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

Happy Friday and Happy Valentine’s Day!  Show some love this week and every week by volunteering.  We will love you for it!

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Number of Ohio lawyers reporting pro bono work increased;
• MO public defenders seek pay raise;
• Legal Hospice of TX receives King Foundation grant;
• Human Rights First opening new Houston office;
• NY law students have the option to do pro bono work for credit during their third year;
• Report details economic impact of NC legal services;
• NALP  Board adopts changes to Part V of the Principles & Standards;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: This week a special thank you to those who help out in bad weather;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

February 7, 2014 – At the beginning of January, attorneys with an active Ohio registration received an email from the Supreme Court asking lawyers to voluntarily report their 2013 pro bono work and financial contributions to organizations providing civil legal services to those of limited means.  Nearly 1,800 lawyers responded.  This is an increase of approximately 300 lawyers over this time last year.  The data is provided anonymously, reported in the aggregate, and will be used to improve delivery of civil legal services to people and families who cannot afford an attorney and to identify gaps in services.  (The Akron Legal News)

February 7, 2014 – “The head of Missouri’s public defender system is seeking a pay raise for the attorneys who represent low-income criminal defendants.  Public Defender System Director Cat Kelly says entry-level attorneys in her office are paid a salary of about $38,500. She says that’s nearly $5,000 less than beginning lawyers in the state attorney general’s office. Kelly says both should be paid the same amount.”  “Gov. Jay Nixon has recommended a 3 percent pay raise for all state employees.  Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer says he would prefer to give targeted pay raises to certain professions instead of an across-the-board increase.”  (KOAM TV)

February 7, 2014 – “Legal Hospice of Texas received a $10,000 grant from the Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation to continue providing legal services at no cost to clients in Dallas County.”  “LHT addresses health related, civil legal needs of low-income individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness or HIV. LHT provides legal counsel, representation, and advocacy at no cost to clients who are HIV positive or terminally ill and reside in one of the 16 North Central Texas counties it serves.”  (dallasvoice.com)

February 10, 2014 – “Human Rights First announced it will open a new office in Houston this April at South Texas College of Law, bringing its award-winning pro bono legal representation program to asylum seekers and attorneys in America’s fourth- largest city.”  “Houston is a diverse and dynamic city where there is an increasing need for our services,” said Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino. “Hundreds of asylum seekers in Houston go unrepresented in a system where having a lawyer can mean the difference between return to persecution and the chance to start a new life in safety and freedom. Our Houston team will help to bridge the gap between this pressing need and the services currently available, giving the city’s pro bono legal community the tools they need to help.”  (Human Rights First)

February 11, 2014 –  New York’s Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman is proposing an option where students spend their last semester doing free legal work for credit.   He says “this approach will also help fill the vast ‘justice gap’ for the poor, who often face civil issues like eviction, foreclosure, custody and denied benefits without legal help.  Calling it the Pro Bono Scholars Program, Lippman says Tuesday that the state Board of Law Examiners has already approved it and the initiative will be offered in all the state’s 15 law schools.  The advantage for students, in addition to practical experience, will be the opportunity to take the bar exam in February during their third year of school, instead of July after graduation.  (The Republic)

February 11, 2014 – Here is something we already know – legal services provide tangible impacts on their communities.  North Carolina sought to quantify the impacts.  “A recently released report finds the work of legal services providers across the state generated $48,775,276 in economic impact in 2012.  Written by the UNC Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity, the report, ‘A 108% Return on Investment: The Economic Impact to the State of North Carolina of Civil Legal Services in 2012,’ details the direct economic benefit, indirect economic impact, and cost savings attributed to the work of three North Carolina legal services providers, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Legal Services of Southern Piedmont, and Pisgah Legal Services.”  (JDNews.com)

February 13, 2014 – At its recent meeting, NALP’s Board of Directors voted to adopt a series of provisional changes to Part V of NALP’s Principles and Standards. The updated guidelines 1) incorporate a 14-day reaffirmation provision within the 28-day offer response window for those candidates not previously employed and 2) change the offer response deadline for those candidates previously employed by an organization to 28 days following the date of the offer letter or October 1, whichever is later, rather than November 1. The updated guidelines are on the Principles and Standards page of the NALP website, and there is a memorandum more fully describing the changes along with the full-text of Part V. The Board also adopted a new Interpretation 22 on using the reaffirmation provisions.

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

Happy Friday and welcome to February.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• New federal defender named for New Orleans;
• MA attorneys mobilize for legal aid;
• ME AG and Legal Services for the Elderly team up;
• NALP now accepting applications for the 2014-2016 StreetLaw Fellow – must be a law school graduate to apply;
• IN Legal Services to get additional funding;
• OR Innocence Project forms;
• Hackathon for access to justice planned;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Katy Sorenson;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 30, 2014 – Claude Kelly was appointed federal public defender for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which spans 13 parishes including Orleans and Jefferson.  “Kelly, 52, replaces Virginia Schlueter, the longtime federal public defender who resigned in October after the office was forced to make deep budget cuts.  When budget negotiations stalled last may, the judiciary took a $350 million hit that quickly began to trickle down. As a consequence, Schlueter last year reduced her staff from eight attorneys to five and fired both staff investigators.  That will present challenges for Kelly, who is set to start work later this year, following an FBI background check.”  “I think in all of law, there’s nothing more honorable than criminal public defense work,” Kelly said this week following his hiring, which is done by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. “Although the office has suffered tremendous budget cuts this year, the staff that remains is superb. And those eight years I spent as an assistant federal public defender, those were the best years of my life.”  He takes office just as the US Attorney’s Office is ramping up under new leadership.  (The Times-Picayune)

