Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Hello, interested public! A big week for news, with stories below. Additionally, I wanted to share some NALP news: registration is now open for the 2024 Public Service Conference. This virtual event will take place on Dec 10 & 11th and be an opportunity for members of our community to come together and discuss issues we are facing together, including topics that I digest for you weekly in this newsletter. If you have the time, we’d love to see you there!

Take care,

Sam

Editor’s Choice

• Thomson Reuters Unveils AI for Legal Justice Aid Program for Legal Aid Organizations (Law.com; 24 Oct 2024)

Student Loans & Student Debt

• Biden student debt plan heads to 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul (FOX9 KSMP; 23 Oct 2024)

• Additional 60,000 Public Servants to Have Student Loans Forgiven (Fed Agent; 24 Oct 2024)

• Biden takes a third swing at student debt relief, targeting borrowers facing hardship (CBS; 25 Oct 2024)

• State legislators question effectiveness of federal student loans and policies (Route-Fifty; 24 Oct 2024)

• Everyday activists buy up $10 million in student debt then wipe it away for 3,000 people (Upworthy; 20 Oct 2024)

• Biden administration extends repayment freeze for 8 million student loan borrowers (CBS News; 21 Oct 2024)

• Student Debt Is a Major Source of Economic Stress for U.S. Public and Private Sector Workers, New MissionSquare Research Institute Study Finds (Globe Newswire; 22 Oct 2024)

Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring

• Fixing the broken federal hiring process is critical to improving government performance (Government Executive; 24 Oct 2024)

• The Benefits of Professionalizing Pro Bono (Talk Justice; 22 Oct 2024)

• Trump says he’ll move thousands of federal workers out of Washington. Here’s what happened the first time he tried (Government Executive; 23 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

• 6 new Indigenous justice centres opening in British Columbia (Law360 Canada; 18 Oct 2024)

• Strengthening support for access to justice services in both official languages in Quebec (Department of Justice Canada; 21 Oct 2024)

• Milwaukee DSA Opposes County Move To Weaken Successful Right-To-Counsel Program (Urban Milwaukee; 22 Oct 2024)

• Task force seeks to standardize child protective legal aid in Michigan (WOOD TV8; 22 Oct 2024)

• UofL downtown clinic allows law students to aid immigrants legally in Kentucky (WHAS11; 23 Oct 2024)

• Externship program places law school students in [IN]’s most lawyer-deprived areas (The Indiana Lawyer; 23 Oct 2024)

• Students Gain Internship Opportunity [with WA Tenants’ Right to Counsel Program] While Tenants Receive Representation (Gonzaga Law School; 22 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Criminal

• Bucks County has a public defender shortage. What it means for justice in the courts (Bucks County Courier Times; 24 Oct 2024)

• Kansas public defenders asking for higher pay (AOL; 23 Oct 2024)

• Citing lack of judicial response, State Public Defender asks Iowa Supreme Court to step in (QC Times; 21 Oct 2024)

• Yakima County being sued for actions regarding Washington public defenders (NonStop Local; 24 Oct 2024)

• Lawmakers, public defenders, experts host hearing on state of public defense in PA (PA House; 21 Oct 2024)

• Judge demands answers from Idaho state public defender after defendants left without counsel (Idaho Capital Sun; 23 Oct 2024)

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Hello, interested public! A big week for news, with stories below. Additionally, I wanted to share some NALP news: registration is now open for the 2024 Public Service Conference. This virtual event will take place on Dec 10 & 11th and be an opportunity for members of our community to come together and discuss issues we are facing together, including topics that I digest for you weekly in this newsletter. If you have the time, we’d love to see you there!

Take care,

Sam

Editor’s Choice

• Thomson Reuters Unveils AI for Legal Justice Aid Program for Legal Aid Organizations (Law.com; 24 Oct 2024)

Student Loans & Student Debt

• Biden student debt plan heads to 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul (FOX9 KSMP; 23 Oct 2024)

• Additional 60,000 Public Servants to Have Student Loans Forgiven (Fed Agent; 24 Oct 2024)

• Biden takes a third swing at student debt relief, targeting borrowers facing hardship (CBS; 25 Oct 2024)

• State legislators question effectiveness of federal student loans and policies (Route-Fifty; 24 Oct 2024)

• Everyday activists buy up $10 million in student debt then wipe it away for 3,000 people (Upworthy; 20 Oct 2024)

• Biden administration extends repayment freeze for 8 million student loan borrowers (CBS News; 21 Oct 2024)

• Student Debt Is a Major Source of Economic Stress for U.S. Public and Private Sector Workers, New MissionSquare Research Institute Study Finds (Globe Newswire; 22 Oct 2024)

Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring

• Fixing the broken federal hiring process is critical to improving government performance (Government Executive; 24 Oct 2024)

• The Benefits of Professionalizing Pro Bono (Talk Justice; 22 Oct 2024)

