In an effort to help low-income rental property owners, SPOA has formed a partnership with the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) in their landlord advocacy initiative. While SPOA is a big tent organization that supports a broad variety of small property owners, VLP focuses exclusively on the needs of a smaller subset of those owners who are both low-income and owner-occupants of 2 to 3 family homes.We are pleased to work with Ms. Donna Cohen, who leads efforts to assist owners through the VLP. Donna is known as a game changer who operates with discretion, perseverance, and integrity. Forty years ago, she started her law career as a litigation attorney with Gilman, McLaughlin and Hanrahan LLP. She focused on general civil litigation and landlord-tenant law representing large landlords. Donna recently returned to her roots in the landlord-tenant practice when she became a consulting attorney for the VLP through a grant under the Covid Eviction Legal Help Project with the responsibility to create, implement, and supervise the roll-out of a new program directed specifically toward providing access to legal, financial, and educational resources for low-income eligible owner-occupied landlords of 2 to 3 family homes. Devoted to issues facing women today, Donna is a leading lawyer and advocate for women in all aspects of business, sport, and entertainment, especially those who are breaking gender barriers. Donna advises, organizes, moderates, and provides talent for special events involving women and baseball for Major and Minor League baseball clubs. She speaks internationally on gender, sport, and society and is a special advisor to Baseball For All. In 2018, Donna became managing director of the inaugural World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Baseball World Cup Trophy Tour, for which she was awarded the WBSC flag.Donna supports and is an advisor to numerous charitable organizations and sits on the boards of several nonprofit and educational organizations, including the University of Massachusetts Sport Leadership Advisory Board and the World Baseball Softball Confederation Diversity and Inclusivity Commission. Furthermore, she is a Trustee of the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association Emergency and Charitable Trust Fund.Her skill set enables diverse stakeholders to work together to envision, manage, and ultimately accomplish their goals.
by Amir Shahsavari