January 31, 2014 – “Hundreds of Massachusetts attorneys joined forces and visited the state capitol in Boston last week to lobby for increased state funding for civil legal aid programs. This funding has been hard hit in the last six years; according to the Equal Rights Coalition, it has dropped 85 percent since the 2008 fiscal year. Funding for legal aid is an issue about which all nonprofits should care deeply, since it provides civil justice that would be otherwise unavailable to low-income people on issues like housing, benefits, and domestic violence. As such, it complements and advances the work of many types of community groups.”  (Nonprofit Quarterly)

February 1, 2014 – “Maine Attorney General Janet Mills is teaming up with Legal Services for the Elderly to start a task force to combat financial exploitation and other crimes against elderly residents.  The task force will address barriers to prosecuting these crimes and examine issues like whether law enforcement and prosecutors may need more training to work with elderly witnesses or victims. Other questions include whether elderly victims are reluctant to come forward if the perpetrator is a family member and what the state can do to bolster law enforcement’s ability to pursue and prosecute these crimes.” “The task force will be chaired by Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin and include prosecutors, court personnel and members of the Department of Health and Human Services.”  (Daily Reporter)

February 3, 2014 – NALP is now accepting applications for the 2014-2016 StreetLaw Legal Diversity Pipeline Project Fellow postion.  For a complete description of the position and application details, check out PSJD.  This position is a postgraduate fellowship.

February 3, 2014 – “After watching its federal appropriation sink to $4.7 million during the economic downturn, Indiana Legal Services is set to receive a boost in funding for the 2014 calendar year.  The extra money is part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2014 which was approved by Congress in mid-January.”  ILS is funding by Legal Services Corporation.  The funding will enable ILS to increase services to their clients.  (City-County Observer)

February 5, 2014 –  Lewis and Clark Law School and the Metropolitan Public Defender, a Portland-based nonprofit law firm, are getting together to create the Oregon Innocence Project.  The Project’s “mission is to exonerate the innocent, educate and train law students, and promote legal reforms aimed at preventing wrongful convictions.”  (OPB)

February 5, 2014 – “The ABA Journal and Suffolk University Law School are planning to host a “hackathon” in conjunction with the ABA Annual Meeting this Aug. 7-12 in Boston.  There’s been no formal theme selected. But there’s a general consensus that the project should further access-to-justice efforts in some way.  During the hackathon, lawyers and law students will work alongside developers and graphic designers in teams. Each team will work to plan and develop a Web application or mobile app over the course of the hackathon. At the end of the hackathon, the participants and our panel of experts will rate each of the teams’ work, and a winning team will be chosen.  At this stage, we’re soliciting ideas for problems that the teams can work to resolve with a tech solution as part of the hackathon.  If you have a problem you think we should tackle, or a data set that we can work with, please take this quick survey here and share your ideas.  (ABA Journal)

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

Happy Friday everyone!  Can you believe it’s the end of January?  It’s spring public sector career fair time.  For a listing of ones in your area, check out PSJD.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• West Toronto Community Legal Services to remain open;
• Justice Department Canada provides federal funding to assist women at risk of violence;
• Summer Public Interest Job Search Series webinars now available online;
• MA Governor Patrick proposes $1M more in legal aid funding;
• New Immigration Justice Corps seeking first members;
• PSJD launches a new Postgraduate Fellowships Application Deadline Calendar;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Modern day abolitionists;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 27, 2014 – “West Toronto Community Legal Services is off the chopping block after a year of working side-by-side with Legal Aid Ontario, who has reversed its 2012 decision to not fund the clinic.”  “I think it’s fantastic for the community,” said Elisabeth Bruckmann, acting executive director of the centre. “I think it means that the community will continue to have direct access to legal support, which is informed by an understanding of the pressures facing the community and provided by professionals who know the community and care about the challenges facing low-income people in the west-end.”  (thestar.com)

January 27, 2014 – “Minister of Justice Peter Mackay and Minister of Labour and Status of Women Dr. K. Kellie Leitch today announced the Government`s support for the Girls Action Foundation’s project Building Bridges for Female Youth: National partnership project to address intimate partner violence and increase access to justice among marginalized young women.  The project, funded under the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program, is a pan-Canadian initiative designed to improve access to justice for marginalized young women and girls who are victims of partner violence or at risk of becoming victims. The project will offer these women and girls educational workshops on the justice system and their legal rights, along with other tools to assist them when experiencing dating violence.”  (Digital Journal)

January 28, 2014 – Did you miss the free two-part webinar series, co-sponsored by NALP and Equal Justice Works, that provides both law students and CSO professionals with insight on the key elements of the summer public interest job application process?  Not to worry – you can view them now on the NALP website.

January 28, 2014 – “Lonnie Powers, executive director of Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, applauds Gov. Patrick’s proposal to increase legal aid funding by $1 million.  As part of his fiscal 2015 budget plan, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has recommended a $1 million increase for civil legal assistance, an increase that could potentially benefit the state’s low income residents who need legal representation.  The additional funding, part of Patrick’s proposed $36.37 billion spending plan for fiscal 2015, would bring the state’s allocation for civil legal aid to $14 million. The funding would go to the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corp., which makes grants to 16 civil legal aid programs statewide.”  (Cambridge Community Television)

January 28, 2014 – On Tuesday the board of the Robin Hood Foundation, a poverty-fighting philanthropy, approved more than $1.3 million in funding for the new Immigration Justice Corps.  “The group’s plan is to recruit 25 graduating law students or recent graduates, immerse them in immigration law and then farm them out to community-based organizations. The young lawyers would commit to at least two years of service and as many as three.”  “The corps intends to hire a cadre of 25 lawyers every year, each earning a salary of $47,000 plus benefits. They will be assisted by recent college graduates with multilingual skills who will handle less complex cases, such as naturalization applications. The team will be supervised by a group of staff lawyers and advised by veteran lawyers.”  The initiative will start in New York City before being expanded nationally.  The Corps is another initiative stemming from Judge Robert A. Katzmann, the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, who has tirelessly championed increased access to justice.  (The New York Times)

January 29, 2014 – PSJD launches an exciting new feature – the Postgraduate Fellowship Application Deadline Calendar.  Search for postgraduate fellowships by post date, deadline date, or fellowship type, and view them in a convenient calendar or grid.  Add a fellowship of interest to your favorites.  See the Blog post from earlier this week for How-To’s on using this new resource.

