A very poignant tribute from Darlene Flaim
‘It is because of Mr. Rooney that my step-son and his father’s Estate have pro bono legal representation in San Mateo (CA) Superior Court made possible by the Mickey Rooney Elder Abuse Pro Bono Project set up by, Holland and Knight, the law firm that represented Mr. Rooney’s in his elder abuse lawsuit.
And while Mr. Rooney will be remembered by the world as a wonderful movie actor who brought much happiness and joy to the world through his efforts on the …stage and on screen, he is equally deserving of being honored and remembered for his brave and heroic acts in standing up and becoming the celebrity voice against elder abuse and truly raising awareness of this issue in our nation.
For us, Mickey Rooney is not only a world-class talent, he will be remembered, regarded and respected by our family as a real hero, who made it possible for our family to obtain justice against the paid caregiver who abused our loved one. Our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.’ ~ Darlene Flaim
Some Background on the Pro Bono Program
In 2011 it came to light that Mickey Rooney had been the victim of elder abuse at the hands of his step-son Christopher Aber and his wife Christina. Rooney was represented in court by Holland & Knight and took the brave step in testifying in congress on the subject of Elder Abuse. He is quoted as saying at a Senate committee hearing, “I felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated. When a man feels helpless, it’s terrible.” “If elder abuse happened to me, Mickey Rooney,” the actor testified, “it can happen to anyone.” The Associated Press has the part of this testimony on YouTube and can be viewed HERE.
Rooney’s law firm Holland & Knight went on to establish a pro bono program described on their website:
Trust, Estates and Fiduciary Partner Bruce Ross’s experience representing actor Mickey Rooney led him to found an elder abuse pro bono program. The Mickey Rooney Elder Abuse Pro Bono Project helps protect senior citizens from becoming victims of financial elder abuse and helps them reclaim money they’ve lost. The program puts lawyers in touch with local programs that need help in representing elderly clients in abuse cases.
“I asked myself, ‘Why shouldn’t a law firm stand up and fight against elder abuse?'” said Mr. Ross. “And if the answer to that question was, ‘Why not?’ then the question was ‘Why not Holland & Knight?'”
Holland & Knight’s San Fransisco office also works closely with Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS), a non-profit for outreach and client referrals. Trust, Estates and Fiduciary Partner Stacie Nelson serves as an official lead for the office and said she is thankful for the relationship with LAS.
“If every firm could get into this, we still would not have enough lawyers,” said Ms. Nelson, “so we’re lucky that LAS is willing to have us work with them.”