Thousands of people get free legal help battling evictions, employment or housing discrimination, deportation, lead poisoning, utility shut-offs, or domestic violence thanks to New Haven’s thriving legal aid agency, New Haven Legal Assistance Association.
They can thank Patricia Kaplan for helping build the organization — she worked there for 34 years, including as executive director for 1991 to 2012. She also opened the agency’s Naugatuck Valley office in Derby.
Kaplan died on Feb. 14 at the age of 81 due to complications from ALS.
You can read her full obituary at the bottom of this story. But first hear what some of her colleagues have had to say about her in recent years:
Remarks Prepared By Sheldon Toubman For Connecticut Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award (To Be Granted Posthumously In April)
I have been a staff attorney at NHLAA for about 30 years. For most of this time, Pat was the Executive Director, so I got to see up front how she was as a leader– direct and decisive, but also inclusive. She wanted our organization to be the best law firm it could be, to serve our low income clients as they deserve to be served. It was always clear – in good times and in bad – that she would choose to expand services when she could, and avoid cutbacks in the most challenging times, even if it meant pushing us to take a more risky course.
But I would like to talk about how Pat, in addition to mentoring many newer lawyers, was critical to the success of more experienced ones, like me. It is not an exaggeration to say that a large portion of my success as a lawyer is due to the unwavering support she provided to me during all of those years of very difficult fights against very powerful adversaries. At the time, I admit I didn’t fully appreciate how valuable this was, but, looking back on it, few Executive Directors probably would have given such solid support for so long for my aggressive advocacy strategies which ultimately paid off for our clients.
In 1998, it was Pat who first approached me about the abysmal access to care for children on Medicaid, particularly those in need of mental health services, who had to constantly get approval from risk-based insurance companies with a financial incentive to deny care. Now, twenty-three years later, colleagues in other states always ask me how it is possible that we were able to entirely rid insurers from the Medicaid program.
I always respond, first, by explaining the various creative strategies we applied and the allies and coalitions created, within legal services and far beyond. But then I state that these strategies ruffled a lot of feathers along the way and that I simply could not have been able to use these methods — without Pat’s support as against both outside forces and also people at least nominally on our clients’ side who did not like the heat. Pat demonstrated tremendous integrity in navigating those shoals.
But we persisted and prevailed after a 12 year campaign, and now, since 2012, the Connecticut Medicaid program is both dramatically improved regarding access to care and saving hundreds of millions of dollars for the taxpayers each year.
So, as this illustrates, I owe a huge part of what I have accomplished in the last 30 years (since Pat hired me- I forgot to mention that part) to the unwavering support I got from Pat all those years. And this includes since she left being Executive Director some 8 years ago: she has continued to support the work I do.
I need to acknowledge that Pat also recognized that legal services work is difficult work and therefore also supported making sure that the attorneys at NHLAA received reasonable compensation.
In sum, I am sure that I did not show this enough while she was toiling as our Executive Director, but, in both my professional life and my personal life, I owe Pat a huge debt of gratitude for her strong leadership and friendship, and how she captained NHLAA for so long.
Sheila Hayre, In 80th Birthday Tribute Book (January 2020)
I can truly say that I am the lawyer I am today because of Pat Kaplan.
Pat: You taught me how to practice law in almost every respect. You were my first real supervisor, my “Jefa” (in Spanish, female boss). I learned how to litigate from you, because you always made sure to shift your busy schedule as Executive Director so that you could appear in court by my side. As my supervisor at NHLAA, you taught me the building blocks of family law, walking me through “easy” uncontested divorce cases so that I would understand the basics. You taught me the importance of knowing one’s colleagues and working with them to foster a collegial bar.
You knew everyone, and just mentioning your name opened almost any door — and brought a smile to every face. I always loved going to court with you because you introduced to me everyone you knew, which was basically every single person in the courthouse, including lawyers, judges, staff, and even some clients! I especially loved hearing your war stories and was honored that we were able to create some of our own stories during the time we practiced together.
The lessons I have learned from you are too many to name. I still tell my students what you always told me: when you’re in court, don’t spend precious time checking your phone — instead, go into the courtroom and observe lawyers in action. You were right — you learn a lot from watching a good lawyer, and you can learn even more from observing a bad one. You taught me the importance of being a good colleague, of being active in the state and local bar associations, by — to take just one example — attending events like the NHCBA’s Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony for our recently deceased brethren.
But perhaps mostly importantly, you nurtured my passion for the law as a tool for social justice. You taught me what it means to be a legal services lawyer — to represent an impoverished client to the fullest extent, to strive for what might seem to others impossible. Your “can do” attitude is unmatched by any lawyer I have ever worked with. When some around you were hesitant to take on a new and complicated area of law at legal services, you had the foresight to hire a fellow to introduce immigration law to NHLAA, which is now home to four, full-time immigration lawyers.