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

Happy Friday everyone!  We have had our first big winter snow storm this week, and I forgot how much fun snow sports can be.  I also forgot how much “fun” driving in DC in the snow can be.  If you’re experiencing cold temperatures, don’t forget about your neighbors, especially the elderly.  Check on them if possible.  Stay safe and vigilant out there everyone.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Batch of death penalty cases drains Wyoming Public Defender budget;
• Annual diversity scholarship available for Ohio law students;
• Goodwin Procter LLP announces its 2014 Public Interest Fellowships for Law Students of Color;
• ABA considers new law school accreditation standards, including pro bono requirements;
• WV access to justice commission releases plan for future;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Pro Bono Partnership;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 16, 2014 – “A rash of actual and potential death penalty cases left the Wyoming Public Defender’s Office pinched for money last year, the agency’s director said Wednesday.  The office spent $665,000 on seven potential cases between July 1, 2012 and Oct. 31, 2013 compared to only one capital case in the past two budget cycles, Diane Lozano said during a budget hearing before the Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee.”  “Lozano said she had to ask Gov. Matt Mead for authority to hire an additional attorney and may need to ask for a second.  She is asking the Legislature for an immediate appropriation of $370,000 to replace dollars borrowed from other agency accounts to pay costs of the capital cases.”  While at this point the office is able to handle these cases, the money needed for mitigation investigations has not been forthcoming.  Linda Burt, director of the Wyoming chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Wednesday said it’s important that defendants get the best representation they can.  The ACLU will be monitoring the situation as well in the coming year.  (Billings Gazette)

January 17, 2014 – The Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys’ annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship program is open to incoming second- and third-year African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pan Asian and Native American students enrolled at Ohio law schools.  Incoming second- and third-year female law students enrolled at Ohio law schools also are eligible regardless of race or ethnicity.  Up to two scholarships worth $1,250 each will be awarded to successful applicants.  Applicants are required to submit a completed application, law school transcript and a cover letter addressing the following: academic, personal and professional accomplishments and why they should be selected as a recipient of the scholarship. Applicants can submit up to three letters of recommendation.  The completed application and all other requested material must be received by April 18. Winners will be announced in June.  The 2014 OACTA Law Student Diversity Scholarship Application can be found at www.oacta.org.  (The News-Messenger)

January 17, 2014 – Goodwin Procter LLP, a national AmLaw 50 firm, today announced its 2014 Public Interest Fellowships for Law Students of Color program, which provides awards of $7,500 to law students of color who demonstrate outstanding academic performance, leadership skills and a commitment to community service. The fellowships are designed to help support students who plan to work in public interest law positions in the summer following their first year of law school. This year, four fellowships will be awarded. Application guidelines and forms are available online; the application deadline is March 14, 2014.  (Herald Online)

January 19, 2014 – “The ABA is weighing a comprehensive proposal to change the Accreditation Standards for American law schools. The proposal, developed during an administrative process conducted by the ABA over the past several years, touches on many important aspects of legal education and law school accreditation, including pro bono service, experiential learning credit requirements, and law professors’ tenure.”  With respect to pro bono, the current Standards require law schools to provide students with “substantial” opportunities to perform pro bono service, without defining the term “substantial.”  The National Center for Access to Justice and Equal Justice Works, in separate comments, have urged the ABA to modify the standards regarding law student pro bono service to specify the number of hours.  By memorandum issued September 6, 2014, the ABA has invited submission of Comments by January 31, 2014 in anticipation of a hearing that will be held at the ABA on February 5th and 6th, 2014.  Comments received by the ABA are posted on the ABA’s Notice & Comment web site.  Law students can weigh in on the issue by signing a petition initiated by EJW.  (NCAF Blog)

January 22, 2014 – “A commission meant to help residents gain better access to the state’s justice system released a three-year plan Wednesday that recommends creating forms in “plain language” and asks attorneys to do more charitable and free work.  In its strategic plan, the West Virginia Access to Justice Commission says it will continue to examine and identify barriers West Virginians face while utilizing the legal system.”  One recommendation is to develop a “self-help center” and an online assistance center.  The idea is to “provide assistance to those who may have been turned away from Legal Aid due to funding cuts or statutory restrictions and provides an opportunity for attorneys to engage in pro bono work, the report states.”  (The Charleston Gazette)

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

Happy Friday everyone!  And welcome back to all the law students.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• TX counties receive overdue indigent defense grants;
• Study examines connection between legal services and health for vets;
• Latest budget bill would help legal service providers;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: US Olympic athletes;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

January 14, 2014 – “Gregg County commissioners learned the meaning of deferred payment Monday in accepting an $81,800 state grant for indigent defense that lawmakers withheld in 2011 to balance their budget.  Similar one-time payments are being sent to counties statewide, a letter from Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller said. (news-journal)

January 14, 2014 – “The connection between legal help and medical and quality of life outcomes for veterans has been observed anecdotally in recent years. Now, for the first time, a study will be undertaken to quantify those results with the hope of embedding more free legal services in veterans’ facilities across the country, and giving veterans with mental health and housing needs more opportunities to live productive lives.   The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, the first legal organization in the U.S. to set-up shop in a VA setting, and the New York Legal Assistance Group will embark on a two-year study financed by nearly $700,000 from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. Partnering with VA researchers in West Haven, they will follow the legal experiences and outcomes of 400 veterans with mental health and/or housing problems who are being served in West Haven, Newington and two New York City sites.”  (The Register Citizen News)

