Sergio Villaverde, president of the Bronx County Bar Association, is using his one-year term to advocate for a better court system and increased outreach in his native Bronx community. The 57-year-old family law attorney was elected in July and installed in an October ceremony.
“I’m very active here in the Bronx,” he said in an interview with the Bronx Times. “This is where I’m from, and this is what I do.”
The Bronx County Bar Association was established in 1902 and supports the legal community practicing in the county through resources and library space for attorneys, as well as a law library open to the public. Community members are always welcome at the office at 851 Grand Concourse, where they can receive referrals to local private attorneys, said Villaverde.
While the Bar has always engaged in local outreach and partnerships, Villaverde said he wants to build upon his many connections to take it to the next level.
Villaverde formerly worked as an EMT and community police officer and spent 32 years in the Coast Guard reserve. In addition to owning his own law practice, he serves as vice chair of Community Board 8, which covers the Riverdale, Kingsbridge and surrounding areas.
Villaverde is a co-founder of the Bar’s Community Cares committee, which brings lawyers and judges into local schools and hosts events such as prom dress donation and “dress for success” to collect professional clothing for people in need.
From his career to pro bono work to community involvement, “Public service is a large part of what I do,” he said.
In his capacity as president, Villaverde said he and the organization are advocating for improved funding equity for Bronx courts. Bronxites have no choice but to endure long wait times for court cases to be called, even on important matters such as child support, he said. Sometimes the wait can be over a year.
“That does not happen in other counties, and it’s directly related to the funding,” said Villaverde. “One of my goals is to really shine a light on that.”
He advocates for a study that would examine court funding per capita for Putnam County, for example, compared to Bronx County. As of now, because of understaffing and administrative delays, many Bronxites are forced to take time off work, if they can even do so, to appear in court.
“Can you go to court on your lunch break and go back to work?” That kind of efficiency should be the standard, he said.
Virtual appearances are one relatively easy way to make the courts more accessible, said Villaverde. Although the technology became commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, some attorneys and judges are reluctant to use it now, he said.
“We have to really make sure that the courts are serving the community and not the other way around,” said Villaverde. “Yes, it’s nice to have people stand up when the attorney walks in, but that’s not the purpose of the court.”
Advocating for better courts
The Bar Association plays an important role in righting inequities and inefficiencies within the court system, Villaverde said. As in any industry, it is hard for people currently within the system to speak out.
“They do speak truth to power often … but it would be hard for them to directly call a policy racist, for instance, because the implication for that would not sit well with their boss,” he said.
A more fair and efficient court system would work better for all parties, said Villaverde. The long wait times are a burden on clients, and heavy caseloads make the jobs of attorneys and judges more difficult. “Nobody really wants that.”
The Bar is also working to ensure fair working conditions for attorneys, which helps recruit and retain more talented people to practice in the Bronx.
Amid a shortage of public defenders for low-income New Yorkers, the state also pays for 18-B attorneys, which are private attorneys appointed by the courts to take certain cases. But although the pay rate for 18-B attorneys was recently more than doubled from $75 to $158 per hour, “The floodgates weren’t cracked open,” said Villaverde.
Getting more Bronx attorneys is a challenge, he said, but more hybrid and virtual work would help bring more young lawyers on board, and the Bar continues to provide mentorship, continuing education and social mixers to help keep up camaraderie among those in the profession.
Villaverde said he is proud and humbled to serve as Bronx County Bar president, where his local roots shine.
“Being raised here from P.S. 7 to John F. Kennedy High School and still living here I think gives me an insight, and that’s a good thing for the Bar Association and for the community,” he said. “If you’re in it for yourself, you’ll never satisfied, and if you’re in it to help others, you’ll almost never fail.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes