by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday! Spring Break is right around the corner.  Do you have a spring break service project planned?  Let us know.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee turns 100;
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance announce new medical-legal partnership;
• Michigan Indigent Defense Commission issues recommendations to help indigent defendants;
• Idaho Legal Aid Services receives $25,000 grant to assist identity theft victims;
• Law student debt and stress levels on the rise;
• Arkansas Access to Justice and the Arkansas Policy Program map legal aid need;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

February 25, 2016 – “One of the nation’s longest continuously operating civil law firms for the poor turned 100 Thursday. For all the societal changes in the century since the The Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee opened, its mission remains nearly the same. The poor still get evicted, institutionalized and preyed upon by forces they may not understand or have the means to combat. ‘I’d love to see the day we could close our doors,’ because the organization was no longer needed, said Kimberly Walker, executive director since 2014. Legal Aid, which represents low-income residents for free in civil matters, marked its anniversary at its new offices at 728 N. Lovell St., in the Community Advocates building.” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

February 25, 2016 – “Doctors at SIU School of Medicine have a new tool for improving the health of low-income patients around Springfield: the ability to ‘prescribe’ a lawyer. SIU School of Medicine and Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance announced last week a “medical-legal partnership” meant to offer patients help dealing with legal issues affecting their health. The program is funded by part of a $2.3 million federal grant and aimed at situations like housing hazards or unfair rules regarding public aid. It allows doctors at the SIU Center for Family Medicine in Springfield to refer patients to Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance for free legal aid when appropriate. Examples include things like peeling lead paint in a rented apartment, denial of insurance coverage or denial of public aid benefits. Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance is a nonprofit offering free legal aid across 65 Illinois counties.” (Illinois Times)

February 26, 2016 – “Poor people charged with crimes are at a disadvantage in courtrooms across the state of Michigan. But the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission says they have a game-plan to start fixing the problem.” “Earlier this month, the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission released four initial minimum standards to tackle the problem. They are: better training for public defenders; more confidential spaces for attorney-client meetings; more effective use of investigators; and, faster assignments to counsel.” “[T]he Michigan Supreme Court will take a look at the recommendations, and they’ll decide in June whether to adopt them state-wide.” (WLNS)

February 29, 2016 – “Idaho Legal Aid Services, the state’s largest non-profit law firm, has received a $25,000 grant to help provide legal assistance to low-income residents and seniors who are the targets of identity theft.” “This grant money will allow Idaho Legal Aid attorneys to provide services they might not normally have the resources to provide, [Jamal] Lyksett said in a statement. Those services will include helping victims complete fraud affidavits, working with credit reporting agencies to correct erroneous information, negotiating with creditors, resolving debt collection issues, and more.” (MagicValley.com)

February 29, 2016 –  “A full 44 percent of law students expect to graduate owing more than $100,000 in student loans, according to a new survey of nearly 22,000 students. Fully 67 percent of those hefty borrowers anticipate they will leave law school with more than $120,000 in debt—up from 63 percent in 2011. The latest iteration of the Law School Survey of Student Engagement, a student satisfaction survey conducted annually by Indiana University’s Center for Postsecondary Research, focuses on student loan debt over the past 10 years and how that debt impacts law students while on campus. The survey, which included responses from 80 campuses, found that debt levels are increasing, are contributing to law student stress, and are hitting minority and lower-income students the hardest.” “The survey also examined the role race and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores play in student debt, with results [Aaron Taylor, a law professor at Saint Louis University School of Law and the director of the survey] described as ‘worrying.’ The survey suggests that minority students and those with lower LSAT scores are paying more than their white and Asian classmates and those with higher LSAT scores. Previous research shows that high LSAT scorers tend to come from more prosperous backgrounds.” (National Law Journal)(subscription required)

February 29, 2016 – “Hendrix College senior Nigel Halliday ’16 recently published ‘Bridging the Map: The Geography of Legal Need and Aid in Arkansas‘ through the Arkansas Policy Program (APP). The Arkansas Policy Program was developed by Hendrix politics professor Dr. Jay Barth with the support of the Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professorship, which builds upon Barth’s ongoing public policy and public opinion research and advocacy work related to Arkansas. Through APP, students and faculty provide nonpartisan, original analyses on key public policy issues in Arkansas through a new undergraduate think tank. The new report examines the geographic distribution of legal aid and need to identify critically underserved areas in Arkansas. Its central conclusion is that hundreds of thousands of Arkansans – particularly low-income rural Arkansans – are currently being underserved by the civil justice system, in what is, in no small part, a product of geography. By examining exactly where the need for legal help is, along with the current distribution of aid, this report can hopefully help legal aid providers bridge the geographic gaps that prevent thousands of Arkansans from getting access to justice.” “Halliday’s report was completed in collaboration with Hendrix alumna attorney Amy Dunn Johnson ’96, Executive Director of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission.” (Hendrix College News Center)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

Minnesota Lawyers of the Year: Glenn Drew and the Larry Stigen Legal Team

Glen Drew has been devoting his energy to the Volunteer Lawyers Network for as long as he’s been a lawyer — in fact, for even longer than that. “I was working for Volunteer Lawyers Network for five years before I became an attorney as a case placement coordinator, trying to place civil lawsuits with volunteer attorneys,” recalled Drew. “I would interact with clients, gather documentation and try to get lawyers to take their cases.” Mr. Drew runs VLN’s clinics and staffs them with pro bono volunteers, all of whom he trains and to whom he provides ongoing advice and support. He also trains volunteer attorneys on how to effectively advise and represent low-income clients in State of Minnesota District Court proceedings, primarily in consumer debt disputes, negligence subrogation claims, Conciliation Court appeal cases, garnishment exemption claims and administrative law licensing issues. In addition, Drew coordinates the participation of law firms, corporate legal departments, and individual attorneys at free walk-in legal clinics located at the 4th Judicial District Court’s Self Help Center and Conciliation Court; recruits, trains and supervises non-attorney clinic assistants to support volunteer attorneys at legal clinics; creates and presents CLE programs about areas of law that pro bono lawyers often encounter; places civil litigation and administrative law pro bono cases with pro bono attorneys; supervises temporary staff; and oversees the accuracy of data about VLN services and cases for the benefit of the organization’s funders. He does all of this while also taking on his own case load on behalf of low-income clients. (Minnesota Lawyer)