January 15, 2014 – “The nation’s legal aid providers stand to get back funding this year under Congress’ latest budget plan.  A bipartisan appropriations bill moving through Congress this week would undo last year’s $25 million budget cuts to Legal Services Corp, a spokesman said today. Those cuts, which came as a part of sequestration, brought a 7 percent reduction in grants for the 134 legal aid agencies that rely on LSC funding. Lawmakers also included $2.5 million in the bill for LSC to start a new grant program—the Innovation Fund—to promote creativity in the expansion of legal assistance. The $2.5 million came at the request of the staff of Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), who heads the House appropriations subcommittee that controls LSC funding.  Overall, LSC would receive $365 million for the 2014 fiscal year under the new appropriations bill. That is the same level as the previous fiscal year, but without the budget cuts from sequestration in March.”  The bill should go before Congress soon.  (The Blog of LegalTimes)

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

Happy New Year!  Welcome back to the Digest.  How many of you made New Year’s Resolutions?  I hope they included giving back to your community.  This week we have a number of great stories to kick off the new year.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Grant helps legal aid reach more in East Tennessee;
• Lawyers ask for millions after public defender suit victory;
• Law school fellowship puts students to work;
• Eligibility thresholds for free legal aid increase in Montreal;
• Kansas courts look for ways to handle budget shortfall;
• Chicago law schools join public defender project;
• Charlottesville Legal Aid gets new leader;
• Great annual pro bono project at UT Law;
• Unprecedented barrister strike in UK over cut to legal aid;
• Indigent defense vouchers in Texas;
• Gulfcoast Legal employees vote to form union;
• Iowa considers new rules for law students;
• Harvard gets $10 million grant for public interest;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Duval County and 4th Judicial Circuit Judge Jean Johnson;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

December 21, 2013– “The Tennessee Bar Association has awarded a 2014 IOLTA Program Grant to the Legal Aid of East Tennessee, which they hope will aid in the help of low income people in need of legal assistance.  The award, totaling $95,699, will make available additional civil legal services for low-income families in the region.”  (knoxnews.com)

December 21, 2013 – “The attorneys who successfully challenged the constitutionality of the public-defender systems in Mount Vernon and Burlington are seeking more than $2.4 million in attorneys’ fees, expenses and costs over the 2011 lawsuit.  Earlier this month, after nearly two years of litigation and a lengthy trial, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik found that the two cities routinely violated the rights of poor defendants of misdemeanor crimes by failing to ensure they had adequate legal representation.”  (The Seattle Times)

December 25, 2013 – There is a unique fellowship program in San Francisco that’s putting attorneys-in-training to work for local governments and nonprofits.  The pilot class of fellows for Lawyers for America, which is a program conceived by Hastings professors to give law students hands-on training in the public sector, and give cash-strapped governments and nonprofits the opportunity to enhance their ranks is hard at work. “The Contra Costa District Attorney’s and Public Defender’s offices are the first to take advantage of the program, which commits the students to their ranks for two years — one year before and one year after graduation.”  New offices will be added to the program this year.  Brooklyn Law is also examining becoming part of or replicating the program.  (Contra Costa Times)

December 27, 2013 – The increase of 15.3% came into effect on January 1, 2014 and will bring the eligibility threshold for free legal aid to $16,306 and the maximum eligibility threshold for contributory legal aid to $26,309 for single individuals.   Single individuals represent 73% of the legal aid clientele in Quebec.  “As of June 1, 2015, eligibility thresholds will increase once again, with the minimum wage as a reference point. Thereafter, eligibility thresholds will be kept at this level through an indexation clause linking the thresholds to the minimum wage. Ultimately, the eligibility threshold increase for free legal aid will be 35.8%, which will facilitate access to justice for the portion of the population that works, but has limited income. The same is true for seniors living alone whose principal source of income is their Old Age Security benefits and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.”  (CNW newswire)

December 27, 2013 – “Kansas court employees could face 10 days of unpaid furlough in fiscal year 2015 as the state’s judicial branch tries to deal with an $8.25 million budget shortfall, a committee appointed to study the finances has concluded.  The furloughs would cut $2.5 million from the deficit, the committee said, while much of the rest would come from delayed judicial appointments, reduced training hours, the elimination of 19.5 court service officer positions and by leaving more than 100 court positions unfilled.”  “The committee also recommended reducing by $250,000 a grant to Kansas Legal Services. Employees of that agency, which provides legal help for people who can’t afford to hire lawyers, could be forced to take nine furlough days to make up for the lost funding.”   It is unknown if the Kansas Legislature will take action after seeing the report.  (The Wichita Eagle)

December 30, 2013 – “The University of Chicago Law School and Northwestern University School of Law are the fourth and fifth schools, respectively, to sign on to [Gideon’s Promise’s] Law School Partnership Project. The effort was announced in November with the American University Washington College of Law; University of California at Los Angeles School of Law; and New York University School of Law.  Each school has agreed to pay the salary of one or more new graduates in a southern public defender office, and that office in turn pledges to hire the graduate full-time within a year. The project is intended to make it easier for public defenders to hire new lawyers while creating a smoother path to those jobs for students.”  For more information, go to Gideon’s Promise Law School Partnership Project.  (National Law Journal)

January 1, 2014 – “Charlottesville’s Legal Aid Justice Center is getting new leadership at the top for the first time in 20 years as Executive Director Alex Gulotta leaves to take a post as head of the Oakland-based Bay Area Legal Aid. Stepping into his place is Mary Bauer, a longtime litigator known for her work on immigrants’ rights issues.”  We welcome Ms. Bauer back to the community.  (c-ville)

January 4, 2014 – The University of Texas Law Pro Bono Project is making it’s annual January trip to help those in need.  “36 law students, accompanied by alumni and law school professors, will travel to the Rio Grande Valley for the UT Law Pro Bono Program’s annual January trip to write wills, offer workshops for Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and provide immigration assistance.”  The Project partners with the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid to provide Wills on Wheels services.  The DACA clinics will be organized by UT Law Pro Bono along with South Texas Civil Rights Project.  And or the immigration assistance services, UT Law Pro Bono will work with South Texas ProBar and South Texas Civil Rights Project.  (The Horn)

