The Simmons Hanly Conroy attorney Gloria Colon is featured this week in Missouri Lawyers Weekly for her inspiring story and dedication to helping veterans. Colon is part of our asbestos litigation team, but also puts countless hours into helping homeless vets throughout the St. Louis region. Her pro-bono work with veterans helped Simmons Hanly Conroy win recognition as the Illinois State Bar Association’s Pro-Bono Firm of the Year for 2008.
Colon, along with one other attorney and two legal assistants, has served nearly 250 veterans in 2008 thus far. Her legal efforts include handling the traffic tickets and other minor citations that prevent veterans from getting work. Often, the veterans will be unable to pay their tickets and will eventually have a warrant issued for their arrest. These warrants prevent them from seeking employment. Colon and the others work to stop this cycle. On some weeks, her efforts take her to multiple courthouses.
Colon served 22 years in the military and, for a brief period, was homeless in New York City. In the article, Colon says the work reminds her of who she was and where she’s been. “Every face of every veteran is my life right in front of me in their eyes,” she says. “It makes me certainly count my blessings.”
Read More at the Missouri Lawyers Weekly web site.
