Steven Yarmy – CAP Volunteer of the Month – March 2021

Steven Yarmy was raised in San Diego.   He graduated from San Diego State University in 1995 with a degree in Accounting.  Thereafter, he went to Thomas Jefferson School of Law, graduating in 1998.  In 2000, he moved his family (wife and daughter) to Las Vegas.  It was here that his son was born in 2003.  Steven began practicing law in 2004.  He first worked for creditor’s rights firms, then in 2008 he made the decision to open his own practice.  His practice has evolved into bankruptcy, family law, civil litigation, and criminal law.  Steven feels that these are the areas of law that can help the community in general.  Steven shared that he spends most of his free time with his family and that they have done a lot together as a family over the years.

Steven became involved with our Pro Bono department in October 2020 after he had received an email from Legal Aid concerning CAP attorney opportunities.  He became interested in volunteering and felt the need to become involved.

When asked why he does pro bono work, Steven responded by saying that as a Christian, his core values concern the well-being of others, especially children. Children are especially vulnerable and are the future of our community.  Steven feels privileged to serve these children and is grateful for the opportunity. Steven stated that volunteering is very rewarding and he wants to give back.  Becoming involved in this programs has allowed him to give back in a way that satisfies his core beliefs.

Steven shared that his most memorable client while volunteering as a pro bono attorney was a female African American client who had an amputated leg and was in a wheel chair.  The client had been molested over a seven year period of time during her childhood by her uncle.  She was living on government assistance. She met several attorneys but they wanted expensive retainers she could not afford.  His client had a son who lived with the father, who was about 40 years old.  The father lived with his mother and aunt and his mother seemed to control the situation of the relationship with the client and her son. This family would only allow Steven’s client to see her son once or twice a month at a McDonalds.  Steven accepted the matter pro bono.  He would drive her back and forth to her home, his office, and the hearings.  She was seeing a therapist at the time and was following her programs.

Steven attended over ten (10) hearings over a period of a year and a half time on his client’s behalf.  Each hearing asking for a little more time for his client with her son.  The therapist filed favorable reports and what had started with a request for supervised visits a few times a week for a few hours evolved into non-supervised overnight visits.  Steven relates that when this was awarded the minor’s father did not allow over-night visitation.  He then proceeded to file a motion for contempt, which granted his client primary physical custody.  Steven describes his client as a wonderful woman, who did what she was supposed to do in order to allow him to do his job while representing her.  The minor child involved in this case was about two years old at the time he started representing this client. He is now seven years old.  Steven describes how happy his client is now that she is finally able to have her son in her custody.  The client still calls to see how Steven is doing and to express her gratitude for all the work he provided in her case.

It is with absolute pleasure we name Steven as our CAP Volunteer of the month.  His beliefs, humble spirit, and compassion for those he helps is what makes him our CAP Pro Bono Volunteer of the Month.