West Orange attorney wins Cornerstone Award

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Lawyers Alliance for New York recently announced 13 Cornerstone Award winners — outstanding individuals selected from more than 2,100 business and transactional lawyers who volunteered through Lawyers Alliance during the past year. These awards, the highest business law pro bono honor in New York, recognize superior legal services to nonprofit organizations that are improving quality of life for low-income New Yorkers. Among the Cornerstone Award winners is Alnisa Bell, a West Orange resident.

“These volunteers have been extremely responsive and supportive, providing their time, energy and talents to nonprofits during challenging times. Pro bono legal services by business and transactional lawyers are critical to the success of nonprofits that are working to rebuild neighborhoods, improve equity and serve people of all ages across New York City,” said Elizabeth M. Guggenheimer, executive director of Lawyers Alliance.

Bell, a partner in the labor and employment department at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, received the award for her work guiding nonprofit organizations through delicate employment issues.

Bell received a Bachelor of Arts from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania in 2006 and her Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School–Newark in 2009. Bell has volunteered with Lawyers Alliance on five employment matters since 2016. She has become a trusted adviser to her nonprofit clients, helping them navigate complex, sensitive employment issues. 

Bell delivered legal advice and counseling to an organization that provides health and social services to children. The organization faced difficulties with an employee’s performance. A representative said, “Alnisa evaluated the legal risks of disciplinary action, including termination. As part of this process, she reviewed all relevant employee performance documents. When the decision was ultimately made to separate the employee, Alnisa developed a separation-and-release agreement and provided termination talking points for our meeting with the employee. She also provided legal advice regarding providing references for this employee. Alnisa was very thorough and prompt in responding to our many questions.” 

Another organization, Hester Street Collaborative, benefited from Bell’s expert guidance during a New York State Department of Labor audit. She helped the client articulate why its teaching artists were engaged as independent contractors, resulting in the audit coming to a satisfactory resolution. 

Bell assisted community arts organization ESS Community Projects by drafting template agreements for both its full-time employees and part-time teaching artists. Properly drafted agreements lay the foundation for good employee relations and legally compliant practices. 

Bell has also handled other sensitive employment projects, including determining whether the incoming translator for an immigrant assistance organization should be engaged as an independent contractor or hired as an employee; and the investigation of a board member of another organization who was accused of unwelcome fraternization with staff. 

“I view pro bono work as a critical part of the legal profession,” Bell said. “The profession has developed me into the lawyer I am today and it is important for me to use my talents to help others. Nonprofits play a vital role in community building and oftentimes provide services to marginalized communities. By providing legal services to nonprofits, I am furthering their mission to build better communities.”