MARCH 3 • 2022 | 21

JFS’ SUCCESS 
JFS’ Legal Referral Service 
was co-founded in 2007 by 
board member Mark Jacobs, a 
Farmington Hills attorney who 
continues to serve as chair, and 
the late Norm Keane, JFS’ CEO 
at the time. Jacobs reports the 
program has aided more than 
1,300 JFS clients since then, 
saving clients millions of dol-
lars in legal fees. 
 In addition to land-
lord-tenant law, JFS provides 
legal aid in domestic abuse 
cases, bankruptcy, probate, 
Social Security Disability, 
elder law and immigration. 
The program is open to 
JFS clients who come within 
income levels set by the State 
Bar of Michigan. Coordinator 
Goldberg also notes that some-
times clients who are victims of 
domestic abuse may not have 
access to household income.
In the JFS program, lawyers 
commit to handling one mat-
ter per year, which could be 
simply a phone call or filing 
a court appearance. JFS can 
also provide its clients with 
wraparound social services 
including counseling, housing 
referrals, and assistance with 
utilities and food. Serving on 
the Legal Referral Service com-
mittee along with Jacobs are 
Co-Chair Mara Moss, Mark 
Picklo and Michelle Freeman.

JBAM’S EFFORTS
JBAM’s mission is to promote 
and unify Jewish and other 
like-minded legal professionals 
by providing social, educational 
and charitable activities. It sup-
ports pro bono opportunities 

and offers a mentorship pro-
gram for its members, pairing 
new and seasoned attorneys.
JBAM education chair 
Nargiz Nesimova, a Southfield 
attorney, said, “We’re hoping to 
attract both new attorneys and 
established attorneys to assist 
in landlord-tenant cases. The 
seminar will show them what 
to expect and also facilitate 
attorneys to do pro bono work.
” 
 
For several years, JBAM has 
been offering seminars on vari-
ous aspects of law. 
JBAM mentorship chair 
Eric Berlin, a Bloomfield Hills 
attorney, said, “Our mentorship 
program will allow people to 
connect mentors with mentees 
by practice area, by firm size 
and by years of experience, so 
we can assign appropriate men-
tors and mentees.
”
Attorneys who wish to 
volunteer for the JFS Legal 
Referral Service can contact 
coordinator Kelly Goldberg at 
(248) 592-1907 or kgoldberg@
jfsdetroit.org. JBAM members 
who are interested in becom-
ing mentors or mentees can 
contact JBAM President Ellie 
Mosko at (248) 629-0495 
or ellie@moskolawpc.com. 
Attorneys interested in joining 
JBAM can visit jewishbar.org. 
“We’ve got hundreds of 
lawyers and law firms that 
participate in the JFS pro-
gram,” said Jacobs. “We often 
boast that we have assembled 
the largest virtual Jewish law 
firm in Michigan.” 

To register to view the landlord-tenant 

law seminar at 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, 

March 10, go to jlive.app/events/1763.

“WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT 
THIS EVENT THAT WILL LAUNCH 
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH JFS’ 

LEGAL REFERRAL SERVICE.”

— JEWISH BAR ASSOCIATION OF MICH. PRESIDENT ELLIE MOSKO

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