Susko, a partner with the Philadelphia law firm of White and Williams, LLP, has given countless hours as an advocate, leader and volunteer for providing legal help to low-income individuals. He has worked hundreds of hours as a pro bono attorney for indigent clients, including several whose rights could have easily been ebbed by their mental and physical disabilities. As president-elect and later president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), he led the PBA in improving legal access for the poor, including the passage of resolutions creating a pro bono standard for attorneys and pushing the state’s legislature to increase funding for legal aid.
“Andy has continually demonstrated his commitment to the service of indigent clients in Pennsylvania since 1990; but, his efforts were most visible on a statewide basis during his term as the president of the 30,000 member Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) for the 2007-2008 fiscal year,” described Alfred Azen, executive director of the Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Board, in his letter of support. “During his term he sought to heighten the awareness of the civil legal needs of low income Pennsylvanian among the organized bar, elected and appointed public officials at the local, state, and federal levels, the general public through frequent media releases, and other community leaders. He demonstrated vision and leadership by having favorable PBA policy position established so that they will provide direction to the legislative and other work of the association long after his term as president. He initiated a PBA legislative initiative, PBA Day on the Hill, which is destined to instill a culture of legal aid support within the association.”