But what I remember most is the actual lawyering we did together. You and I took on an “easy” divorce case and ended up getting custody for an undocumented monolingual woman with no legal or biological relationship with her child except that she was his true “mother.” (They said it couldn’t be done, but we did it!) Together, we persevered until we got a delayed birth certificate for a child born in the desert of Arizona without any witnesses present, so that the child could enroll in school, and eventually prove that he was a U.S. citizen. We spent countless late nights at the office teaching Spanish pro se divorce classes. I just adored the way the monolingual Spanish-speaking clients would laugh with you — my “jefa” — even though even though you only had a handful of words in common. And there was nothing more satisfying than appearing in court with a cohesive group of non-English speaking litigants — all oddly happy and relatively unstressed — and getting eight divorces in one morning!
Like family law, what I learned from you was far more than the sum of the parts, and I cannot thank you enough. Happy birthday, Jefa!
Emily Benfer (80th Birthday Tribute Book)
Pat Kaplan taught me the importance: of listening, really listening; of investing in
people who are just starting out; and in giving people an opportunity to contribute to social change while doing the work that will help them grow – as a professional and a human being.
Pat was the first lawyer to invest in my future. She welcomed me to NHLAA as a pre-law intern. She introduced me to my first clients and first legal supervisors – the people who, to this day (19 years later!), are the advocates I admire most. She showed me the power of the law and why we must support and believe in each other in this critical work. In the same way I did then, I revere Pat and her compassionate, humble, confident leadership; her unwavering commitment to her team; her keen sense of justice (and how to secure it); and her every client’s inalienable humanity. I will forever try to foster these traits in myself and the students I teach.
Pat also taught me the importance of always taking the time to do something that make your soul sing and, then, she gave me that priceless something. When she caught me eyeing the stack of kayaks on the side of her house, she immediately offered to loan one to me. Since that day, kayaking on the Sound has kept me rejuvenated, in it for the “long haul,” and paying Pat’s lessons forward.
Happy Birthday, dear Pat! On this most special of days, throughout my justice work, and with each paddle, I honor you.
Remembrances From Kathy Flaherty
The one thing I always appreciated about Pat, as someone who worked with her from afar — especially when I was at SLS — is she never made you feel like you were asking a “stupid” question even if it were something that the smallest bit of research would have led to the answer — she was always so gracious and kind (and smart and quick) with answers — which helped so much when we were on the hotline with clients! And CLRP was so lucky to have her assigned to us when she was on the CBF grant making committee because she understood our work.
Many years ago, my husband Jim Valentino used to be the Art Director for the Connecticut Law Tribune. I joined him at a party at the publisher’s house. Pat was on the editorial board. I went over to say hi to her (because I recognized her) and she says to me “Do I know you?” and I told her who I was and she just started laughing “what are you doing here? I did not expect to see you at this and it’s completely out of context so I didn’t recognize you!”
Remarks From Judy Hoberman At Pat Kaplan’s 2012 Retirement Dinner
Dearest Pat,
Despite your asking that there be no remarks made tonight, at the summer Board meeting we decided to ignore your wishes, of course. And when Jay suggested that the speaker ought to be one of us who’s known you for a long time, we looked around at each other, and I finally spoke up, “Well, that would be me.” We first met the summer of 1976 while casually carpooling to UConn for evening classes. You next turned up at LAA in 1978, after I had finished my first year as a VISTA volunteer; and you were one of the newbie VISTAs. Although we both took home about $70/week, I had fared better with an actual office downtown, while you and Bennett got to work out of the back of a station wagon to serve the lower Naugatuck Valley. . That was the first of your many adventures at LAA.
We worked together for the next 17 years Toward the end of 1995 when I’d made the most difficult decision in my life — to leave LAA — you’d been Executive Director for just a short time, and I came to you to tell you first, my friend. Some years later, you told me you’d sat there and cried after I left your office. Well.. now it’s Judy’s turn to cry.
As evidence of your special commitment to our clients, you spent all of your years as a staff attorney in the Derby Office. I spent one year with you in the Derby Office, but I couldn’t make it my home the way you had. (That was a year of personal changes for both of us, but in reminiscing, I recalled that it was the year you found your love Ian.) And how stunningly fitting it is that our new Executive Director, Sue, hails from the Valley and continues the link and commitment to that community.
I came to see what a fine family law attorney you are, and how you’d earned the respect of our colleagues in the private bar and the judiciary. Not an easy feat for a legal services attorney back then. Those professional and personal accomplishments made you a great candidate for Executive Director after Jon left, and if the Board hadn’t hired you (over the external male candidate), it would have been a terrible mistake. Over the next 17 years, you expanded those professional and personal accomplishments and interests, and enhanced your capacity and confidence to direct LAA. You became a statewide advocate for access to justice, part-time clinical instructor, photographer, grandma, international traveler.
