The Goldstein Fellowship Fund

When Joseph Goldstein passed away in the spring of 2000, friends and colleagues at New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc. (NHLAA) were hard-pressed to find a fitting way to honor one of their founders. Attorney Goldstein, a Sterling professor at Yale Law School and recipient of the Connecticut Bar Association's esteemed Charles Parker Award for legal services work, was a mentor, champion, and friend to many- especially to those who inhabit New Haven's lowest-income housing areas.

It was decided that finding a way for students to continue pursuing their interests was something Goldstein would heartily endorse. The Joseph Goldstein Memorial Fellowship, a donor advised fund, was established at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. This fund supports an intensive summer work opportunity open to an interested student from any law school in the country. Through the Fellowship, NHLAA will pay students who desire to work with NHLAA clients, but cannot commit to a non-paying position.

Patricia Kaplan, former director of NHLAA, said at the time the Fund was created that the Fellowship will remain dedicated to helping those Goldstein cared about so strongly, but will also be open, in the future, to other areas of law as well. She said the committee chose to work with The Community Foundation because of their reputation for fund management.

And by establishing the Fellowship with The Foundation, Kaplan and her fellow members of the Joseph Goldstein Memorial Fellowship committee have found a way to ensure that he will continue to always be there.