Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Hiscock Legal Aid Society:​​ Encouraging Change in CNY

By: Ellyson Morgan

We spent the day following client resource specialist, Sharon Eisenson, as she works closely with clients through support and facilitating service referrals for clients in family court. She empowers clients to make changes to improve their families and always provides an open ear for them to feel supported throughout the often traumatic experience that family court can present to families. 

A Lively Morning

Sharon arrives at the office at 8:30 everyday. This particular Tuesday, she faced a client attempting to text her since 7 a.m. Sharon notes that there is no set routine for each day, as her schedule depends entirely on the clients she is working with and how to best meet their needs.

She immediately catered to this client, who was facing issues regarding custody and child support. She then responded to emails from attorneys that were working on cases with her clients. 

Texting with clients aids Sharon in properly informing attorneys about their clients. This limits misinterpretations when transferring information from client to attorney. 

10:00 – Community Presentation

Sharon arrived at the recovery center in Syracuse at 10 a.m. She met with staff and presented information on the pre-petition program. This involves working with clients who are facing a CPS investigation.

The audience came with plenty of questions, so Sharon was able to display her knowledge on the program for quite a while. 

Back to Work

Upon arriving back at the office, Sharon was greeted with several texts and calls from clients. These calls can be about anything; today a client called to be assigned a new case worker for the county. Unfortunately, as Sharon explained, we are not in control of this. However, she was able to talk the client through the issues at hand.

Lunch

Sharon’s lunch break typically consists of a home-packed lunch and responding to any remaining emails. 

Everchanging Tasks 

Sharon explains that her work is separate from that of an attorney, despite many assumptions. Her days are very unpredictable, but consist mainly of support for clients in family court. Outside of assisting Hiscock Legal Aid clients, she also works with parents/guardians who have had Child Protective Services called on them. 

4:30 – Back Home

Around 4:30 p.m., Sharon heads home. She lives a vibrant lifestyle outside of her career; she enjoys riding on her husband’s motorcycle and spending time with her three-month-old grandson. Sharon finds the work-life balance to be very important, so she tries to limit contact with clients outside of working hours. 

Sharon has a long history of helping people, and has been with HLA for almost three years. Previously, she served as a supervisor at a care management agency, CPS case worker, probation officer, family services worker, worked in the adult protective unit, and several other similar roles.