Tom Duffy Appointed to CLS/PLA Board
Tom Duffy, receiving the Community Legal Service "Champion of Justice" award in 2015.
(Philadelphia) Tom Duffy of Duffy + Partners has joined the board of directors for Community Legal Services (CLS) and Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA), organizations that provide free legal assistance to low-income Philadelphians.
“These organizations have a tremendous impact in the city in an area of great need,” said Duffy. “To be able to be a part of their efforts as a board member and support the work they do so passionately is a privilege.”
Duffy dedicates thousands of hours to a number of charitable causes, including Magee Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, the Irish American Cultural Institute of Philadelphia, HelpHOPELive (formerly NTAF) and the Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP), among others. He has been honored with a number of community awards, including the Magee “Champion in the Community” award in 2009, the HelpHOPELive “Community Hero” award in 2010, the Legal Clinic for the Disabled “Special Recognition Award” in 2012, the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania’s “La Justicia” award in 2014 and the CLS “Champion of Justice” award in 2015.
In 2012, he established the prestigious “Duffy Fellowship,” which provides funds to underwrite a staff attorney at several legal service organizations in Philadelphia, including the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, CLS, and HAP.
“Tom Duffy is an incredible lawyer and has been an extremely generous supporter of CLS,” said Debby Freeman, Executive Director of CLS. “We are thrilled and grateful to have him join the board.”
Founded in 1966, CLS is Philadelphia’s oldest and largest nonprofit law firm devoted to ensuring the access to justice for low-income people. PLA has been Philadelphia’s federally-funded civil legal services provider since 1996. The organizations share a board of directors.