The Perecman Firm Names Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship Winner
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C., is proud to announce Louis Godfrey as the recipient of its Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship for Autism for 2021. Each year, the firm offers a higher education scholarship in memory of Avonte Oquendo, a nonverbal 14-year-old boy with autism who left his Queens public school undetected in 2013 and tragically drowned in the East River. David Perecman, Founder and Lead Trial Lawyer at The Perecman Firm, represented Avonte's mother, Vanessa Fontaine, in a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of her son.
Each year, The Perecman Firm offers the scholarship to directly benefit students with autism and those with autistic family members. After reviewing numerous applications and inspiring essays from bright and talented students across the country, the team is pleased to select Louis as this year's recipient.
Louis is a recent graduate of J.L. Mann Academy in Greenville, South Carolina and will be attending Clemson University in the fall. His essay, entitled "Adversity and Autism," detailed his life and experience with high-functioning autism—the early behavioral signs that led to his diagnosis, the difficulties he and his parents faced early in his education, and the steps he's taken to succeed—as well as his thoughts on how learning about his diagnosis "was a critical step to overcoming it." Louis explains his implementation of strategies that, alongside the support from his parents, support groups, and therapy, helped him reenter the public school system in middle school, play trumpet and make friends in the school band, and secure a well-deserved spot in the All-County Band. In addition to earning all A's and becoming team captain of the robotics club, Louis strived to ensure everyone on his team felt valued.
"All of us at The Perecman Firm congratulate Louis Godfrey on being named the recipient of this year's Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship for Autism," said Mr. Perecman. "We are very proud to offer this scholarship in Avonte Oquendo's name to support and help students with autism and those directly impacted by autism to pursue higher education opportunities and further their career interests."
More information about the Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship can be found at www.perecman.com/avonte-oquendo/autism-scholarship.
For more information about The Perecman Firm, visit www.perecman.com.
About The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.
Founded in 1983 by David Perecman, The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C. is a full-service personal injury law firm with offices in New York, New York, and Jericho, Long Island. The firm's attorneys concentrate their legal practices in all aspects of personal injury, including construction accidents, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death and civil rights matters, as well as, workers' compensation, and Social Security Disability. Recognized by U.S. News for the past ten consecutive years as one of the Best Law Firms in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury in New York, the Perecman team is distinguished among their peers for their professionalism and knowledge. The firm's consistent and notable results garnered attention from nationally-recognized organizations including Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers®, which named David Perecman a 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. The firm and its attorneys have recovered more than half a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements on their clients' behalf. For more information, visit www.perecman.com.
Contact: Candice Votke
[email protected] / (516) 640-8197
SOURCE The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.
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