Your leadership style was revealed to me as both a staff member and Board member. You are direct and decisive. As a staff member, I knew that you wanted LAA to be the best law firm we could be, to serve our clients as they deserve to be served. As a Board member, you guided our decision-making without being heavy-handed. And though I never felt that we merely rubber stamped your choices, it was always clear – in good times and in bad – that you would choose to expand services when we could, and avoid cutbacks in the most cutthroat times, even if it meant pushing us to take a more risky course.
The governing and Friends’ Boards, wish thank you, Pat – these are their words – for your unique and indefatigable leadership, your commitment, your successes and your legacy, your inspiration, your devoted service, your modeled courage. .
From me, your friend and colleague, and now fellow LAA alumna, let me share the knowledge that you’ll always be a legal aid lawyer. I hope the current staff doesn’t mind my saying that, because I know it’s true for me, and will be for you. LAA stole my heart that very first year, and owns a piece of it still. And so I trust and know you’ll never really be leaving us, as you move on to your next great adventure, with all our love.
Full Obituary
Patricia Rosen Kaplan, age 81, passed away peacefully on February 14, 2021, due to complications from ALS. She was born January 22, 1940, to Millicent (Missy) and Albert Rosen. Pat is survived by her husband Ian Scott; sister Anne Rosen Noran; children Julie Kaplan and Michael Kaplan (Christina Kaplan); and grandchildren James Arey, Alex Arey, Ryan Kaplan and Nicole Kaplan. Pat was predeceased by her sister Barbara. Pat loved all of her family deeply.
Pat attended Barnard and Mills College and taught first and second grade after graduating. While at Barnard, Pat was first stage manager for the Fantasticks during the summer of 1959. She married her first husband, Moreson Kaplan, in 1957. In 1975, Pat enrolled in law school at the University of Connecticut. During law school, Pat interned at New Haven Legal Assistance Association (NHLAA) and never looked back. Pat went to work for NHLAA full time in 1978 and opened the Lower Naugatuck Valley branch office of NHLAA in Derby. Pat helped create the first domestic violence center in the Valley and developed materials and ran workshops to teach women how to represent themselves in family court and how to obtain restraining orders. Pat was promoted to managing director of the Derby office in 1982.
In 1991, Pat became the Executive Director of New Haven Legal Assistance Association and worked in this position until 2012, when she retired after 34 years of service. In addition to running the agency and keeping it afloat financially, Pat was very visible in the New Haven community, the state, and nationwide, promoting legal services and advocating for equal justice under the law. As the executive director, Pat delighted in mentoring new lawyers and instilling in them a strong commitment to providing the highest quality representation for their clients without concern for any political fallout. At the same time, Pat continued to carry her own caseload of family and juvenile cases, her first love in the law.
Pat committed much of her time and energy to strengthening the legal system. She played a key role in ensuring financial stability for legal services, securing stable funding for legal services through interest on lawyers trust accounts (IOLTA). Pat was also very active in the New Haven County Bar Association, serving first as secretary and then as president from 2002 – 2003. While president of the Bar Association, Pat mentored many young lawyers and worked to increase diversity by attracting more minority lawyers.
Pat was widely respected in the legal profession. In 2005, Pat was honored as the recipient of the Connecticut Law Tribunes’ service to the profession award. In 2012, she was named one of the “Dozen Who Made a Difference” by the Connecticut Law Tribune. On April 8, 2021, Pat will posthumously receive the Connecticut Bar Associations’ Edward F. Hennessey professionalism award.
During her time at NHLAA and throughout her life, Pat was totally devoted to helping people; helping others was simply in Pat’s DNA. After “retiring,” Pat did extensive pro bono work, providing workshops on various aspects of the law and providing legal advice to those who showed up in person or by phone or email at her “office hours.” She also volunteered for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, serving as a guardian for children in foster care and assessing the fitness of their educational services. Pat continued her pro bono legal consultations throughout her illness, responding to requests for help by email when she no longer was able to speak. Not long ago, when she was about to be taken in for a medical procedure, Pat made them wait while she completed an email for one of her pro bono cases.
Pat married Ian Scott on September 30, 1990 and enjoyed 40 wonderful years with him. They loved adventure and traveled extensively all over the world. Pat was an avid kayaker, a talented photographer, and a great cook. She enjoyed taking photographs of her trips and had several photographic exhibitions.
Pat was a spark of light and a joy to all who knew her. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend; she was the glue that held so many diverse people together and was an anchor of support to her family and friends. Her loss is immense, and she will never be forgotten.
There will be a celebration of Pat’s life in the spring, date to be determined. Donations in Pat’s name can be made to New Haven Legal Assistance Association.
