by Delisa Morris

“Tell me if what you see is justice”, exclaimed James Sandman, President of the Legal Services Corporation, and keynote at the ATJ Tech Fellows Launch, referring to self-represented tenants at landlord/tenant court in D.C.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the ATJ (Access to Justice) Tech Fellows launch reception.  It was great to learn about the new program, out of Seattle University College of Law, from its Program Director Miguel Willis (who’s a 3L at the institution).  The event held at the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center (Microsoft is an ATJ Tech Fellows sponsor), was the official launch of the program.  The first fellows are set to embark on their roles this summer across the country.

From the website:

“The Access to Justice Technology Fellowship Program (ATJ Tech Fellows) is an exciting new fellowship program that provides law students a unique opportunity to participate in a 10-week summer experience, working with legal services organizations to assist in developing new models of user-friendly, accessible, and engaging legal services through the use of technology. These fellowship placements educate students about the changing landscape in service delivery and empower future lawyers with the skills and technological competencies to address the complex issues that plague our justice system.

Through our summer fellowship program, we will provide diverse, stimulating experiential and educational opportunities for law students throughout the nation. Our goal is to increase law students’ understanding of the current problems that prevent individuals from receiving legal services and cultivate in law students the skills and technological competencies to one day change our current model and make justice accessible for all.

We believe the legal profession and the clients they serve will benefit as a whole if law students are utilized in a meaningful way through exposure to 21st century skills and practical experience by working with technology tools that are expanding legal access and improving the delivery of legal services.”

The first cohort of eight fellows come from law schools across the country.  They will work with legal services organizations in many different states.  We’re excited here at PSJD for the success of this great fellowship program.  If you haven’t had a chance to see the details of the fellowship, you can on PSJD. (Fellowships never expire on PSJD.org.)

Below is an invitation from our friends at the Washington State Bar Association’s Low Bono Section. Together with Seattle University School of Law (and its Low Bono Incubator Program), the Low Bono Section is hosting their first annual full-day conference for low bono practitioners in Seattle, at which they will be exploring practical issues faced everyday in low bono practice. This is a great opportunity for law students and newly minted lawyers to learn about low bono.  A live webcast feed will be available if you are not in the Seattle area.  What an amazing program at a very opportune time.

Presented by WSBA Low Bono Section and Seattle University School of Law CLE

The Money Barrier: 1st Annual Low Bono Law Conference
Seattle University School of Law, Friday, February 24, 2017

Many people are “priced out” of the justice system, with incomes too high to qualify for legal aid, but too low to afford an attorney. Can the legal profession do anything about this justice gap? Absolutely! We can, we are, and you can do it, too.

Join us for this full-day conference on how to run a flourishing law practice that includes an intentional commitment to serving clients with limited financial resources. We’ll discuss what low bono is (spoiler alert: it’s more than just cutting operating costs and discounting your rates or fees) and hear specifically how some lawyers are incorporating low bono principles into their work. We’ll address real-life challenges that arise when clients face financial barriers to full participation in the justice system and share some specific solutions to addressing those challenges.

Lunch is included during our Beyond Networking lunchtime breakout session. The opportunities to build meaningful professional relationships will continue at our Post-CLE Social (appetizers sponsored by the Seattle University School of Law Center for Professional Development).

Register or learn more about this full-day CLE here: http://law.seattleu.edu/continuing-legal-education/upcoming-programs/1st-annual-low-bono-conference

Lawyers from all practice areas and all firm sizes are welcome. Limited license legal technicians, law students, and non-lawyers are encouraged to join us as well.

A Live Webcast option is now available!

