The firm’s pro bono work for Holocaust survivors, which we undertook in October 2008 under the supervision of Nancy Ludmerer and former associate Ron Garber, has continued to develop. By pursuing applications on behalf of our elderly clients, many of whom live below the poverty line, we have been able to obtain compensation from the German government for work they performed in German-controlled ghettos during World War II. More than 50 Davis Polk lawyers have participated in the program, which is currently supervised by Nancy and Aryeh Kaufman, with Leah Edwards’ coordination and assistance.

The program commenced with our screening, interviewing and pursuing applications for nearly 100 survivors through the German Ghetto Work Payment program ("GGWP"), which provides a one-time payment of €2,000 to survivors who worked in German-controlled ghettos. Since September 2010, Davis Polk has trained lawyers, both internally and at other firms, to apply on behalf of survivors for a different benefit under a program known as “ZRBG.” We held a clinic at our offices in September, during which many survivors met with Davis Polk lawyers to initiate their ZRBG applications. Since that time, our lawyers have entered into engagements with more than 30 survivors in order to apply for the ZRBG pension.

The ZRBG pension program differs from the previous GGWP program in that it provides a monthly pension to survivors, as opposed to the one-time payment, and thus can result in considerably more compensation. The ZRBG program also presents certain complexities because survivors must choose between it and the GGWP program. Accordingly, various considerations such as the age and health of our clients, as well as certain eligibility distinctions between the two programs, raise strategic questions for most of our ZRBG applicants.

Two survivor clients, Ms. Polina Krasnikov and Mr. Bernhard Eckert, have recently been granted both monthly pensions and substantial back-payments. Ms. Krasnikov, represented by Aryeh Kaufman, was awarded a monthly pension of $330 and a back-payment of approximately $24,500. Mr. Eckert, represented by Anthony Sanfilippo, was awarded a monthly pension of $480 and a back-payment of nearly $38,000. These awards represent very significant events in the lives of these elderly clients, who are as thankful for our assistance as we are excited and pleased with the result.

Other survivors have been represented by counsel Nancy Ludmerer and Marcie Goldstein, and by associates Seth Caffrey, John Chen (not yet admitted), Meyer Dworkin, Brechje Hertoghs (not yet admitted), Lin Jacobson, David Joffe, Joshua Kaplan, Aryeh Kaufman, Lena Kiely, Connor Kuratek (not yet admitted), Daniel Loss, Karen Luftglass, Jessica Lutrin, Gillian Emmett Moldowan, Stevan Nicholas, Michael O'Neill, Aaron Page, Thomas Quirxtner, Catherine Reilly, Eric Schmale, Jordan Leigh Smith, Aman Solomon, Michael Steinberg, Monica Sullivan, Katherine Swan, Kevin VanLandingham, Johannes Wirtz and Zachary Zweihorn.

Additional assistance and representation has been provided by legal assistants and document clerks Ryan Alberts, Michael Allwin, Leah Edwards, Justin Han, Naglaa Hussein, Jeffrey Katz, Bill Klokiw, Igor Lyubarskiy, Matthew Marcucci, Ken Ratner, Cheryl Reid, Anthony Sanfilippo, Eleanore Silverberg, Stephanie Trager and Lorenz Wolffers, as well as Nicole Stern from the Managing Attorney's Office.