January 6, 2014 – Lawyers everywhere are standing up against cuts to legal aid.  “Thousands of barristers have chosen not to attend proceedings at courts in cities including London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Winchester, Bristol and Cardiff.  The nationwide protest is the first in the history of the criminal bar.  The Government plans to cut fees as part of a bid to slash £220 million from the legal aid budget by 2018/19 – reducing them by as much as 30% in the longest and most complex cases.”  “Agencies involved in the criminal justice system will take steps to minimize any upset court disruption could cause for victims and witnesses involved in trials.”(Belfast Telegraph) (BBC News)

January 6, 2014 – After the right to counsel in criminal cases was granted, most jurisdictions tended toward a public defender model for providing these attorneys.  A new program in Comal County, Texas could change the system.  ” In Comal County, policymakers are going to try using a system of vouchers. Like the school voucher concept, the idea is to put money directly into the hands of the customers, who will then decide which attorney they would like to retain.”  “The Texas Indigent Defense Commission became aware of the voucher proposal when the Cato Institute advanced the idea in a 2010 paper.”  (Cato Institute)

January 7, 2014 – Employees of Gulfcoast Legal Services have voted to unionize.  GLS serves low-income residents in the Greater Tampa Bay area.  “According to the NLRB, Gulfcoast’s new union was certified Monday and is ready to represent its members.”  Employees voted to form a union in part due to the actions taken by the Executive Director since she took the helm in December 2012.  (Herald-Tribune)

Super Music Bonus!  A little Bing Crosby crooning about a cold winter.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhn5fV7zf6U

The Skadden Foundation has listed its Class-of-2013 fellows.  Twenty-nine fellows, hailing from 16 law schools, will begin their projects next year.  Six schools had multiple fellowship awardees: Columbia (2); Harvard (6); NYU (4); Stanford (2); Georgetown (2) and Yale (3).  Other schools from which fellows come include Penn, Michigan State, University of Washington, Boston College, UCLA, UC Irvine, Washington & Lee, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois.  The 2013 Class includes four additional fellowships funded in memory of Joe Flom and Peter Mullen.  The Fellows will work in 10 states and the District of Columbia, focusing on issues ranging from the harassment of LGBT students in rural, impoverished regions of New York State to the foreclosure of homes of working poor Los Angeles families.

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

• 2012:  28 fellows from 16 law schools;
• 2011:  29 fellows from 21 law schools;
• 2010: 27 fellows from 20 law schools;
• 2009: 28 fellows from 14 law schools;
• 2008: 36 fellows from 16 law schools.

Congratulations to the Class of 2013!  The Fellowship is such a extraordinary honor, and we look forward to seeing the great things you will accomplish.

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

Happy Friday and Happy Holidays! The News Digest will take a break until after the new year.  I appreciate all of you reading the digest and contributing such amazing content.  I love getting the heads up about great work going on out there.  Keep it coming!

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Ontario lawyers call for reforms of legal aid;
• 2014 White House Fellows program accepting applications;
• MA Bar forms task force to review prosecutor/defender salaries;
• Canadian Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters releases final report;
• Donation saves Pro Bono Students Canada;
• NY judge sets trial on legal aid for poor;
• Northwestern Law receives large donation for LRAP;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Tom Buckel, Kevin Harrigan, Sherry Kline, Raymond Presley;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

December 11, 2013– “Two groups of Ontario lawyers are calling for changes to the legal aid system that they say would make it easier for low-income Ontarians to hire counsel.  The Criminal Law Association and Ontario Legal Aid laywers offered a united front Wednesday as they put forward the Criminal Justice Protocol Agreement — their collective bid to bring the premier, the ministry of the attorney general, Legal Aid Ontario and the Department of Justice to the table to address what the attorneys say are serious problems with legal aid.  The lawyers want to see greater eligibility for legal aid, increased funding for programs, and reforms to the way Legal Aid Ontario delivers basic legal information.”  (Ottawa Citizen)

December 11, 2013 – “Applications are invited for the White House Fellowship Program, a one of America’s most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. Fellows typically spend a year as full-time, paid assistants to senior White House Staff, the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries and other top-ranking government officials. Fellows receive a salary and benefits from the agency for which they work. Fellowships are awarded on a strict non-partisan basis and encourage balance and diversity in all aspects of the program. Application deadline is January 15, 2014.”  (Scholarship Positions)

December 12, 2013 – “The Massachusetts Bar Association has formed a task force to report on salary levels for state prosecutors and public defenders and the potential effects those pay scales have on the criminal justice system.  The salaries in Massachusetts are lower than in some other New England states, according to research undertaken by the Committee for Public Counsel Services. However, the jury is still out on how Massachusetts compares nationally or whether it in fact offers above- or below-average starting salaries compared to most other states.”  “A big concern among bar members is whether Massachusetts salaries discourage many talented lawyers from seeking working in the public sector and force existing public defenders to wonder “how they’re going to pay their rent this week,” said Douglas Sheff, president of the Massachusetts Bar Association.”  (Boston Business Journal)

December 13, 2013 – “Canada has a system of civil courts that would be the envy of many countries. We have a large, well- trained and dedicated legal profession. The legal aid system in Canada provides more service in civil matters than is available in many places throughout the world. Yet, with all this and all that it costs, we are not meeting the legal needs of the Canadian public. The final report of the Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters, A Roadmap for Change, tackles the difficult problem of why this is the case and lays out recommendations for what can be done to bring full access to justice to Canadians. The final report and four subcommittee reports on early stage resolution of civil justice problems, legal services, court simplification and family law are available on the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice website.”  (Slaw)