Larry Stigen, a Vietnam veteran, had long struggled with anxieties and nightmares until finally being diagnosed with PTSD, but because of his discharge status, could not receive benefits. In 2007, Stigen relayed his story to lawyer Patrick R. Burns, a former Army JAG officer, who then put out a call for pro bono assistance. John Satorius, a senior corporate lawyer at Fredrikson & Byron and also a Vietnam vet, felt compelled to help. But he realized that Stigen needed a lawyer with more expertise in PTSD and military law. Two more attorneys soon joined the fray — John Degnan, a Briggs and Morgan lawyer with years of experience in medical malpractice (and also a Vietnam vet), and Patrick Mahlberg, an associate at Frederickson. Armed with psychiatric reports and accounts of his battlefield experience, the team focused on getting the VA to recognize the PTSD diagnosis. After years of frustrating delays and rejection, yet another lawyer entered the mix — Virgil Bradley of Cornerstone Family Law. An Iraq War veteran and one of the founders of Minnesota Veterans Legal Assistance, Bradley mounted a new appeal — this one aimed at upgrading Stigen’s discharge. The VA rejected the appeal in 2013. Judy Ojard, an expert in VA appeals with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, joined the fight and, last February, the VA finally acknowledged what was always apparent to Stigen’s advocates: he deserved mental health treatment and disability benefits for PTSD. (Minnesota Lawyer)

Congratulations to all the recipients and thank you for helping those most in need.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released the first iteration of a rolling set of improvements to features to the job application components of the USAJOBS website. Check out their video explanation below:

https://youtu.be/qG3ev8_vr4M

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday and Happy Leap Year! What are you going to do with your extra day?

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Some money found for indigent defense in Louisiana;
• eFile Texas enhancements to increase access to justice;
• OPM unveils USAJobs overhaul;
• More states take action to regulate student loan servicers;
• Bill to provide Idaho state funds to public defenders moves forward;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

February 19, 2016 – “The Plaquemines Parish Public Defenders Office will get a $30,000 infusion from the state, enough to put the two attorneys furloughed earlier this week back to work through the end of March. Public Defender Matthew Robnett said he got word late Thursday that the Louisiana Public Defender Board managed to scrape together the money by canceling some contracts. But he said it’s only a stopgap measure — albeit a welcome one — amid a funding crisis affecting indigent defender offices across the state. ‘It’s a Band-Aid, at best, and a very short-term Band-Aid,’ Robnett said, two days after he and fellow attorney Clarke Beljean, the only lawyers in his office, were furloughed through June 30, the end of the fiscal year. ‘I think we’ll find ourselves in the same situation a month from now if we don’t find help from somewhere else,’ he said. Plaquemines is one of many public defender offices across the state hard hit by declining revenue, much of which comes from traffic tickets and court fees. With a decline in speeding and other tickets, many offices, including the one in New Orleans, have been forced to lay off or furlough lawyers or otherwise restrict services.” (The New Orleans Advocate)

February 23, 2016 – “Tyler Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: TYL) today announced that eFileTexas™ — Texas’ electronic court filing system, which went live in all 254 Texas counties more than nine months ahead of schedule — has been enhanced with a free tool that helps self-represented litigants more easily access and work within the justice system. eFileTexas, developed and managed by Tyler, is the largest mandatory electronic court filing system in the U.S. The new tool—called eFileTexas SelfHelp^™ leverages the eFileTexas system and allows courts and legal aid organizations to develop Web-based interviews and provide relevant, informative content to help self-represented litigants with court filings. This results in a reduction of erroneous filings as well as staff time answering pro se questions.” (Business Wire)

February 24, 2016 –  “The website candidates use to apply for nearly every job in federal government is undergoing a major overhaul, with the Office of Personnel Management announcing on Wednesday a series of changes to make the much-maligned platform more accessible.” “The features — which include allowing applicants to track the progress of an application on the site and save progress on a pending application, among others — will be rolled out throughout the rest of the year, OPM acting Director Beth Cobert said. The first changes went live Feb. 20, helping job seekers complete the process by seamlessly transitioning them to the relevant agency’s website. ‘Throughout the rest of the year, new features will be added to increase the usability of the USAJOBS website by enhancing the job application process for those interested in careers in the federal government,’ Cobert said. ‘By streamlining the USAJOBS process, we will also improve our ability to attract the best and brightest to apply for jobs in the federal workforce.'” “The agency created an instructional video to help users understand the changes coming to the site.” (Government Executive)

February 24, 2016 – “There’s no national standard regulating the companies that borrowers encounter most frequently when paying off their student loans. So a growing number of states are taking matters into their own hands. A New Jersey bill requiring student loan servicers to have a license to operate in the state is one step closer to becoming law after making it out of committee earlier this week. The bill, introduced by New Jersey Democratic Assembly members Gary Schaer and Annette Quijano, bans servicers — the companies that manage the student loan repayment process for borrowers — from misleading borrowers, providing them with inaccurate information and recklessly applying loan payments, among other consumer protections. In addition, the bill creates a student loan ombudsman to field, track and hopefully resolve borrower complaints. Servicers are ‘currently unregulated in New Jersey and we feel there is a tremendous need for standardization,’ Schaer said.” (Market Watch)

February 25, 2016 – “A bill to provide some state funding to public defenders unanimously moved forward Thursday in a vote from the Idaho Legislature’s House Judiciary, Administration and Rules Committee. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, was drafted through the state’s Public Defense Reform Interim Committee after several years of study regarding Idaho’s inadequate defense. If it passes, the bill would allow counties to apply for grants to assist in funding for the county’s public defenders. Currently, the state of Idaho provides no funding to public defenders, despite people having a constitutional right to an attorney no matter their ability to pay. As is, the cost of funding a public defender is left up to each individual county.” “The bill will move forward to the full House for debate.” (Idaho Press Tribune)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday!