• Trump says he’ll move thousands of federal workers out of Washington. Here’s what happened the first time he tried (Government Executive; 23 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

• 6 new Indigenous justice centres opening in British Columbia (Law360 Canada; 18 Oct 2024)

• Strengthening support for access to justice services in both official languages in Quebec (Department of Justice Canada; 21 Oct 2024)

• Milwaukee DSA Opposes County Move To Weaken Successful Right-To-Counsel Program (Urban Milwaukee; 22 Oct 2024)

• Task force seeks to standardize child protective legal aid in Michigan (WOOD TV8; 22 Oct 2024)

• UofL downtown clinic allows law students to aid immigrants legally in Kentucky (WHAS11; 23 Oct 2024)

• Externship program places law school students in [IN]’s most lawyer-deprived areas (The Indiana Lawyer; 23 Oct 2024)

• Students Gain Internship Opportunity [with WA Tenants’ Right to Counsel Program] While Tenants Receive Representation (Gonzaga Law School; 22 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Criminal

• Bucks County has a public defender shortage. What it means for justice in the courts (Bucks County Courier Times; 24 Oct 2024)

• Kansas public defenders asking for higher pay (AOL; 23 Oct 2024)

• Citing lack of judicial response, State Public Defender asks Iowa Supreme Court to step in (QC Times; 21 Oct 2024)

• Yakima County being sued for actions regarding Washington public defenders (NonStop Local; 24 Oct 2024)

• Lawmakers, public defenders, experts host hearing on state of public defense in PA (PA House; 21 Oct 2024)

• Judge demands answers from Idaho state public defender after defendants left without counsel (Idaho Capital Sun; 23 Oct 2024)

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Hello, interested public! Lots of news related to challenges for regional public defender services this week–as well as a story regarding the prosecutor shortage in Alaska. As always, these stories and more are in the links below.

Take care,

Sam

Student Loans & Student Debt

• Will employers opt to help workers pay down student loans? (Marketplace.org; 15 Oct 2024)

• Department of Education extends student debt relief to 60,000 public service workers (EdSource; 17 Oct 2024)

• Student Debt: An Individual and Collective Burden at English-Language [CAN] Universities (Universite de Montreal; 17 Oct 2024)

Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring

• Partnership for Public Service plans AI training center for federal employees in 2025 (Government Executive; 17 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

• The Government of Canada renews funding for immigration and refugee legal aid services in Manitoba (Department of Justice CAN; 17 Oct 2024)

• Circuit Court for Baltimore County announces merger of Law Library and Self-Help Office into Access to Justice Resource Center (Maryland Courts; 17 Oct 2024)

• UCLA law receives $2.2M grant to support its tribal legal development clinic (KRDO; 17 Oct 2024)

• Indigenous justice centre to open in Williams Lake [BC] December 2024 (100 Mile Free Press; 18 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Criminal

• Louisiana’s newly configured public defender board rejects Landry administration pay plan (Louisiana Illuminator; 17 Oct 2024)

  • Oversight board approves compromise chief public defender salary plan (Louisiana Center Square; 17 Oct 2024)

• Dozens of criminal cases dismissed due to prosecutor shortage (Alaska’s News Source; 14 Oct 2024)

• [SD] Indigent Legal Services panel preps for launch (KELO; 16 Oct 2024)

• Concerns raised about Idaho’s new public defense system after exodus in public defenders (East Idaho News; 15 Oct 2024)

• Concerns raised after head of [NV]’s indigent defense efforts fired by governor’s office (The Daily Indy; 18 Oct 2024)

• The Harris County Public Defender’s Office is expanding. But is it growing fast enough? (Houston Landing; 15 Oct 2024)

• Amid public defender shortage, WA Bar Association suggests caseload limits (KUOW; 16 Oct 2024)

  • The Vicious Cycle of Overburdened [WA] Public Defenders (The Stranger; 17 Oct 2024)

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Hello, interested public! Lots of major news this week, including (another) reversal of fortune for the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plans in litigation, a decision from the ABA to change its clerkship criteria, and ongoing legal volunteer efforts in North Carolina and florida. As always, these stories and more are in the links below.

