Buffalo Law Journal Article on My House Fire

Law student rebuilds after house fire

By Jodi Sokolowski
Buffalo Law Journal

Tara ******* hadn’t even made her first mortgage payment yet when a fire ravaged her home on Buckeye Road two weeks ago.

But, thankfully, the University at Buffalo Law School student is receiving solace and support from students and staff at the law school, and from the area legal community.

"I’ve been through a lot of things, so you have to be thankful for what you have," said the first-year law student. "I’m a very independent person, and it’s hard for me to accept (donations), but at the same time I recognize that I have a need."

Monetary donations and offers of furniture and places to stay have been flowing in. Not yet sure how much of her furniture can be salvaged, Tara is holding off accepting any. However, she’s already writing thank you notes to those who have donated money.

"People have been very generous. It has been very overwhelming to feel that sense of community still exists," she said.

That’s no surprise to Jim Ostrowski, a general litigator who runs the nonprofit Free Buffalo. Having recently moved his office, he offered Tara an extra desk.

Through efforts such as the Erie County Bar Foundation’s Lawyers Helping Lawyers program, Ostrowski said, the legal community is always willing and ready to help fellow and future attorneys in need.

The same holds true for UB Law.

"We are a big family. We try to take care of each other," said Melinda Saran, vice dean of student affairs.

The first calls for donations to help Tara came in the form of a solicitation from the Eggertsville Hose Company, which responded to the fire. But since then donations have come from various sources, and UB has offered Tara a no-interest loan for $3,000, mainly to help pay veterinary bills that homeowner’s insurance won’t cover.

The night of the fire, Tara was hosting a cocktail party for some UB Law students and staff, marking the start of her second semester. The friends were planning to stay in, but changed their minds.

"We decided to go out, thank God," said Tara. "I got a call that my house was on fire, and I thought it was a joke."

Investigators believe an electrical fire started in the walls of Tara's Amherst home.

Tara's 14-year-old cat, Angel, was killed in the fire, and her black Labrador mix, Tessa, was seriously injured.

"My consolation was that (the cat) didn’t suffer. She was probably asleep in my room where it started," she said.

Another cat, Shadow, is doing fine. "He’s a little needy, but he’s playing," Tara said.

Now back attending classes, Tara has updated friends and contacts about how she’s doing through her Facebook page. Her mentor, real estate lawyer John "Sean" Millane, has been keeping her upbeat with jokes and advice on how to work with her insurance company.

Tara hails from Maryland, where she was an executive assistant for the Armed Services Medical Examiner’s Office. Seeking a joint degree in law and public health, she plans to practice health law while working in real estate on the side.

On his way back from a trip to China, Tara's father will come to Buffalo soon to help her get her life in order again.

"He can help me decide what to do with the house," she said.