December 16, 2013 – “A $150,000 donation is bringing Pro Bono Students Canada one step closer to a fundraising goal that will allow the organization to preserve — and eventually expand — its Family Law Project.  The Family Law Project gives law students the opportunity to support low-to-middle income earners who do not qualify for legal aid. The students assist clients with court forms and help navigate the court system.  The donation is a combined gift from Toronto-based family law firm Epstein Cole LLP and its founder Philip Epstein to PBSC’s Campaign for Family Justice, which has now raised $320,000 of its $400,000 shortfall.”  PBSC is looking to expand the Family Law Project to law schools that don’t currently have the program, as well as courts that do not have student placements.  Family law is an area of greatest need, and these students are often the only help available.  The students fill the gaps and the experience gives them the opportunity to gain real experience.  (4Students)

December 17, 2013 – “A trial is needed to determine whether the state systemically provides inadequate staff and money for the constitutionally required defense of poor people charged with crimes, a state Supreme Court judge said.”  “The lawsuit was filed in 2007 on behalf of 20 defendants in Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Suffolk and Washington counties.  The judge said the testimony from attorneys serving in the defendant counties shows indigent criminal defendants consistently are arraigned without being afforded their right to counsel.”  (The Wall Street Journal)

December 18, 2013 – “The law school announced that it has received a $15 million gift from one of its wealthiest alumni, real estate and casino magnate Neil G. Bluhm.”  Part of the grant is unrestricted, but “Mr. Bluhm instructed that another $5 million be earmarked for the law school’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program, which helps recent graduates who take lower-paying government and non-profit jobs reduce their monthly payments on federal student loans for up to 10 years.” (Wall Street Journal Blog)

Super Music Bonus!  Happy Holidays!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuczsqBkZBI

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

Happy Friday and welcome to December!  Happy St. Nicholas Day!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Hanukkah filled with light, food and family.  Also a big hello to all our Canadian members at their Winter Meeting.  And finally, tomorrow is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.  Remember a vet and say thanks.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• UNLV Law School clinic reports on alleged detainee abuses;
• Echoing Green Fellowship applications opens December 3;
• National Association of Attorneys General expands their Bridge to Practice program opportunities;
• Governor Cuomo announces $1 million for legal aid for Sandy victims;
• Elon opens its fourth clinic;
• Proposed FL bill would provide loan relief for young prosecutors and defenders;
• New organization in Hattiesburg, MS to offer free legal services;
• Legal Aid Ontario accepting applications for funding;
• BC Law School launches new experiential learning center;
• Pitt Law clinic celebrates 25 years;
• NY – rule change allows in-house attorneys to do pro bono work;
• CFPB will supervise large student loan servicers;
• Legal Aid Ontario signs historic GTA Clinics’ Transformation Project Framework Agreement;
• Washington judge finds defender programs deficient;
• Southeastern Ohio Legal Services to close 3 offices;
• ASU plans to open largest non-profit law firm in nation;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Chief Justice of Ontario, Warren Winkler;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

November 21, 2013– “People held at the Henderson Detention Center as immigration detainees have been subjected to mistreatment, according to a UNLV Boyd School of Law Immigration Clinic report released on Nov. 19.”  So far ICE and the Detention Center have not discussed the report.  “Fatima Marouf, co-director of the Immigration Clinic at the UNLV Boyd School of Law, addressed Henderson City Council.”  For the article, Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said, “We’re reviewing the report and are speaking with ICE about it.” He noted that the center has remedied problems revealed by past inspections regarding immigration detainees.  (The Henderson Press)

November 21, 2013 – Echoing Green is one of the many “non-legal” fellowships that greatly appeal to law students.  “The 2014 Echoing Green Fellowship application will be open from December 3, 2013 to January 6, 2014.  Echoing Green’s Fellowship Programs will offer more than $3.8 million in seed-stage funding and support this year to emerging leaders working to bring about positive social change. From thousands of applicants, only about 1 percent are ultimately awarded a Fellowship. During their first two years, Fellows receive up to $90,000, participate in leadership development gatherings, and have access to the powerful network of Echoing Green Fellows, partners, and friends. We continue to support our Fellow community long after their initial funding period with ongoing programs and opportunities at critical inflection points in their organizations or careers.”  Echoing Green manages three fellowship programs including the new climate fellowship for 2013.  (Echoing Green)

November 25, 2013 – The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is pleased to host bridge-to-practice fellows from the Class of 2014.  NAAG is the professional organization for the Attorneys General Offices of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five territories.  Through its training and research arm, the National Attorneys General Training and Research Institute, it conducts training in both professional skills and substantive issues for the Attorneys General and provides research assistance.
Our law school graduate fellows whom we have been privileged to host have been invaluable members of our staff and have experienced a wide variety of activities.  They have conducted research and authored manuals for the Attorneys General offices; attended meetings with White House, congressional, and international organizations, such as the World Bank and the International Association of Prosecutors; assisted with the editing of Supreme Court amicus briefs; conducted research and assisted in the writing of briefs for NAAG’s Tobacco project; helped provide legal research for our substantive trainings, such as intellectual property theft and human trafficking; developed articles for the NAAGazette; assisted with our International Fellows program; and attended NAAG professional trainings and meetings.  Several have gone on to full-time jobs with Attorneys General offices; all have subsequently found full-time jobs in their areas of interest in the law.

We would encourage you and your graduates to consider NAAG as a host for your bridge-to-practice fellowship program.  If you have any questions, please contact Chris Toth, Executive Director, National Association of Attorneys General at 202-326-6021 or ctoth@naag.org.