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands receives three new grants;
• University of New Mexico School of Law receives $2.6 million in funding for fellowships and loan repayment assistance;
• Legal Aid Services of Oregon and Miller Nash Graham & Dunn team up to provide pro bono assistance to rural Oregonians;
• First global ranking on access to justice for children released;
• Missouri public defenders see little relief in proposed budget;
• Northwestern Pritzker School of Law announces new initiatives, including a summer funding guarantee for public interest students;
• Proposed bill to raise court fees by $1 to provide additional funding to Nebraska legal aid;
• Utah Senate committee advances bill to revamp indigent defense system;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

February 11, 2016 – “Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest non-profit law firm, has received three grant awards from area organizations committed to seeking justice for the underprivileged. The organization helps those throughout Middle Tennessee and in Rutherford County. The West End Home Foundation, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Bar Foundation’s Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts program made contributions that will enable Legal Aid Society to advance, defend and enforce the legal rights of vulnerable families who lack the basic necessities of life.” (WGNS News Radio)

February 12, 2016 – “Funding from grants often take a long time to land, and can have a big snowball effect. For example, a finalized $2.6 million W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to the University of New Mexico School of Law should ultimately create a lot of jobs — including several fellowships and scholarships for extra-curricular job experience.” “More specifically, the funding will create an additional program at the law school for cohorts of six to eight law students to focus on social justice training. The last program will include $15,000 scholarships with an additional $5,000 for summer internship funding. Additionally, the funding will create two-year fellowships with local nonprofits and will allow for salary and loan repayment assistance to ‘remove financial barriers for our graduates and nonprofit host organizations.'” (Albuquerque Business First)

February 12, 2016 –  “With the price of an attorney easily costing $200 or more an hour, large numbers of Oregonians can’t afford to pay for the help they need to wade through the legal problems that are hindering their lives. And that means they often flounder through the legal system as they represent themselves. Add to that Oregon’s rural-urban divide — most lawyers willing to work pro bono are in Portland — and poor rural Oregonians are often left in the greatest need. One study found that about 65 percent of the state’s lawyers work in the greater Portland area, while just 21 percent of low-income Oregonians do, said Janice Morgan, the executive director of Legal Aid Services of Oregon. Morgan said that’s why she’s thrilled about a new venture this week: A group of attorneys from one of the state’s biggest law firms — Miller Nash Graham & Dunn — are teaming up with Legal Aid Services of Oregon to provide a series of hour-long consultations to low-income people living in the rural counties of Jefferson, Crook and Deschutes. Those who need a longer consultation will receive a referral for more help. The video-conference sessions are designed to offer guidance to people facing a list of commonplace but nonetheless life-altering problems: Help seeking or enforcing restraining orders; collecting child or spousal support; fighting foreclosures or housing discrimination and bad rental living conditions; disputing landlord’s decisions to keep security deposits; collecting unpaid wages; expunging old criminal convictions to make it easier to get a job; and working with debt collectors to pay down debt. The free legal help from Miller Nash is one of four clinics the firm is planning on doing each year. Morgan, the Legal Aid executive director, said her organization hopes to team up with other firms and lawyers in the Portland area and throughout the state to duplicate similar efforts.” (The Oregonian)

February 15, 2016 – “New research from Child Rights International Network (CRIN) has analysed and ranked how effectively children can use the law to challenge violations of their rights, in the first-ever global study on children’s access to justice.” “The research takes into account whether children can bring lawsuits when their rights are violated, the legal resources available to them, the practical considerations for taking legal action, and whether judges apply international law on children’s rights in their rulings. The report also offers a model of what access to justice should look like for children.” “CRIN wants this report to help provide new ideas and tools for those working to prevent violations of children’s rights and to demonstrate new avenues of legal redress.” (Child Rights International Network)

February 16, 2016 – “Statistics show Missouri’s public defenders are overworked and underpaid.” “The state system’s 376 public defenders handle about 100,000 cases per year. Based on a 2014 study, the system needs almost 270 additional attorneys to meet the current needs based on last budget year’s caseload data. To overcome the attorney shortfall, system officials requested a $23.1 million general revenue increase in the 2017 budget year that begins July 1 for caseload relief. Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, recommended a $1 million increase.” “Michael Barrett, system director, told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday the funding answer can lie somewhere in the middle. ‘I feel my obligation is to present what we need,’ Barrett said. But ‘we can see significant relief for a number that’s much smaller.’ The House General Administration Appropriations Committee on Monday approved the governor’s recommendation for the public defenders budget. It now moves to the full House Budget Committee for consideration, where it could change. Lawmakers have until May 6 to complete the budget.” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

February 16, 2016 – “Northwestern Pritzker School of Law announced Tuesday nine initiatives intended to make law school more affordable and support alumni.” One of the most significant is the new “$8,000 Summer Public Interest Funding Guarantee. Effective immediately, the law school is committing to guarantee summer funding of at least $8,000 for students who complete at least 20 volunteer hours for the Student Funded Public Interest Fellowships (SFPIF) or another nonprofit organization and whose summer employment resides within a public interest or nonprofit organization and lasts at least 10 weeks. The law school also will provide a two-to-one match for every dollar in excess of $60,000 that SFPIF raises during the academic year. These additional funds will then be distributed equally among qualifying students who complete at least 10 hours of volunteer work for SFPIF up to a cap of $10,000 per student. ‘To our knowledge, we will now have the most generous summer public interest funding guarantee of any law school in the country,’ [Dean Daniel] Rodriguez said. ‘This augmentation reinforces our increased commitment to invigorate our law school’s public interest culture, both in terms of expanding our programmatic offerings, and in supporting students who wish to pursue careers in public service.'” (Northwestern University News)

February 17, 2016 – “A bill to raise state court fees by $1 would provide much-needed funding for Legal Aid of Nebraska, supporters said Wednesday. State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln, who sponsored the legislative measure (LB1098), says it would raise an extra $355,000 a year for the nonprofit law firm that provides free legal help to low-income people in non-criminal cases. Seven in 10 low-income Nebraskans deal with a significant legal issue each year, Morfeld said.” (Lincoln Journal Star)

February 18, 2016 – “A Senate committee unanimously advanced a bill on Thursday that would help address myriad problems with Utah’s public-defender system. SB155, sponsored by Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, would create a commission to oversee indigent-defense services statewide. The bill was made in response to criticism that Utah is not meeting its constitutional requirement to provide legal help to those who can’t afford it. Utah is one of two states in the nation that delegate that responsibility to individual counties, which have had no state oversight to guide their efforts in meeting the Sixth Amendment obligation. The proposed commission would be responsible for collecting data, reviewing public-defender contracts, creating caseload guidelines and doling out money from a trust fund to counties that need it to provide defense services.” The state is currently facing a suit filed by the ACLU regarding its indigent defense system. (The Salt Lake Tribune)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday! How can you demonstrate your love for the law?  Perhaps a pro bono clinic or a helpline?  Show your community some love this weekend by volunteering.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• New York Legal Assistance Group announces reorganization;
• Mid-Shore Pro Bono (Maryland) accepting out-of-state attorneys;
• Record number of veterans receive assistance during Syracuse’s Valor Day;
• Wisconsin State Supreme Court seeks legislative study on access to legal services;
• Ontario seeking feedback on proposal to make family law services more accessible;
• PA Patent launched to provide pro bono assistance to inventors and startups;
• Maryland 2014 Pro Bono Status Report released;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

