Team
Patricia Malone (she/her), Legal Director
Pat is the Legal Director of Pro Bono Net New York Programs. She leads legal and content strategy for LawHelpNY and across initiatives and programs. Pat has extensive experience working with partners, managing projects, and creating legal content for advocates and impacted communities. Her expertise includes writing "smart" interviews, plain language articles, legal updates, practice guides, and newsletters. She brings together experts to create webinars, podcasts, and other legal training materials for the field. Pat has a deep background in immigration law practice, training, and project management. Prior to LawHelpNY, she was at Pro Bono Net’s Immigration Advocates Network, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network in Washington DC and New York, AYUDA in DC, Proyecto Libertad on the Texas border, and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Though she has lived all over the country, Pat is a New Yorker at heart - growing up outside of Albany, attending SUNY Oneonta, and raising kids and dogs in northern Manhattan.
Yvonne Ngo, Program Associate
Yvonne Ngo is the Program Associate for the New York Programs. Yvonne supports several projects, including state and national programs. Prior to joining Pro Bono Net, Yvonne volunteered for an organization dedicated to helping low-income communities in New York. She is eager to help expand access to justice by connecting those in need of legal help through Pro Bono Net's digital tools and resources.
Maria Puente, Volunteer Coordinator
Maria joined Pro Bono Net in July 2023 as the Volunteer Coordinator for the LawHelpNY program. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Psychology and comes from a years-long journey in public mental health – from working with adults in hospital wards to working with children with special needs. She is an enthusiastic proponent of community social support systems as well as DEI improvement efforts. Maria is excited about bringing her skills and experience to the legal non-profit sector and creating a positive impact on individuals and our communities. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring new countries and cultures, and spending time with her family.
Wantee Ramkaran, Program Manager
Wantee joined LawHelpNY in May 2020 as a LiveHelp Program Associate. She received her J.D. from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 2020, and B.A. in Political Science from Queens College, City University of New York in 2017. As a law student, Wantee began volunteering with LawHelpNY in October 2017. As a LiveHelp volunteer, Wantee found her passion for using her law degree to assist disadvantaged individuals in our community and expanding legal access to justice. She is grateful for the opportunity to begin her law career at LawHelpNY.
Advisory Committee & Partners
- City Bar Justice Center
- Empire Justice Center
- The Legal Aid Society of Mid New York
- The Legal Aid Society of New York
- Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York
- Legal Assistance of Western New York (LawNY)
- Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
- Legal Services of Long Island (formerly Nassau Suffolk Law Services)
- Legal Services NYC
- Neighborhood Legal Services
- New York State Bar Association
- New York Legal Assistance Group
- Pro Bono Net
- Volunteers of Legal Service