The Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has named Victor M. Fortuno to be Interim President of LSC effective January 1, 2010 to succeed Helaine M. Barnett, who is stepping down on December 31, 2009, after serving for six years as LSC President, the longest serving President in LSC’s history. (Related Story)

Mr. Fortuno currently serves as Vice President for Legal Affairs, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at LSC, and other than taking a temporary leave from the office of Corporate Secretary, he will remain in those positions concurrent with his service as Interim President.

In announcing this appointment, Frank B. Strickland, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said, “Vic brings a wealth of experience at LSC to this position and we are confident in his leadership during this interim period.” Mr. Fortuno will remain in the position until either another interim or a new President is named by the Board of Directors.

Mr. Fortuno was appointed General Counsel of Legal Services Corporation in 1991 and has since been appointed to the offices of Corporate Secretary and Vice President for Legal Affairs.

He received both his B.A. (1974) and J.D. (1977) from Columbia University and spent his first year after law school as a staff attorney with Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. He then served for five years as an Assistant District Attorney for the City and County of Philadelphia. His work in the District Attorney's Office included assignments to its Trial and Appellate Divisions and its Organized Crime Unit.

In August 1983, Mr. Fortuno joined LSC as an attorney in its Office of Compliance and Review. During his LSC tenure, he has also served as Acting Director of Compliance and Review, Assistant General Counsel, Senior Litigation Counsel and Deputy General Counsel.

Mr. Fortuno is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania, and he is a member of the bars of the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of Arizona, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth and District of Columbia Circuits. Since 1980, he has also been a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

 Among his civic activities, Mr. Fortuno currently serves on the board of directors of Ayuda, Inc. and has served on the boards of directors of the Philadelphia Health Plan and, the Columbia College Alumni Association.