February 5, 2016 – “The New York Legal Assistance Group, a growing nonprofit that provides legal services to low-income New Yorkers, has created two new executive positions and reorganized its general legal services unit. Randal Jeffrey, who headed the general legal services unit, has been appointed general counsel, according to a news release. The other new position, chief operating officer, was filled effective Monday by Sara Meyers, who most recently was an assistant vice president at Hunter College. NYLAG’s general legal services unit, the organization’s largest division, was split into three distinct groups that will focus on the unit’s major practice areas: housing, consumer protection and public benefits.” (New York Law Journal)(subscription required)

February 5, 2016 – “Attorneys licensed to practice in other states may now volunteer with Mid-Shore Pro Bono, thanks to a rule change by the Bar of Maryland. As of Jan. 1, attorneys licensed in good standing in another state are allowed to take on pro bono work in Maryland.” “Out-of-state attorneys must complete a certification process, after which they will be permitted to represent clients through Maryland legal services organizations as long as they receive no payment. They will not have to pay dues to the state’s Client Protection Fund.” (MyEasternShoreMD)

February 6, 2016 –  “North Dakota will soon have more staff fighting human trafficking and victims will have better access to emergency housing, legal help and other services using new state grants. The state recently awarded about $1.15 million in human trafficking grants that were set aside during last year’s legislative session. Those dollars, along with federal funding recently awarded, will address needs not previously met for victims of human trafficking in North Dakota. ‘Our philosophy when we gave the grants out was to make sure we had a comprehensive continuum of services,’ said Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. ‘That starts with training for law enforcement, with emergency housing and then assistance for things individual victims might need like critical education, addiction treatment, mental health services and legal services.'” “Nearly $106,000 was awarded  to Legal Services of North Dakota to dedicate staff to assist human trafficking victims statewide. The legal help could include immigration assistance, helping a victim get a criminal record expunged or pursuing civil action against traffickers.” (Grand Forks Herald)

February 7, 2016 – Here is an example of the power of law students.  “A record number of military veterans from the Syracuse community received free legal services Saturday at Dineen Hall. Syracuse University’s sixth Valor Day event provided veterans and their families access to organizations and legal advisement close to home and free of charge. Valor Day is a shortening for Veterans’ Advocacy, Law and Outreach Day. The event was created in 2012 by College of Law student organization VISION, or Veterans Issues, Support, Initiative and Outreach Network. Valor Day services were provided by a culmination of student volunteers from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the College of Law and professional representatives for career, legal, financial, personal and family advisement, said VISION President Matt Crouch.”(The Daily Orange)

February 8, 2016 – “The Wisconsin Supreme Court has asked the co-chairs of the Wisconsin Joint Legislative Council to study how to improve access to civil legal services for people who cannot afford a lawyer, the court noted in a press release last week. The Wisconsin Joint Legislative Council, co-chaired by Rep. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) and Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), establishes committees to study major issues and to recommend legislation for introduction every two years. In a letter to the co-chairs, the justices unanimously requested that the Joint Legislative Council establish a study committee on improving access to civil legal services.” (State Bar of Wisconsin)

February 9, 2016 – “Ontario and the Law Society of Upper Canada are seeking public feedback on a proposal to help families access qualified family legal service providers. Family law includes divorce and separation, child custody and access, and child support. Currently, only lawyers are permitted to provide legal services in family law cases and this can lead to litigants choosing to represent themselves. In 2014-15, over 57 per cent of Ontarians did not have legal representation in family court. As part of Ontario’s work to improve access to justice for families, the Honourable Justice Annemarie E. Bonkalo will lead a review to consider whether a broader range of legal services providers, such as paralegals, law clerks and students, should be allowed to handle certain family law matters. Justice Bonkalo will also ask for input on what types of legal services, if handled by a broader range of legal service providers, could improve the family law system and how alternative service providers could be held accountable. The public is invited to provide comments on the consultation document by April 30, 2016.” (News Ontario)

February 10, 2016 – “Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, a program of the the Arts + Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, is formally launching PA Patent, a statewide effort to provide under-resourced inventors, startups and tax-exempt organizations the assistance of pro bono patent attorneys.” “During a pilot of PA Patent started a year ago, 43 patent attorneys volunteered to represent ‘members of the creative economy,’ the organization said. During the last 12 months, 14 cases made it through a screening process, and an additional 11 cases are in the pipeline. PA Patent is part of a national effort under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act to establish pro bono patent services in every state.” (Philly.com)

February 10, 2016 – “Of Maryland’s 38,863 licensed attorneys, 42.4 percent reported some measure of pro bono activity, logging a total of 1,144,952 hours of pro bono services, according to the Current Status of Pro Bono Service Among Maryland Lawyers, Year 2014, recently published by the Maryland Judiciary. These findings reflect those pro bono reports filed by the February 15, 2015, deadline.” “Financial contributions to legal services providers and organizations that work to improve the legal system from 6,852 attorneys totaled $4,275,222.” (Maryland State Bar Bulletin)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday!

Here are the week’s headlines:

• UCLA to provide major new services to veterans;
• DLA Piper adds pro bono counsel in D.C.;
• Maryland relaunches Access to Justice Commission;
• Texas Appleseed celebrates 20 years of service;
• Ohio legal aid adds service for veterans;
• Social Justice Hackathon winners present ideas;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 28, 2016 – “UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald today announced a stronger academic affiliation to benefit our nation’s veterans as UCLA committed to providing $1.15 million annually in support of new programs and services, approximately $200,000 of in-kind contributions and $300,000 a year in fair-market rent for the continued use of Jackie Robinson Stadium. New and expanded services will include mental health, family support, legal advocacy and recreation services.” The new initiative includes “$400,000 annually to expand and relocate the UCLA Veterans Legal Clinic to provide enhanced legal services to veterans on the West Los Angeles VA campus, emphasizing the benefits of advocacy and the legal needs of homeless veterans.” (UCLA Newsroom)

January 28, 2016 – “One of the rarest areas for lateral hires has a new face: Suzanna Brickman joined DLA Piper as full-time pro bono counsel. Brickman becomes one of the global firm’s seven pro bono lawyers, some of whom work on cases the attorneys handle and some of whom work with the nonprofit the firm owns, New Perimeter. Brickman said she’ll split her time between New Perimeter and projects in the U.S., which focus on veterans, criminal justice, domestic violence, education, fighting hunger and access-to-justice legal work.” (National Law Journal)(subscription required)

