PSJD News Digest – December 6, 2024
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello, interested public! It’s a doorstop of a digest this week as we catch up with two weeks of news (no digest last Friday on account of US Thanksgiving). Lots of major stories this week, including a large number of articles discussing anticipated or announced changes to federal work policies under the incoming administration and further discussion of the rapidly changing legal circumstances of non-profit organizations. As always, these stories and more are in the links below.
If you’re interested in the issues we cover in this Digest, consider attending NALP’s Public Service Conference, which will be held virtually via Zoom next week (!!) on December 10th & 11th. Hope to see you there!
Take care,
Sam
Editor’s Choice
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Calif bar considers campus protests in moral character review for lawyer licensing (Reuters; 4 Dec 2024)
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IRS Nonprofit Rule's Durability Is in Doubt After Chevron's End (Bloomberg Law; 29 Nov 2024) “Tax lawyers for nonprofits are facing an uncertain landscape after a recent Fifth Circuit decision brushing aside an IRS tax exemption rule.
The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Memorial Hermann Accountable Care Organization isn’t entitled to a tax exemption meant for social welfare groups because it didn’t show its operations exclusively were intended to help the public.”
Student Loans & Student Debt
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Biden makes final push for student loan forgiveness before Trump takes office (Fox News; 23 Nov 2024)
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Hardship Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Hits Key Milestone, But Its Future Is In Doubt (Forbes; 4 Dec 2024)
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More employers add 401(k) plan match for workers paying student loans (CNBC; 4 Dec 2024)
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DAs and attorneys call on gov to expand atty loan forgiveness program (Queens Daily Eagle; 5 Dec 2024)
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Public Interest Lawyers in NY Fear Rollback of Federal Loan Assistance in '25, Ask Gov. to Add $4M to State Program (New York Law Journal; 3 Dec 2024)
Non-Profit & Government Management & Hiring
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What to know about the House bill that could punish nonprofits over alleged ‘terrorist’ ties (PBS; 23 Nov 2024)
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How should nonprofits prepare for the 'nonprofit killer' bill becoming law? [opinion] (Religion News Network; 27 Nov 2024)
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Yes, the ‘nonprofit killer’ bill is that bad—but it’s not invincible (The Real News Network; 26 Nov 2024)
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Agencies credit telework with recruiting, retention gains, GAO finds (Government Executive; 22 Nov 2024)
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White House, agencies warn of hiring freezes without ‘anomalies’ to upcoming spending bill (Government Executive; 3 Dec 2024)
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Justice-driven pro bono: building pro bono programs that tackle the justice gap (Reuters; 6 Dec 2024)
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Staff at Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services Vermont join AFT (Vermont Biz; 6 Dec 2024)
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What to know about Wisconsin's collective bargaining law for public workers (Minnesota Star Tribune; 3 Dec 2024)
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A Primer on the Civil Service and the Trump Administration (Lawfare; 3 Dec 2024)
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Fed. Workers Union's New GC Vows To Fight Trump Attacks (Law360; 25 Nov 2024)
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Democratic AGs Gear Up to Fight Trump on Workplace Law Issues (Bloomberg Law; 3 Dec 2024)
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Deluge of Trump-Leary Government Lawyers Join Job Market, Setting Up Free-for-All for Law Firm, In-House Openings (Law.com; 3 Dec 2024)
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Colorado's federal judges give themselves increased disciplinary power over attorneys (The Denver Gazette; 3 Dec 2024)
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Trump signals new direction for IRS as he announces atypical plan to replace its leadership (Government Executive; 5 Dec 2024)
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Facing DEI scrutiny, University of Michigan abandons ‘diversity statements’ in hiring (Bridge Michigan; 5 Dec 2024)
Access to Justice – Civil & Economic
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$4.92 million NIH grant to support study of legal aid benefits for survivors of violence (Newswise; 22 Nov 2024)
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Legal Aid of WV receives grant to develop AI tools that help residents access legal info (West Virginia Watch; 27 Nov 2024)
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Responsible Use Of AI Could Bridge The Justice Gap [opinion] (Law360; 6 Dec 2024)
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Generative AI And Access To Justice: Incremental Solutions Or Overhyped Promises? [opinion] (Above the Law; 27 Nov 2024)
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Advocates Renew Campaign for Immigrant Right to Counsel in New York (New York Law Journal; 3 Dec 2024)
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Pols call for immigration legal services boost as Trump builds deportation anxiety (Queens Daily Eagle; 5 Dec 2024)
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As Trump Administration Plans Mass Deportations, Coalition Calls for Urgent State Action to Increase Investment in Immigration Legal Services (Verag.org; 3 Dec 2024)
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Michigan bills seek to expunge eviction records and provide legal aid for tenants (Mid-Michigan Now; 3 Dec 2024)
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Mayor Adams says undocumented New Yorkers aren’t owed due process, defying Constitution (Gothamist; 4 Dec 2024)
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[QC] Tenants rights’ advocates call for better access to justice for renters (Montreal City News; 25 Nov 2024)
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Frederick mayor's plan to use tax dollars for immigrant legal aid fund sparks debate (WBFF Baltimore; 26 Nov 2024)
Access to Justice – Criminal
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Move over progressive prosecutors, pragmatic prosecutors are the new “it” thing (R Street; 6 Dec 2024)
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MD public defender pushing for substantial staff boost as state faces budget deficit (The Maryland Daily Record; 3 Dec 2024)
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Defense attorneys speak about billing issues Wayne County [MI]'s Indigent Defense Services Department (CBS News Detroit; 3 Dec 2024)
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In Wisconsin, justice is getting somewhat speedier as court backlogs ease (Wisconsin Public Radio; 4 Dec 2024)
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Public Defender's Office has concerns on public defender shortage in Wisconsin (NBC 12; 25 Nov 2024)
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Attorneys talk challenges, next steps at indigent defense symposium (The Maine Monitor; 5 Dec 2024)
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[ID] Supreme Court confirms new public defense office must take over costs of transcripts (Idaho Reports; 5 Dec 2024)
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Fewer NC attorneys signing up to represent people who need public defenders (Carolina’s Own Queen City News; 26 Nov 2024)
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OPINION: Nevadans should demand answers on public defense firing (The Nevada Independent; 26 Nov 2024)
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Backlog at Bexar County [TX] District Attorney’s Office grows as thousands wait for their day in court (Express News; 25 Nov 2024)
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