Contact Low Bono Section Education Committee Chair, Veronica Smith-Casem, with questions: 425-243-9341 or veronica@smithcasemlaw.com

The Skadden Foundation has announced its Class of 2017 Fellows. This year there are 30 Fellows, the largest class since 2008. This year’s class hail from 15 law schools and will begin their projects next year. Seven schools had multiple fellowship awardees; Yale (6); Harvard (5); UCLA (3); NYU (2); Stanford (2); CUNY (2); and U Penn (2). Fellows come from the other following schools: University of Michigan, Michigan State, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, Georgetown, George Washington, Duke and Seattle University. For the first time, a Skadden Fellowship has been awarded to a Seattle University School of Law student, who will work on behalf of former justice-involved individuals and is herself formerly incarcerated. The Fellows will work in 11 states, focusing on issues ranging from equitable public education for immigrant youth and their parents in California to direct representation for youth in the delinquency system in Massachusetts.

For comparison’s sake, here’s how previous Skadden Fellowship classes have looked:

2016: 28 Fellows from 15 law schools;
2015: 28 Fellows from 16 law schools;
2014: 28 Fellows from 16 law schools;
2013: 28 Fellows from 16 law schools;
2012: 28 Fellows from 16 law schools;
2011: 29 Fellows from 21 law schools;
2010: 27 Fellows from 20 law schools.

Congratulations to the Class of 2017! We are very excited to welcome you to the ranks of public interest lawyers!

Community Activism Law Alliance (CALA) – Uniting Lawyers and Community Activists to Bring Free Legal Services Back to Underserved Populations…

CALA recently celebrated its two-year anniversary with the “Two Years of Community Impact” event. The organization, located in Chicago, has collaborated with individuals to help their families stay together, fight violence, reunite across borders, and be empowered to help others. Within two-years CALA has impacted over 3500 people directly, and thousands more due to its support of community activism.

The organization’s staff of 10 has worked to unite lawyers and activists in the pursuit for justice. CALA leverages legal services to benefit marginalized individuals and communities. CALA takes a unique approach to legal services by operating within its target communities with partner organizations at free existing neighborhood spaces. CALA attorneys consistently balance individual cases and projects supporting CALA’s partners’ activism work .

Congratulations CALA on an excellent two years and many more to come.

Find out more about CALA’s work.

Check out CALA’s two-year anniversary E-Book.

We are very pleased to announce the 2016 Pro Bono Publico Award Winner: Gabrielle Lucero.  This year we selected 10 finalists and chose a winner from the largest pool of candidates we’ve had in recent memory.  We’ve also selected two Merit Distinction recipients.  All three will be guest bloggers for the PSJD Blog.

In addition, we will be presenting Gabrielle with her award (and her $1,000) at Duke University School of Law in Durham, NC.  I look forward to meeting her, her family, and all those who helped her advance the work of the Veteran’s Assistance Project and Coalition Against Gendered Violence.

Here is the full announcement, with all the great finalists.  We are so grateful to them for their incredible work!!!

This prestigious award honors one law student nationwide for their pro bono contributions to society, and recognizes the significant contributions that law students make to underserved populations, the public interest community, and legal education through public service work.

WINNER

Gabrielle Lucero

Duke University School of Law

Gabrielle is dedicated to helping her community directly and by creating infrastructures that will continue to serve clients after she graduates. First, recognizing a need to assist veterans and changes Legal Aid was undergoing in its work with veterans, Gabrielle took up the leadership of the Veterans Assistance Project (VAP). Along with a Legal Aid attorney, she established a structure for students to more easily and regularly complete the needed work. She created documents to be used and replicated, quick references for students on each step of the process, and established connections with local practioners to ensure continuity of service. She identified Military Sexual Trauma (MST) cases as a particular need, and developed a network and training materials to handle these cases. Gabrielle did all this, while volunteering herself assisting clients.  Because of her good work, she was hand-picked to take on the first MST case. These cases can present some of the most difficult advocacy issues, both because this area is comparatively new and because of the sensitive subject matter.  Not only was Gabrielle successful on behalf of her client, but she produced research and connections with a physician that specializes in MST care that will enable many more successes. Thinking longer term, Gabrielle created connections with UNC School of Law and NC Central University School of Law to broaden the scope of the project’s impact.