February 1, 2016 –  “The University of Victoria Faculty of Law has established the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence with plans for five research projects to help determine need in the province. Kathryn E. Thomson, who helped develop the centre, says the centre is preparing for the two-part research colloquium to take place in May and September of this year, ‘just to talk about the research needs in British Columbia and the role ACE plays in helping to support and facilitate or partner in those research needs.’ There are also five projects on the go for the justice centre at the moment, the Data Map Project, Justice Integration Project, the Justice Metrics Conversation, the Access to Justice Education Project, and the Access and Information Technology Project.” (Canadian Lawyer)

February 1, 2016 – “Rep. Elijah Cummings and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh will launch the newly re-formed Maryland Access to Justice Commission on February 2, 2016. The renewed commission is an independent entity devoted to driving systemic change in Maryland’s justice system. Among the commission’s foremost goals are improving Marylanders’ awareness of their legal rights and providing all residents equal access to justice.” “[T]he Access to Justice Commission plans to back legislation in the General Assembly to provide lawyers in custody and domestic violence protective-order cases to those who can’t afford them. They also aim to collect data to better understand how poor people fare in the civil courts. The commission existed previously as a project of the state judiciary but had become defunct.”(Maryland Access to Justice Commission)(The Baltimore Sun)

February 1, 2016 – “A legal organization that has spurred big changes in Texas through lobbying and litigation is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Founded in 1996, Texas Appleseed works to find justice and solutions to social and economic problems for underrepresented Texans, such as children, disabled people and low-income families. By galvanizing pro bono efforts of major Texas law firms, the nonprofit works toward change by lobbying the state, city and counties for new laws, and by using targeted litigation to force change.” Congratulations! (Texas Lawyer)

February 2, 2016 – “Legal Aid of the Bluegrass recently advanced its goal of increasing legal services to veterans of the U.S. military. The veteran population is underserved in the communities of Legal Aid’s geographic area, according to information reported to the legal service agency. Potential clients now have a dedicated intake hotline available for advice and answers to their legal questions about civil matters. The veterans hotline is 866-516-3054. Legal Aid has an attorney designated for veterans services. That attorney is available for general advice and is accredited for appeals of Veterans Administration disability determinations.” (Cincinnati.com)

February 3, 2016 – “Miguel Willis, a second-year law student at Seattle University, wants to do something about [the proper access to legal aid] problem. And that’s why he was inspired to create the Social Justice Hackathon, a two-day coding event sponsored by Seattle University which brought together 70 technology innovators and law professionals to address specific issues related to legal aid.” “The hackathon took place last November, and three teams moved on to develop fully functioning apps and web pages addressing a selection of obstacles in legal aid access. Those three winning teams will present their ideas to legal aid organizations and the public Wednesday night at the Social Justice Hackathon Demo Day.” “‘The core purpose of the hackathon is to solve real problems,’ Willis said. ‘These are all problems that legal aid organizations have faced, and these are solutions that legal aid organizations can use.'” (GeekWire)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday! I feel like we’ll never dig out of this snow. But, it reminded me that not everyone is as fortunate to have a warm place to sleep. Check out resources in your area for folks who may be out in the cold so that you know how to help if an opportunity arises.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• 2016 National Law Journal Pro Bono Hot List;
• West Virginia Public Defender Services to no longer cut court-appointed attorneys’ fees;
• Bloomberg BNA announces support of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia;
• Texas Civil Rights Project announces Veterans’ Rights Program;
• Case Western Reserve University School of Law to create a human trafficking law clinic;
• Idaho judge dismisses ACLU lawsuit over public defense;
• State of Utah and Washington County sued over public defender system;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 18, 2016 – The 2016 National Law Journal Pro Bono Hot List is out.  The work was varied and far-reaching and required thousands of hours and teams of attorneys working to solve complex problems. Check out their amazing work. (National Law Journal)

January 21, 2016 – “[West Virginia] Public Defender Services rescinded its emergency guidelines that were set to go into effect this week. Dana Eddy, the Executive Director of Public Defender Services, said the budget office was able to scrape together enough money to be able to withdraw the emergency guidelines. ‘I give full credit to the budget office,’ Eddy said. ‘They were able to scrape together $15.7 million, which made it possible to remove the emergency guidelines.’ Eddy said even if the emergency guidelines had gone into effect, they would’ve only lasted until the next fiscal year.” (West Virginia Record)

January 21, 2016 –  “Bloomberg BNA today announced it will provide Bloomberg Law, a leading all-in-one technology platform for the legal industry, at no cost to the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia (D.C. Legal Aid). Washington, D.C.’s oldest and largest civil legal services organization, D.C. Legal Aid provides pro bono representation to clients living in poverty on matters involving domestic violence/family, housing, public benefits, and consumer law.” (PR Newswire)

January 21, 2016 – “The Texas Civil Rights Project recently announced a new Veterans’ Rights Program aimed at assisting the 40,000 or so veterans living in the Rio Grande Valley. ‘Veterans not only have the challenge of re-acclimating to civilian life – seeking health, education and other benefits to which they are entitled – but also often have the added challenge of navigating that process with physical or mental disabilities that they acquired during service,’ said Emma Hilbert, the program’s attorney, in a statement to Equal Voice.” “Any veterans or family members of veterans having trouble gaining access to public resources or residences will find themselves heard and represented at TCRP.” (AFBA)

January 22, 2016 – “Case Western Reserve University School of Law recently received $131,169 to create a human trafficking law clinic. The money came from the Crime Victims’ Fund, which was established by the Victims of Crime Act and provides a base amount of $500,000 to each state. In Ohio, the Attorney General’s Office distributes this money to Crime Victims Assistance Grant applicants who will support victim assistance and/or compensation programs. The focus of the human trafficking law clinic will be on providing advocacy and educating people on the issue of human trafficking. Students in the law school will be involved in the representation of human trafficking victims when they face criminal charges related to their victimization and will work with the courts to identify victims of human trafficking. Although they will not be involved in the prosecution of any human traffickers, students will also help victims who act as witnesses in such trials by providing information and support. The educational component will involve preparing educational materials for the community. All of this will be done with the oversight of Co-Directors and Professors Maureen Kenny and Judith P. Lipton, and students who become involved will be focusing on criminal law.” (The Observer)

January 22, 2016 – “An Idaho judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the state seeking to improve the public defense system in Idaho, saying the case did not merit judicial action because it is not up to the courts to legislate standards. ‘The court is sympathetic with plaintiff’s plight. However, the case invites the court to make speculative assumptions regarding the outcomes of individual cases,’ 4th District Judge Samuel Hoagland said in his ruling. He said the lawsuit asks him to presume ‘that all indigent criminal defendants in all counties are receiving the same ineffective assistance of counsel, and then issue blanket orders halting all criminal prosecutions until the issues are resolved.’ The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho sued the state in June contending that state officials have known for years that Idaho’s public defense system was broken and prevented defendants from receiving adequate legal representation guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Though the ACLU has brought similar cases over public defense systems in parts of Michigan, Washington state and other regions, attorneys on the Idaho lawsuit say it’s the first such case against an entire state. ACLU-Idaho Executive Director Leo Morales said the organization would appeal the ruling.” (Idaho Statesman)

