The Cancer Advocacy (CAP) and Elderlaw (ELP) Projects help cancer patients, survivors, and seniors prepare their wills and advance directives. The Cancer Advocacy Project also provides advice and assistance with cancer-related employment discrimination and unjust medical insurance denials. 

Alison Greenberg, Esq., Principal of the Law Offices of Alison Greenberg LLC, has practiced employment law for almost 20 years.  She has extensive experience in the field, representing a wide range of clients. Since 2012, Alison has brought that same energy to her volunteer work with CAP – recognizing the importance of knowledge for people going through cancer treatment or navigating their workplace – sometimes silently for fear of being targeted. 

Alison has generously shared her expertise with numerous cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.  She initially worked in tandem with a fellow employment volunteer as she began giving presentations for cancer-related entities.  Pre-COVID, these events were conducted in person and included presentations for a support group at a Bronx Veterans Administration hospital and at other cancer support groups around New York City.  More recently, these programs have taken place remotely, and Alison continues to lecture on employee rights and protections.  She has also presented to medical providers, including oncology physicians, patient navigators, and social workers, to raise awareness of the non-medical challenges faced by many cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers in the workplace.  

In addition to presentations, Alison fully supported CAP’s mission to make legal information more widely accessible by producing part one of a two-part mini video highlighting protections in the workplace for persons affected by cancer, which is available online.  

Alison has also provided direct assistance to individual CAP clients.  One client was diagnosed with cancer in the final year of an apprenticeship program.  Her union membership, a vital component of her job, was contingent on successfully completing the course.  She informed the college of her situation and was reassured that her absences would be accommodated if she kept up with her coursework.  Although she complied – even writing a paper while recovering in the hospital – she was removed from the class roster due to her absences.  Alison was determined to help the client, going above and beyond in her efforts to assert the client’s rights.  By zealously advocating on her behalf, Alison prevailed over the college, and the client was able to earn a letter grade and complete the course.  

For Alison, some of her most profound experiences as an attorney come from her pro bono work.  “I wanted to use my skills as an employment attorney to help employees diagnosed with cancer – who could not necessarily pay for an attorney – navigate their employment rights.  Providing services directly to clients through CAP is humbling and meaningful.”  

Alison is an outstanding and much-appreciated volunteer who has made an invaluable contribution to the lives of many CAP clients.  We are delighted to present her with this well-deserved award.