understood me emotionally," she adds.

Like Mendez, Banke was on a tight budget. She looked around for an attorney, but could not find someone affordable. "Judith wasn't as costly as other lawyers, she seemed very reasonable and was flexible," she says. Banke, like Mendez, was offered a payment schedule tailored to her particular situation. Even though her case ended a year ago, Banke is just now finishing up her monthly payments to Flamenbaum.

Banke says she was very pleased with the results of her case and her lawyer. "She always put the children first. She was trying to put the pieces back together," she explains. " She was also patient, caring, trustworthy and very professional. You could tell the judges really respected her," says Banke.

And Flamenbaum always treated Banke as a partner during the divorce, informing Banke as to the process of her case and presenting different options to choose from, explains Banke. "As to the law, she explained everything. I was never in the dark as to what was going on," she says. "She was like a counselor. She gave her opinion but never forced things. We really collaborated and had a great relationship."

Written by Victoria Rivkin, a freelance writer in New York City