January 22, 2016 – “A proposed class-action lawsuit was filed Friday against the state of Utah and Washington County on behalf of thousands of criminal defendants who are represented in court by public defenders. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court on Friday, claims the county’s current public defender system is broken, and that the attorneys who work those contracts are overworked, underpaid and are not given the proper support to defend their clients. The lawsuit claims this is violating the accused’s constitutional rights — which requires states to provide an attorney for those who can’t afford them. ‘[The county] enters into fixed-price contracts with local attorneys to provide indigent defense services to those charged with criminal wrongdoing in the district court,’ the lawsuit reads. ‘The contracts are structured and administered in a manner that impede the ability of the attorneys to provide constitutionally adequate legal representation to their clients.'” (The Salt Lake Tribune)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

Super Music Bonus!  Music pick from the PSJD Fellow Eulen Jang.

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday!

Here are the week’s headlines:

• San Diego County Bar Foundation awards $110,00 in grants;
• Veterans Legal Assistance Foundation established to provide Canadian veterans better access to justice;
• ACLU files suit against Orleans Public Defenders Office;
• North Mississippi Legal Services celebrates 50 years;
• Fort Bend County (Texas) to open public defenders office;
• Grant provides legal aid to Indiana residents facing foreclosure;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 14, 2016 – “The San Diego County Bar Foundation (SDCBF) has awarded a total of $110,000 to 13 local nonprofit organizations, including Jewish Family Service, that offer legal services and promote understanding of the legal system to San Diego County residents.” “”Through these grants, we further our mission to ensure that legal aid is accessible to those who would otherwise be underserved by the legal system,’ said Brian Funk, president of the SDCBF board of directors. ‘We hope to raise even more funds in the coming year and continue to promote public understanding of the law.'” (San Diego Jewish World)

January 15, 2016 –  “Peter Stoffer announced this morning at the House of Commons a new charitable organization that supports access to justice for Canadian veterans. Funding for the initiative was announced in 2013 in conjunction with the Manuge SISIP Clawback class action settlement, but was made official in Ottawa today with the establishment of the Veterans Legal Assistance Foundation (‘the Veterans Legal Fund’). The$1-million donation was made by firms that received fees in the settlement – McInnes Cooper and Branch MacMaster – to fund a private foundation for the benefit of disabled veterans who apply and qualify for support.” “The mandate of the Veterans Legal Fund is to assist veterans with access to justice by providing funding assistance enabling them to retain qualified legal counsel. The framework for the funding assistance program would be similar to that of legal aid.” (Canadian News Wire)

January 15, 2016 – “The Orleans Parish Public Defenders office will have to defend itself against a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana. The office is refusing cases because it said it does not have the money or people for the caseload. The ACLU said it is a constitutional issue because the defenders’ office is denying people their Sixth Amendment right to an attorney. Since Tuesday, the office has refused six cases.” “The ACLU filed suit on behalf of three men who have been wait-listed, saying they are ‘helpless’ and losing invaluable opportunities to build a defense. The state relies on fines and fees collected from traffic tickets and other convictions to pay for public defense. [Chief District Defender Derwyn] Bunton said that means his office is dependent on inadequate and unreliable revenue. ‘This lawsuit is really an illustration of that, and so when we don’t have the resources we can’t provide the service and ethically we can’t take on cases that we can’t handle in accordance with the constitution and our ethical and state performance standards,’ Bunton said.” (WDSU)

January 15, 2016 – “In the past 50 years Mississippi has seen the civil rights movement, advances in employment opportunities for people of all lifestyles, an economic downturn and a society that has become more litigious. Through it all North Mississippi Legal Services has been on top of the game, helping poor and low-income Mississippians who need legal representation and offering more and more services as the years go by.” Through their work, northern Mississippians have seen great change and progress.  Congratulations, and here’s to many more years! (Oxford Eagle)

January 16, 2016 – “Fort Bend County’s new public defender’s office is getting ready to open for business, making preparations to handle about 10 percent of the county’s felony and misdemeanor indigent cases. Following last spring’s debate over whether the office was needed, state grant funding was approved by August and went into effect in October for the new county agency, which will provide criminal defense for those who cannot afford it. The public defender’s office will take its first case Feb. 1.” (Houston Chronicle)

January 19, 2016 – “Indiana Legal Services, or ILS, provides legal aid for Hoosiers in all 92 counties. On Tuesday, Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced that a new grant will help support their foreclosure prevention services for low-income residents. The grant will also be used to fund a partnership between Indiana Tech Law School and ILS. Attorney General Greg Zoeller says this grant will help residents who need legal aid during the foreclosure process.” “The grant comes from money received in a multi-state settlement with Chase Bank over alleged unlawful debt collection practices. The judge ruled the funds be used for consumer protection.” (WBOI)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others? – Martin Luther King, Jr.  I am asking myself this question often.  I hope you are too. Together we make a difference for those who don’t have the skills or experience to help themselves.  Thank you for your pro bono efforts of behalf of those individuals!

Super Music Bonus!  Music pick from the PSJD Fellow Eulen Jang.

https://youtu.be/u2HHDoy7R58

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday!

Here are the week’s headlines:

• California Chief Judge hails proposed budget increase for judiciary;
• Orleans public defender’s office to begin refusing cases;
• Idaho Governor proposes $5 million for public defense reform;
• Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law launches legal incubator program;
• Washington State Attorney General announces legislation to provide better legal assistance to veterans;
• Elon University School of Law launches law practice incubator;
• Teen builds UK’s first robot lawyer;
• Maine lawmakers propose state-wide public defender office;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 8, 2016 – “California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye yesterday expressed delight over the allocation in Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2016–17 budget of $3.8 billion for the Judicial Branch, including $2.8 billion for trial court operations. The total amount of the state budget is $122.6 billion. Last year, Brown proposed $3.47 billion for the courts, a $180 million boost over the previous fiscal year. The current sum proposed for the courts is a $330 million increase. Cantil-Sakauye declared: ‘We welcome the Governor’s proposed budget for the judicial branch as it would provide $146.3 million in crucial new funding for our courts. Much of the new funding would be focused on innovations to benefit court users at all levels of our court system. The proposed budget reflects a steady but cautious new investment in the judicial branch since fiscal year 2012–2013. The budget contains ‘proposals to support efforts by the Judicial Council to improve court operations and increase access.’ ‘In addition to supporting local as well as branchwide innovations, the Governor’s budget would provide funding for statewide infrastructure needs, language access expansion in civil proceedings, and funding to assist trial courts facing increased workload related to sentencing reforms.’ ‘The Governor’s proposed budget would help make courts more accessible, efficient, and equitable for court users. The Judicial Council looks forward to working with the Administration and Legislature as we seek to address state budget issues affecting access to justice for the people of California.'” (Metropolitan News-Enterprise)