Additionally, Gabrielle took over the recently inactive student group Coalition Against Gendered Violence (CAGV), and focused in on two major components. Gabrielle created a pro bono project with the NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault, volunteering to provide assistance to college campus victims of sexual assault during the university adjudication hearings. The second prong of the Coalition’s work is addressing the needs of victims and survivors who are part of the Duke Law community.  Gabrielle’s hard work and dedication were instrumental in creating pro bono opportunities and community assistance that will long outlast her time at the law school.  As her nominator stated, “[w]ithout her focused efforts to work with Legal Aid and redesign our VAP program or to redesign our CAGV, we would likely have lost both projects.”

Gabrielle summed up her dedication best. “When people ask me why I am so involved in the community and put so much of my time towards service, it is an easy answer: people. While I have a busy schedule of two graduate degrees, Army ROTC, and a number of school and community activities, it never feels overwhelming because of the people.”

MERIT DISTINCTION

Derek Mergele

Texas Tech University School of Law

Derek is committed to solving LGBT issues.  As a 2L, he became president of Lavender Law, and used this platform to create an environment where students, faculty, lecturers and the community come together to discuss and advance the LGBT community.  His most significant contribution began with listening to the needs of this population. Since March, Derek has been working to establish a Gender Marker and Name Change Clinic at the law school. During his 2L year, members of the University’s Gay Straight Alliance approached Derek regarding several transgender student who needed help changing their identification documents. Derek was moved to create a service for his community that would help transgender individuals change their identification documents to match their gender identities. The Gender Marker Clinic was born, and in May had its first successful gender marker change. Derek is not only part of this community, but he is part of creating positive change for those around him.

One of Derek’s recommenders aptly summed him up this way: “In addition to a passion for service, Derek has true courage. He continually speaks out for the voiceless and champions the rights of the vulnerable. He never compromises his principles, but works to ensure that all individuals involved in a situation are heard and respected.”

Lilah Thompson

Temple University Beasley School of Law

The highlight of Lilah’s career at Temple Law was her creation, single-handedly, of a participatory workshop that simulates life as a refugee.  This community education event, called Between Borders: A Refugee Simulation, was held in March. Lilah, who recruited twenty-four volunteers to run the project under her direction, sought to change the narrative about how we view “the other.” Between Borders depicted five stages of the refugee experience: persecution, fleeing to and living in a refugee camp, the resettlement process, life in the Unites States, and becoming a U.S. citizen. Nearly sixty participants placed themselves in “the shoes of a refugee” in order to gain understanding of the refugee experience.  In the discussions afterward, many people were already beginning to talk about creative solutions to the problem of stigmatization, and explore other ways they could provide help to their refugee community.

One of Lilah’s collaborators explained the impact this way: “This exceptionally comprehensive, thorough, and impactful program was a feat of organization. Given the state of public discourse around refugees, it was also a crucial intervention both for participants and for other Philadelphia residents who learned about the simulation from news coverage. Lilah worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail of the simulation was as compelling and accurate as possible, and succeeded at creating a model workshop.”

OTHER FINALISTS

Sahar Moazami, Fordham University School of Law

In just two years devoted more than 1,000 hours to volunteering and creating pro bono opportunities for others.

Nadia Anguiano-Wehde, University of Minnesota Law School

Developed an alternate spring break trip to Texas to the Dilley family detention center.

Sean Brucker, Maurice A. Dean School of Law at Hofstra University 

Served the Korean American community through grassroots organizing, education and advocacy that addresses immigration policies.

John Bruning, University of Minnesota Law School

Created an alternate spring break trip to the Dilley family detention center and launched the Law School’s chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.

Tristen Edwards, New York University School of Law

Worked tirelessly to combat systems of excessive punishments and to seek alternatives.

Michael Ludvik, Texas Tech University School of Law

Worked with veterans, children, and the homeless, and creating and implementing Paul’s Project.

Monica Valencia, University of San Francisco School of Law

Assisted the immigrant community, especially through her volunteer project with Justice Now.