The U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York is pleased to co-sponsor the 2025 Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent (POWER) Act Virtual CLE/Webinar.  Please click here for the program description and flyer.

Click here to Register for the Event or scan the QR code below

The Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent (POWER) Act promotes efforts across the country to empower survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through pro bono legal services.

POWER Act events can serve as a catalyst for change in a community, inspiring attorneys interested in pro bono work and fostering connections with community members, organizations, and coalitions working to close the justice gap for survivors.  Since the initial passage of the POWER Act, district court efforts have resulted in pro bono legal summits across the nation.  In FY 2022 alone, 81% of district courts sponsored or co-sponsored POWER Act events, reaching over 6,000 people.

The 2025 Virtual Power Act will be held on June 24, 2025 @ 1:00 PM (EST).  This program will be recorded and available to co-sponsoring courts on or about June 27, 2025.  This year’s program will feature two speakers.

• Hon. Virginia Mary Kendall (born January 25, 1962) is an American attorney and jurist serving as the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  President George W. Bush appointed her to the bench on January 3, 2006.  In addition to serving on the bench, Judge Kendall is also a noted expert on child exploitation and human trafficking, as well as an adjunct professor and author.  She served as Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division, Child Exploitation Coordinator, and Coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods.  Kendall helped to create and then served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee which reviewed all child exploitation cases that impacted multiple jurisdictions.
• Stacy Schecter, Esq. is currently the legal director of the Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Law Project.  Stacy is an experienced family law attorney with 15 years spent assisting litigants in New York City Family Court.  Prior to joining Safe Horizon in 2018, Stacy spent four years as a Court Attorney to the Hon. Linda Tally at Bronx Family Court, managing a large docket of child abuse and neglect matters.  Stacy also litigated child welfare matters on behalf of the city with Administration for Children's Services at the start of her legal career.  She also has teaching experience as an adjunct professor of government and law at CUNY Queensborough.  Stacy is a proud graduate of Hofstra University School of Law and the University of Delaware.

Participating court units in the 2025 virtual event include:
ALND, ALSD, COD, CTD, DED, FLMD, FLND, GAMD, GAND, HID, IAND, ILCD, ILND, ILSD, INND, INSD, KYWD, LAWD, MAD, MIED, MIWD, MND, MSND, MTD, NCWD, NDD, NED, NMD, NYND, NYWD, OHSD, OKED, OKWD, ORD, PAMD, PAWD, RID, SCD, SDD, TNED, TNWD, TXED, TXND, TXS, TXWD, UTD, VAED, VAWD, VID, VTD, WAED, WIED, WIWD, WYD

To register for this program, please click on the link above and complete the registration form.  Once registered you will receive a link for the virtual program approximately 2 days before the program.