January 11, 2016 –  “The Orleans Public Defenders office announced Monday that it will begin refusing certain felony cases in which defendants face lengthy or life sentences. In addition to murder cases, these can include attempted murder, forcible rape and armed robbery, said Colin Reingold, the office’s litigation director. The action, which Chief Defender Derwyn Bunton first threatened nearly two months ago, presents uncertain options for indigent defendants charged with serious violent crimes. The office either needs more funding or reduced caseloads, Reingold said. ‘Either those defendants will have to hire a lawyer, or the court will find them a lawyer, or they will wait for a lawyer until one of those things happen,’ Reingold said. ‘On a purely practical level, each judge could make their own call.’ Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s administration has increased direct appropriations to the office from $831,000 in 2014 to more than $1.5 million this year, the administration said in a statement. But these increases have barely kept pace with state funding cuts, the administration said, adding that the state ‘has primary responsibility in this area.’ The additional local funding is enough to stave off mandatory furloughs, but not enough to provide representation in serious felony cases that is constitutional or ethical, Reingold said. Reingold acknowledged the possibility a judge could order the Public Defenders office to proceed with representation, adding this could ultimately harm prosecutions. ‘We would continue to do the best we can with the understanding that we are warning them it is our opinion that the representation we are providing is deficient, and the case will be vulnerable to an appeal,’ Reingold said, adding that the Public Defenders office would likely seek appellate relief if forced to provide deficient representation.” (The Times-Picayune)

January 11, 2016 – “Idaho Gov. Butch Otter says he’s set aside $5 million in his proposed state budget for next year to address public defense reform. After a short pause, lawmakers greeted the news with applause. It followed a strong statement from Otter about the need for the move. ‘Let me say that Idaho historically has been a leader in recognizing and ensuring the right to legal counsel,’ he said. ‘It was part of our territorial law and was put in the Idaho Constitution at statehood.’ A lawsuit now pending in state court in Idaho charges that Idaho’s current public defender system is unconstitutional, its public defenders are overworked and undertrained, and the system provides a disincentive for adequate defense, Otter told lawmakers. ‘It’s not a cheap or easy fix. But I stand with the Idaho Criminal Justice Commission and the State Public Defense Commission in calling on the Legislature to address the issue this year,’ the governor declared.” (The Spokesman-Review)

January 11, 2016 – “The Shepard Broad College of Law will launch a Legal Incubator program, a new opportunity for Nova Southeastern University (NSU) law graduates to start their own solo, small firm or non-profit practices while serving military veterans and lower income individuals. The innovative program, operating in coordination with the college’s existing Veterans Law Clinic, will allow NSU law graduates to attain valuable legal and business experience while launching a practice and provide the new attorneys the affordable infrastructure and basic training to get established. ‘The integration of the NSU Law Incubator with the full-service Veteran’s Clinic provides a truly unique resource for both our graduates and the communities they serve,’ said College of Law Dean Jon M. Garon. ‘This model combines cutting-edge, post-graduate education essential for new lawyers while greatly expanding our service to the Veteran community.'” (PR Newswire)

January 13, 2016 – “State Attorney General Bob Ferguson on Wednesday announced legislation to improve the delivery of legal assistance services to current and former military service members. The proposed legislation to create an Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance in the Attorney General’s Office authorizes the office to facilitate access to legal assistance programs and pro bono (volunteer) legal representation for military service members, veterans and their families. The proposed legislation will create a one-stop shop for legal assistance and pro bono services provided by community organizations and private attorneys.” (Kent Reporter)

January 13, 2016 – “Elon University School of Law has launched a law practice incubator to help foster the development of attorneys looking to launch a solo practice or seeking to serve low-income residents in the community. Peter Hoffman, an Elon Law professor who focuses on trial and appellate advocacy, has spearheaded the effort and said the goal is to help attorneys leave the program after 18 months ‘with a record of accomplishment, pro bono service and financially viable, freestanding practices.’ The program launches with four Elon Law graduates who were selected through a competitive application process.” (Triad Business Journal)

January 14, 2016 – This one is just interesting.  “A 19-year-old student claims to have built “UK’s first robot lawyer” in an attempt to give the public free legal aid. Joshua Browder, undertaking an Economics and Computer Science degree at Stanford University, came up with the idea after he created a website ‘DoNotPay’ to help people appeal unfair parking tickets. Speaking to Mashable about the inspiration behind his robot lawyer, he said: ‘…users began sending me emails ranging from questions about how to use the site (‘I got a parking ticket — which appeal should I choose?’) to general questions about consumer law (‘What happens if I can’t pay my court fine?’).  Although I tried to respond to every single one, as the site gained popularity, it became harder to respond in detail to thousands of these emails a month.’ He added: ‘To solve this problem, I realised that the best way to help people would be to create a computer program that could talk to users, generate appeals and answer questions like a human.'” (Huffington Post UK)

January 14, 2016 – “A proposal by Gov. Paul LePage to create a state public defenders office to represent criminal defendants who can’t afford a lawyer will be aired in a public hearing Thursday at the State House. The bill, sponsored by a bipartisan group of legislators on LePage’s behalf, would replace the current system, which uses state money to hire private lawyers for indigent defense, with a hybrid system in which approved private attorneys would be under contract with the state. Currently, lawyers hired as public defenders aren’t under contract. But the bill is opposed by many attorneys who currently represent indigent defendants in Maine.” “Maine is now the only state without some form of a public defender’s office to oversee the representation of indigent criminal defendants.” (Portland Press Herald)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

Four outstanding attorneys and law firms and two community partners were recognized and celebrated for their extraordinary work at the Nevada Legal Services Inaugural Elko Champions of Justice Luncheon on Dec. 10, 2015. “Nevada Legal Services created the Champions of Justice Award to give recognition to those who significantly support the cause of access to justice for all Nevadans by providing or promoting pro bono assistance,” Johnson said. “As the needs of our rural communities have increased we have reached out to our rural community volunteers and community agencies for support and assistance in addressing the increased need for legal aid.” The award recipients represent a broad cross-section of Elko and rural Nevada’s legal community and share a commitment to advancing access to justice.