Take care,

Sam

Editor’s Choice(s)

• Biden’s student debt relief plan halted again — what does this mean for roughly 30 million borrowers in limbo? (Yahoo! Finance; 8 Oct 2024)

• ABA strikes 'minority' and 'of color' from clerkship criteria amid lawsuit threat (Reuters; 8 Oct 2024)

• Call for volunteers — Florida’s legal aid providers respond to hurricane crisis (Florida Bar News; 9 Oct 2024)

• Free legal help now available to western NC residents after Helene damage (WRAL; 4 Oct 2024)

Student Loans & Student Debt

• Biden administration pushes collections of defaulted student loans to after election (Politico Pro; 10 Oct 2024)

• 3 Backup Plans If SAVE Is Eliminated (White Coat Investor; 9 Oct 2024)

• Critical Application To Pursue Student Loan Forgiveness Is Back Up — Key Details (Forbes; 8 Oct 2024)

Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring

• Race-Conscious Grantmaking Litigation Updates: What Nonprofits Need to Know (JD Supra; 7 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

• How Can Legal Aid Hold On to Good Attorneys? (Legal Talk Network; 8 Oct 2024)

• VA proposes new legal services grant program to help Veterans upgrade their military discharge status and increase access to earned benefits (Newton County Times; 10 Oct 2024)

• Law Foundation of Ontario awards $1.5M to support access to justice for vulnerable groups (Law Times; 7 Oct 2024)

  • The cost of access to justice [in ON] (Law 360; 8 Oct 2024)

• New [TN] legal aid provider takes over, finds a caring legal community (Daily Memphian; 7 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Criminal

• The Crisis of America’s Public Defenders (Countercurrents; 8 Oct 2024)

• New [ID] state public defender fills most vacant positions (Idaho Reports; 10 Oct 2024)

• South Dakota Counties To Receive $3 Million For Indigent Legal Services (Yankton Daily Press & Dakota; 8 Oct 2024)

  • Public defense challenges highlighted as commission begins work (SD Public Broadcasting; 7 Oct 2024)

  • Public defender support needed as state tackles indigent cases (SD Public Broadcasting; 8 Oct 2024)

• [Gunnison CO] DAs office seeks largest-ever budget (Gunnison Times; 9 Oct 2024)

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Hello, interested public! Lots of major news this week: a federal judge ended the temporary block on the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan, while California became the newest state to require that attorneys report pro bono hours to the State Bar. The federal government is allowing employees to donate their PTO to colleagues affected by Hurricane Helene, while the North Carolina Supreme Court is allowing out-of-state lawyers to assist hurricane victims. As always, these stories and more are in the links below.

Take care,

Sam

Editor’s Choice(s)

• Biden's Student Debt Plan to Proceed After Federal Judge Lets Pause Expire (Teen Vogue; 3 Oct 2024)

• California joins other states in asking lawyers about pro bono work (Daily Journal; 2 Oct 2024)

• Rising Grad School Costs Raise Questions About Some Programs' Value (Forbes; 30 Sep 2024)

Student Loans & Student Debt

• 401(k) Student Loan Match Perk Hindered by Employer Hesitation (Bloomberg Law; 30 Sep 2024)

• Oakland County [MI] connects residents to free student debt relief services (News from the States; 1 Oct 2024)

• End of student loans grace period a potentially perilous time for borrowers (CBS; 4 Oct 2024)

Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring

• Federal Trade Commission employees vote to unionize (Federal News Network; 30 Sep 2024)

• IDOL Reminds Employers of Forthcoming Salary Transparency Law (Illinois.gov; 1 Oct 2024)

• OPM announces leave transfer program for feds affected by Helene (Government Executive; 2 Oct 2024)

• Staff donations draw fire in Tampa’s prosecutor race. But it’s legal — and customary. (Tampa Bay Times; 3 Oct 2024)

• Illinois diversity reporting mandate is burdensome on nonprofits (Chicago Sun Times; 3 Oct 2024)

• DOL Issues Framework to Guide Employers Using AI Recruiting and Hiring Tools (Law & the Workplace; 3 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

• NC Supreme Court Allows Out-of-State Lawyers to Assist Hurricane Helene Victims (The Deep Dive; 3 Oct 2024)

• Legal Aid Ontario releases final report on Aboriginal Justice Strategy (Law Times; 2 Oct 2024)

• Cleveland Legal Collaborative takes innovative path to closing the justice gap (Crain’s Cleveland Business; 30 Sep 2024)

• New dean at [U of ID] College of Law highlights need for attorneys (Idaho Business Review; 1 Oct 2024)

• Legal Aid Groups Seek Increase to Annual Fee Assessed to Wisconsin Lawyers (State Bar of WI; 2 Oct 2024)

• [MA]'s civil legal aid costs skyrocket (Newburyport News; 3 Oct 2024)

Access to Justice – Criminal

• Idaho switches to new public defender system (Moscow-Pullman Daily News; 2 Oct 2024)

  • Idaho State Bar weighs in on public defender withdrawals (Magic Valley; 30 Sep 2024)

• ACLU of Washington sues Yakima County to release inmates who can't get public defenders (Yakima Herald-Republic; 1 Oct 2024)

• After reforms, Oregon still struggles with shortage of public defenders (Oregon Capital Insider; 2 Oct 2024)

• Californians’ crime concerns put pressure on criminal justice reform and progressive DAs (AP; 4 Oct 2024)

• Lincoln County to explore option of creating public defender's office (The Dakota Scout; 3 Oct 2024)