November 22, 2013 – “Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a $1 million award to the Disaster Recovery Clinic at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University to help families and small businesses in Nassau and Suffolk Counties affected by Superstorm Sandy. The award will expand the pro bono counseling services at the clinic to an additional 250 homeowners and businesses.”  “The funds were made available through the State’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The award to Hofstra Law’s Disaster Recovery Clinic will allow for continuing services until at least May 2015.”  (LongIsland.com)

November 25, 2013 – “The Elon University School of Law said last week it will open a Small Business & Entrepreneurship Clinic in January at the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship. It will be the Greensboro law school’s fourth public clinic and its first aimed at business.  This small-business center will operate like Elon’s other clinics: It will be staffed by law students — and it’s free. John Flynn, a Greensboro attorney and a distinguished practitioner in residence at the Elon law school, will oversee the clinic.”  (News & Record)

November 25, 2013 – “A bill pending in the Florida House and Senate could provide some relief for young attorneys who want a career as a state prosecutor or public defender. Under it, the state would pay up to $44,000 toward the law-school debt of any attorney who works in those public-sector jobs for a set number of years. It has the support of the Florida Bar , Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Florida Public Defender Association . And last year, the Florida Innocence Commission included it in a list of recommendations on how to strengthen the criminal-justice system and help prevent innocent people from being sent to prison for crimes they did not commit.”  (Hispanic Business)

November 28, 2013 – “Pine Belt attorneys will soon have the opportunity to help low-income community members turn their lives around.  Beginning in January, local law experts willing to donate their time and expertise for a good cause will be participating in Mission360, an offshoot program of PineBelt360 that will help provide people with the legal services they need for free.  With services being cut back for people who fall within the socioeconomic area of not being rich or poor enough to seek out legal counseling, Chancery Court Judge Deborah Gambrell said Mission360 members hope to be able to provide legal services to those who fall within the gap.”  (hattiesburgamerican)

November 29, 2013 – ” Legal aid clinics and community partners can now apply to Legal Aid Ontario’s (LAO’s) $2 million Fund to Strengthen the Capacity of Community and Legal Clinics, which supports innovative and enhanced services that increase the number of clients served in a cost-effective manner.  nterested organizations can apply for this fund by completing the fund application form that can be found on LAO’s website: http://legalaid.on.ca/en/news/newsarchive/1311-07_newfundapplications.asp.  The deadline for submitting an application is January 15, 2014.”  (Digital Journal)

December 2, 2013 – “In an effort to get law students ‘lawyering’ before they graduate, the Law School will combine its clinical and experiential programs into a new unit that will serve as a ‘law firm within a law school.’ The new Center for Experiential Learning will serve clients seeking legal aid for cases ranging from civil litigation to wrongful criminal convictions.”  “The center will fold current offerings such as in-house clinics, internships, semester-in-practice and short-term externship programs into a clearinghouse designed to give students real-world experiences required by the profession.”  (The Boston College Chronicle)

December 2, 2013 – For 25 years the students of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Aid Services had provided low-income clients valuable family law services.  Washington County Judge Gary Gilman “noted that the family law cases are especially important and sometimes more difficult than trial or civil cases because they are “very personal and sensitive.” He pointed to child custody cases that can have long-term consequences for families.”  The clinic has served some 13,000 clients.  Congratulations!  (Observer-Reporter)

December 2, 2013 – “New York state Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced a rule change that will allow attorneys who work in corporate law departments here, but who are not admitted to practice law in the state, to do pro bono work (so long as they are admitted to practice elsewhere, and are in good standing).  Previously, only lawyers who were admitted to the New York state bar were permitted to volunteer their services to work on behalf of poor or underserved clients. Those admitted elsewhere had to work under the supervision of a locally-licensed attorney or approved organization. The new rules are set to take effect on Wednesday, Dec. 4.”  (WSJ LawBlog)

December 2, 2013 – “Companies operating outside of the banking system that process student loan payments will be subject to federal examinations for the first time, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Monday.  Starting March 1, the government watchdog will regulate the seven largest student-loan servicers that process payments for more that 49 million borrower accounts — representing a majority of the market. Sallie Mae, Nelnet, Great Lakes and Ed Financial are some of the firms that will come under the new supervision rule.”  (Washington Post)

December 4, 2013 – “Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has signed a framework agreement with the GTA Legal Clinics’ Transformation Project Working Group that allows clinics to make important progress in how they deliver poverty law services. The agreement includes provisions for predictable clinic funding from LAO over the next two years.  With this agreement in place, GTA clinics will be able to reduce administrative costs and reinvest the resultant savings into enhanced client services.”   This is a win-win for clinics and clients.  (Digital Journal)

December 5, 2013 – In a case closely monitored by public defenders and the Justice Department, “U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik agreed with the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union that Burlington and Mount Vernon had not provided adequate representation to indigent defendants.”  So, the question now is whether the Judge will order federal oversight.  “If Lasnik appoints a federal monitor, this could give the DOJ leverage to pressure jurisdictions throughout the country to improve substandard public defender systems elsewhere, Jessica Eaglin of the Brennan Center for Justice told the newspaper. She serves as counsel for justice programs at the nonpartisan policy institute, which is part of New York University School of Law.”  (ABA Journal)

December 5, 2013 – Southeastern Ohio Legal Services is set to close the offices in Zanesville, Lancaster and Marietta on Jan. 31, said Tom Weeks, executive director of the Ohio State Legal Services Association. “The association is in charge of nine field offices providing representation to low-income Ohioans in 30 Ohio counties.”  Clients will be helped remotely by other offices, but the details haven’t been finalized. (Zanesville Times Recorder)

December 5, 2013 – “Arizona State University plans to open the nation’s largest non-profit law firm within its new downtown Phoenix law complex.  University officials on Wednesday unveiled the plans for the nearly $130 million Arizona Center for Law and Society. ASU hopes to break ground on the project in summer 2014.  The complex will house the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, which is now on the university’s Tempe campus, along with a non-profit law firm called the ASU Alumni Law Group.  The privately financed firm will hire recent law graduates to represent lower-income Arizonans.  The Arizona Board of Regents must still give final approval to the project, but officials hope to open the school and the law firm in 2016. The regents are expected to approve the plan.”  (azcentral.com)

Super Music Bonus!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HobcNkKZkg0

