WASHINGTON, DC—Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) is proud to announce the Cheryl Polydor Fellowship, a generous gift from the family of Cheryl Polydor, a former LCE pro bono attorney. Ms. Polydor passed away on February 21, 2017, after a valiant battle with cancer.

The Fellowship will support attorneys or law students who wish to work at LCE, and who will carry on Ms. Polydor’s passionate belief that the law can make a positive difference in people’s lives. The first recipient will join LCE this summer and this year, and in years to come, the Polydor Fellow will focus on larger issues affecting seniors, especially as they relate to long-term care.

“Cheryl had passion and remarkable attorney skills that made a difference in the lives of so many of the D.C. seniors we serve,” said LCE Executive Director Jan May. “There are people born to live their lives righting wrongs, and fighting for those less fortunate. Cheryl was one such person.”

“Many D.C. seniors have a chance to age-in-place, thanks to Cheryl,” said LCE/D.C. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Attorney Mary Ann Parker. “Cheryl drafted legislation that became law and helped to establish the D.C. program, Safe at Home.” Safe at Home pays for small home modifications, such as wheelchair ramps and handrails, which can delay or eliminate the need for individuals to move to a long-term care facility.

“Cheryl’s compassion and commitment were powerful forces throughout her career, and her life, and she was proud and grateful to work as part of the terrifically effective LCE team,” said a family spokesperson. “Our family could not think of a better way to honor Cheryl than to support LCE’s mission. This Fellowship will foster the ideals that meant so much to Cheryl. It also allows LCE and our family to continue the relationship that Cheryl valued so very much.”

Ms. Polydor attended Barnard College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian Literature. She went on to earn a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University. She put her skills and passion to work at the ACLU Prison Project, the Federal Trade Commission, the Maryland Disability Law Center, the Congressional Office of Compliance, and the National Employment Lawyers Association, in addition to LCE.

May says LCE’s Cheryl Polydor Fellowship will embody the words of her favorite quote, “Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living!”

Interested persons can apply for the position on the AARP website:  AARP LCE - Law Fellow Polydor Fund

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For more than 40 years, Legal Counsel for the Elderly has championed the dignity and rights of Washington, D.C. elders by providing free legal and social work services to those in need — empowering, defending and protecting.