Rural Pro Bono Attorney of the Year 2015: Rendal Miller, Esq.

Rural Pro Bono Firm of the Year 2015: The Gerber Law Firm

Rural Pro Bono Clinic Attorney of the Year 2015: Kriston Hill, Esq.

Rural Pro Bono Collaboration Partners of the Year 2015: Elko County Library

Rural Pro Bono Community Partners of the Year 2015: Elko Office of Aging and Disability Services Division

Super Music Bonus!  Music pick from the PSJD Fellow Eulen Jang.

https://youtu.be/v–IqqusnNQ

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy New Year!  We hope you had a wonderful holiday season. We start off the new year with a number of new initiatives providing increased access to justice. Let’s keep this going.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Canadian lawyer launches online course for pro se litigants;
• Bank settlement funds to help West Virginia State Bar provide legal services;
• North Dakota indigent defense attorneys see caseloads spike;
• Colorado Lawyers Committee launches young lawyers division with pro bono mission;
• Appellate pro bono pilot project launched in Hawaii;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

December 31, 2015 – “Human rights lawyer Amer Mushtaq is trying to streamline access to justice for self-representing litigants going through the Ontario small claims court system with an online course he has developed. Individuals hoping to represent themselves in a dispute — whether they are filing or responding to a claim — can take the $199 online course prior to filing or attending trial in order to understand the complex process. The video guide is broken up into steps with PowerPoint slideshow presentation addressing key issues self-representing litigants tend to face. In the past few years, Mushtaq has become more aware of the problems potential clients have with small claims court cases. ‘They want help, but they just can’t afford our firm,’ he says.” (Canadian Lawyer)

January 5, 2016 –  “The West Virginia State Bar received $329,000 from a U.S. Department of Justice settlement with Bank of America that will help legal services organizations in the state provide foreclosure-prevention assistance to indigent citizens and/or support community redevelopment legal services.” “Applicants for the newly announced grants must qualify as a legal services organization but do not have to be current grantees.” (The West Virginia State Bar)

January 5, 2016 – “The number of court cases involving clients who can’t afford legal services climbed in all areas of North Dakota during the last fiscal year, with large increases seen in northern judicial districts, the head of the state’s Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents said Tuesday. In the Northwest Judicial District alone, felony cases assigned to indigent defense attorneys jumped by nearly 30 percent from fiscal year 2014 to 2015, from 760 cases to 983 cases, and have skyrocketed by more than 500 percent since 2010’s count of 162 felony cases. Overall, cases assigned to indigent defense attorneys increased by 18 percent in 2015 in the Northwest Judicial District, 24 percent in the North Central Judicial District and 44 percent in the Northeast Judicial District, compared to an 11 percent increase statewide, from 12,180 cases to 13,511 cases. Commission Executive Director H. Jean Delaney told the Legislature’s interim Judiciary Committee that she expects the numbers will increase again in fiscal year 2016. Delaney said more case assignments mean more costs for the agency, which suffered a budget shortfall during the 2013-15 biennium and received additional funding for 2015-17, including seven new full-time positions – three of them attorneys in Bismarck, Williston and Watford City.” (The Dickinson Press)

January 6, 2016 – “The 38-year-old Colorado Lawyers Committee has launched a Young Lawyers Division, with a mission to make a difference in the lives of children and the underserved. Matthew Linton, of counsel at the Holland & Hart Denver office, has been elected chair of the new division. The Colorado Lawyers Committee has volunteer participants from 60 firms with about 900 attorneys available and 30 pro bono projects currently active. The idea of the committee was to carefully choose pro bono work that would make an impact in social issues, said Connie Talmage, Colorado Lawyers Committee executive director. The committee has taken on major issues that affect children and the under-privileged, she said. For example, the group worked a case that helped the state deliver food stamps to applicants in a more timely fashion. The mission of the YLD, which is for attorneys younger than 40 and who have been in practice less than eight years, is to empower passionate young lawyers to make a difference for children and the underserved through education, advocacy and systemic change.” (Denver Business Journal)

January 6, 2016 – “The Hawaii State Judiciary, in partnership with the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Bar Association’s Appellate Section, has launched the Hawaii Appellate Pro Bono Pilot Project. The project provides volunteer appellate counsel to individuals who are representing themselves on appeal. ‘This project is a win-win,’ said Justice Simeon R. Acoba, Jr., Chairman of the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission. ‘In addition to providing legal support to those who need it, the Hawaii Appellate Pro Bono Pilot Project will give our volunteer attorneys a valuable opportunity to participate in the handling of appellate cases. We hope it will also be a chance for our experienced appellate counsel to mentor the next generation of appellate attorneys.’ When an individual files a notice of appeal at the Hawaii State Supreme Court Clerk’s Office and is not represented by an attorney, the pro se litigant will be provided information about the Hawaii Appellate Pro Bono Pilot Project. This pilot project is currently limited to civil cases involving foreclosures, summary possessions, employment discrimination, worker’s compensation, wrongful termination, denial of unemployment benefits, state tax appeals, probate matters, and paternity and non-married custody cases. Participants in the Hawaii Appellate Pro Bono Pilot Project are required to meet certain income-need requirements and, if qualified, to pay an administration fee of $50.00 to Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii. In addition, litigants will be responsible for any costs associated with the appeal, including filing, transcript, or other costs related to the preparation of the record on appeal and presentation of arguments in the appellate courts.” (Hawai’i State Judiciary)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:

The AALS Pro Bono and Public Service Section has selected winners for the 2016 Rhode and Drinan Awards. The Deborah L. Rhode Award is awarded to a full-time faculty member or dean who has made an outstanding contribution to increasing pro bono and public service in the law school setting through scholarship, leadership, or service. The Father Robert Drinan Award is awarded to a professional faculty or staff member at a law school who has forwarded the ethic of pro bono service through personal service, program design or management.

The purpose of these awards is to honor those who have dedicated significant efforts towards increasing access to justice throughout the law school environment and to inspire similar efforts from others. The awards honor those who personally design and manage pro bono programs, those leaders in legal education who promote these programs, and those who personally give of their time and talents in pro bono service.

The 2016 award winners are as follows:
Deborah L. Rhode Award –Jim Rosenblatt, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law, Mississippi College of Law
Father Robert Drinan Award – Professor Janet Weinstein, California Wester School of Law

Super Music Bonus!  Music pick from the PSJD Fellow Eulen Jang.