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

Happy Friday!  And Happy Thanksgiving!  The news digest will take the week off next week in order to celebrate Turkey Day.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and get to enjoy some much deserved down time.  Thank you all for reading and supporting the Digest.  We will return in December.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• USPTO applauds pro bono programs;
• Sometimes it’s downright dangerous to be a prosecutor;
• An interesting twist on the traditional career fair – host a picnic;
• NYC Bar exploring ways to help new lawyers and meet unmet legal needs;
• Great idea for addressing legal needs in rural areas;
• Chicago follows suit with an incubator program of their own;
• Human trafficking clinic at U of Michigan Law gets $500,00 federal grant;
• Georgia State’s new bankruptcy clinic holding free community education classes;
• Nova Scotia Legal Aid services to expand;
• Texas Corporate Counsel raises funds for legal aid;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

November 13, 2013– “The US Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced in a press release a new charter agreement placing the continued success of regional pro bono programs in the hands of a newly-formed advisory council. More than 30 representatives from regional inventor assistance programs, major intellectual property (IP) law associations and IP law school programs participated in a ceremonial signing with Chief Judge Randall Rader at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 25, 2013.

Under Section 32 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), the USPTO is required to “work with and support intellectual property law associations across the country in the establishment of pro bono programs designed to assist financially under-resourced independent inventors and small businesses.” Following the June 2011 launch of the first program in Minnesota, the USPTO has been interacting with IP law associations to assist in the establishment of additional programs across the country. Currently there are seven regional programs covering more than 20 states offering pro bono assistance to inventors and small businesses. The USPTO hopes to see regional pro bono programs covering all 50 states by early 2015.”  (AG-IP News)

November 13, 2013 – Some days are harder than others, but my prosecutor friends say it’s worth it every day.  And then something like this happens.  “An explosive device that police say was designed to destroy an Oregon county prosecutors’ office instead blew out windows in a pre-dawn blast Wednesday that did little other damage.
The FBI said it was too early to say whether the blast was terror-related, but Medford Police Chief Tim George said he considered the explosion a domestic terror attack aimed at law enforcement.  No one was hurt when the device fashioned in part from a 5-gallon propane tank blew. Police say it failed to fully detonate.”  (Komonews.com)

November 14, 2013 – In Florida, they take their diversity networking outside to a more relaxed venue.  An estimated 3,000 black and Latino law school students, top attorneys and judges participate in a minority mentoring picnic for South Florida’s aspiring lawyers.  “The free picnic, now in its 10th year, provided a festive and relaxed atmosphere, with law firms and legal organizations providing literature and information under white tents. Other booths provided prizes and foods from barbecued ribs to Chinese rice. There was also wine tasting, along with music and carnival rides for kids.”  “The picnic also included law school deans, professors and community leaders who offered alternative employment other than law firms for students. Agencies such as the Legal Services of Greater Miami provided information on jobs helping the poor.”  (South Florida Times)

November 14, 2013 – “Following more than a year of analysis, the New York City Bar Association’s Task Force on New Lawyers in a Changing Profession released a report recommending fundamental changes in education and career focus for new lawyers.”  One of the many recommendations is establishing a new law firm for people of modest means.   There needs to be more discussion and action around training new lawyers to meet the needs to low-income and modest income individuals.  (TaxProf Blog)

November 14, 2013 – “Starting next summer, a new pilot program at the UND [University of North Dakota] School of Law will have some students exploring more rural parts of the North Dakota.”  “The program would offer three internships for law students to go to smaller communities in the state that have less than 15,000 people. The interns would work closely with a judge throughout the summer and into the school year.”  “The internships have been established by a collaboration between the UND School of Law, the State Bar Association of North Dakota and the state courts to help remedy the lack of attorneys especially in the western portion of the state.” (Dakota Student)

November 15, 2013 – “A privately supported legal-industry incubator designed to link underemployed young lawyers with ‘modest means’ clients who don’t qualify for free legal services was unveiled today in the West Loop.  The Chicago Bar Foundation’s attempt to address the industry’s supply-and-demand imbalance echoes a New York City Bar Association project announced a day earlier. That program involves placing new attorneys in big-employer apprenticeships or in a startup law firm.”  “Participating lawyers in the Justice Entrepreneurs Project, whose numbers will grow to 30 next spring, spend the first six months of an 18-month program working through local legal aid organizations to provide free services while developing their own paying clientele. They’re getting stipends of about $1,000 a month from local law schools and, after six months, will pay nominal rent for incubator space.”  (Chicago Business)

November 19, 20013 – “The Human Trafficking Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School has been awarded a $500,000 grant to fund a partnership between the clinic and domestic violence and sexual assault victims’ services.  The three-year grant announced Tuesday by the Ann Arbor school is from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program.  The money will fund a partnership with the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence and the school’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. Both efforts are designed to improve services to victims of human trafficking in Michigan.  (The Republic)

November 20, 2013 – “Georgia State University College of Law’s new Bankruptcy Assistance and Practice Program is holding a free community education class for those facing bankruptcy.”  Representatives from the Atlanta Legal Aid Society will also participate.  “Georgia State Law professor Jessica Gabel started the bankruptcy assistance program this year to help people who cannot afford a lawyer navigate a bankruptcy filing. For the 16 third-year law students participating, the program is an opportunity to gain experience working with actual clients.”  (EastAtlantaPatch)

November 20, 2013 – “The Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission is expanding its services to include landlord and tenant, Canada Pension Plan, income assistance and employment insurance issues.  The expansion of services falls under the commission’s social justice initiative.”  (The Chronicle Herald)

November 20, 2013 – “The Texas Access to Justice Commission, in conjunction with the Texas General Counsel Forum, raised $48,583 for civil legal services during the 2^nd annual Charity Golf Classic held Nov. 14 in San Antonio.  This year’s event almost doubled the amount raised during last year’s inaugural tournament.  The proceeds will be donated to the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.”  (The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel)

Super Music Bonus!  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NSQLMPUK-8