Managing Attorney – Health & Independence Unit Lydia Gottesfeld is the Managing Attorney of the CLS Health and Independence Unit. In that role, she oversees CLS’s work keeping low-income people connected to critical safety net public benefits–including health insurance, nutrition support, and cash assistance–as well as CLS’s work advocating for older adults and disabled people…
Divisional Supervising Attorney / Duffy Fellow Jennifer Burdick is a Divisional Supervising Attorney in the SSI Unit at Community Legal Services. Her practice focuses on representing adults and children facing issues both attaining and maintaining Supplemental Security Income benefits in administrative hearings and in Federal Court. She also advocates nationally for important systemic reforms to…
Kristen DamaManaging Attorney – SSI Unit and Medical Legal Partnership Kristen Dama is the Managing Attorney of SSI and Medical-Legal Partnership at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS). In that role, she oversees CLS’s work connecting disabled people and their families to federal income supports and fighting for federal policies that promote disability economic justice.…
Social Worker David Wengert (he/him) is a social worker in the Housing Unit who advocates for tenant rights and fights homelessness by connecting at-risk tenants to resources and services. During his tenure with the Housing Unit, he has developed expertise in subsidized housing, illegal evictions, reasonable accommodations and hoarding. He helped create CLS’ tenants’ rights…
Co – Managing Attorney – Housing Unit Rachel Garland began her career at Community Legal Services as an Equal Justice Works fellow in 2008. She is currently serving as a Co-Managing Attorney of the Housing Unit. Ms. Garland has worked extensively on the intersection of housing and domestic and sexual violence and provides representation, community…
Staff Attorney Ian Charlton is an Attorney in the Homeownership and Consumer Rights unit at Community Legal Services. Ian was previously an Attorney, Attorney Fellow and a legal intern in the Landlord-Tenant Unit at Community Legal Services, the Consumer Housing Unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, and the Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project. Ian received the Public…
Senior Attorney Monty Wilson is a senior attorney with CLS’s Consumer Housing Unit. His practice focuses largely on municipal tax foreclosure & mortgage foreclosure defense in both state and federal court. He has also worked extensively with local community organizations and the City of Philadelphia to aid Philadelphia homeowners faced with real estate tax lien…
Senior Attorney Kerry Smith is a senior attorney in the Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, where she represents low-income consumers victimized by abusive, unfair, or predatory practices and homeowners facing mortgage foreclosure. Ms. Smith also engages in regulatory and legislative advocacy on behalf of her clients. She is an…
Staff Attorney Laura R. Smith (she/her) is a Staff Attorney in CLS’s Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit. She works toward economic justice for low-income Philadelphians by defending against abusive collections practices, preserving income and inter-generational financial stability, and advocating for improved access and due process in Municipal Court. Laura joined Community Legal Services as an…
Divisional Supervising Attorney Jonathan Sgro is a Divisional Supervising Attorney in the Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit where he leads the Unit’s property tax work, including individual representation and systemic advocacy on behalf of low-income Philadelphia homeowners at-risk of property tax foreclosures. Jonathan also represents homeowners in mortgage foreclosure, Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and other matters aimed…
