Robert M. Harper of Farrell Fritz Honored by Touro Law Center
Robert M. Harper, counsel in Farrell Fritz’s estate litigation practice group, was honored as a Public Interest/Pro Bono Attorney of the Year at Touro Law Center’s Annual Goods and Services Auction on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
Harper, a Garden City, NY resident, earned his J.D., cum laude, from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University and his B.S. from Boston College Carroll School of Management. He is a frequent contributor to the firm’s New York Trusts and Estates Litigation blog.
Harper has worked for the rights and well-being of minors and the developmentally disabled as a Surrogate’s Court guardian ad litem, the firm said in a release. He takes on some of these guardian ad litem assignments as pro bono matters.
In 2017, Harper devoted nearly 200 hours to his pro bono work, including many hours that involved protecting a half dozen individuals assigned to him by the Surrogate’s Court. These situations typically involve him writing reports concerning petitions for the appointment of guardians for minors and persons who have developmental disabilities. Harper spends many hours conducting research and interviews to ensure that the individuals in question will be well served through the guardianship appointment, the firm said.
Each year, Touro Law Center hosts the Goods and Services Auction to raise money to benefit the Touro Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program, which funds summer stipends for students to work in public interest law firms or non-profit organizations. The auction program also recognizes an Attorney of the Year from Long Island law firms.
