Laurence Tribe, Access to Justice Counselor
for U.S. Justice Department Tells America’s Lawyers
that Justice Remains an Unrealized Ideal for Too Many

ABA President Carolyn B. Lamm salutes
Pro Bono Publico Award recipients
for their contributions.

The National Legal Aid & Defender Association invites you to nominate a law firm for the 2010 NLADA Beacon of Justice Award honoring law firms across the country who have devoted considerable resources and have made a significant impact on the lives of immigration clients.

Eligible law firms include those who have provided direct pro bono legal representation, including paralegal pro bono hours, or have been engaged in law reform efforts between January 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Law firms will be selected based on the impact of their representation of immigration clients.

The Beacon of Justice Award acknowledges the critical role that pro bono efforts play in ensuring equal access to justice. The National Legal Aid & Defender Association is pleased to recognize law firms that have provided pro bono work that has made a significant impact in the area of immigration. While organizations are not eligible for the Award, they are welcome to nominate a law firm.

Complete the 2010 Beacon of Justice Award Application and send along with attachments to Tiffany Payne Merklinger, director of development, via email t.merklinger@nlada.org  or fax 202-872-1031.

The deadline for application submission is August 27, 2010. Law firms can nominate themselves or organizations can nominate law firms. Questions? Call Tiffany Payne Merklinger at (202)452-0620 X232.

The Beacon of Justice Award will be awarded at the upcoming NLADA Exemplar Award Dinner honoring Justice John Paul Stevens of the Supreme Court of the United States and Rick Cotton, General Counsel and Executive Vice President of NBC Universal on October 6, 2010 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC.

Click here for more information about the Exemplar Award Dinner

Beacon of Justice Award Nomination Form
 

In this article from lawjobs.com, Frank Slover, a partner at Seyfarth Shaw's Atlanta office, discusses how pro bono work was more than just a way to do a public service, but also allowed him to more fully develop himself as a lawyer and to find a source of enjoyment -- from the work, from the feeling that he was doing something good and from the colleagues he worked with.

It descibes some experiences doing guardian ad litem representation and handling family law cases through the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and working as a "senior fellow" at Legal Aid of Cobb County.

Doing such cases provided a transactional attorney with a window onto the world of courtroom law, other than as a witness or juror which proved to be a great personal and professsional experience. 

Read the Story
 

The Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Wills for Heroes Foundation are hosting upcoming events to provide free wills and powers of attorney to first responders - police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other men and women who risk their lives every day to make sure our communities are safe.

At least 10 to 20 lawyers, three or four notaries (who aren't required to be lawyers) and several witnesses (anyone over the age of 18) are needed for each event.

Lawyer volunteers do not need to practice trust and estate law. A mini-course will be given the morning of the event to familiarize volunteers with what they need to know. Also, several lawyers well-versed in estate planning will be available during the day to answer any questions that may arise.

The Wills for Heroes schedule includes the following events:

Bucks County
(Contact coordinators Lisa A. Shearman and Jennifer Murphy)

• Aug. 7: Trevose Fire Company, Trevose
• Aug. 28: Trevose Fire Company, Trevose
• Sept. 11: Public Safety Training Center, Doylestown

Lackawanna County
(Contact coordinator Jason Morrison)

• Oct. 2: Scranton Police Department, Scranton

Montgomery County
(Contact coordinator Lisa A. Shearman)

• Sept. 25: Montgomery Township Fire Department, Montgomeryville

York County
(Contact coordinator Mac Brillhart)

• Sept. 18: York Township Emergency Service Personnel, York

New volunteers are asked to complete the online registration form.

For more information about the Wills for Heroes program, send an e-mail to Dan McKenna or Lisa A. Shearman and visit the Wills for Heroes Foundation website and the PBA Young Lawyers Division website.

This post in the Career News and Trends section of the Lexis Hub for New Attorneys advocates a change in the metrics by which firms pro bono efforts are ranked. 

It states that the metrics by which firms are ranked currently cannot account for quality.  Firms do not have formal mechanisms for gauging satisfaction among nonprofit organizations that referred or co-counseled cases and do not engage in systematic analysis of the social impact of their efforts.

Read the Article

Do you know an amazing law student who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to public service? Consider nominating them for the 16th Annual PSLawNet Pro Bono Publico Award!

The Award seeks to honor students who have made an exceptional contribution to under-served populations, the public interest community, and legal education by performing pro bono or public service work.

While anyone at a PSLawNet subscriber school can nominate a student, you are encouraged to work in conjunction with your public interest and/or career services office to submit a comprehensive application using the form at the link below. 

Applications are due by Thursday, September 9, 2010. The award winner will be invited to Washington, DC to be honored during an Award Luncheon at NALP’s Public Service Mini-Conference on Thursday, October 21, 2010.

Nomination Form [PDF]

In the heat of summer, most students don’t remember their spring breaks. For a team of Rutgers–Camden law students, however, their spring break activity continues to have a real impact for an elderly woman in New Orleans.

Jacquie Huynh-Linenberg, Andrew Dodemaide, and Andrew Linenberg— all students in the Rutgers School of Law–Camden – spent their 2010 spring break as volunteers for the Housing Unit at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS). Thanks to their efforts, an elderly woman has been able to avoid eviction and is able to remain in her home.

During March 15-19, the Rutgers–Camden law students participated in the APIL (Association for Public Interest Law) Alternative Spring Break. During their work with SLLS, they provided pro bono legal service to an elderly woman who had lived in a public housing facility in New Orleans for more than 20 years. Many of her family member also lived at that particular site.

Under the federal One Strike and You’re Out public housing policy, she faced eviction due to the actions of her nephew, who was caught selling drugs in the common area of the public housing complex. Although the elderly woman was unaware of her nephew’s drug activities, had no contact with or control over him, and never permitted him to use her address nor stay at her apartment, the One Strike policy nonetheless allowed for her eviction.

The plight of the elderly woman touched the Rutgers students. “This client is a sweet elderly woman, a Hurricane Katrina survivor, who works two jobs, volunteers for her church, and engages in community service to help keep her community clean,” explains Mount Laurel resident Andrew Linenberg. “Despite this, for no fault of her own, she was going to be evicted even though the nephew never stayed with her, was never given permission to stay with her, she had no control over nor even a connection with him, and had no knowledge of his drug activities. This would be a totally unfair result and would leave her with no place else to live.”

A 2006 graduate of Temple University, Linenberg, 27, found that the work for the elderly client resonated strongly with his passion for the law. “I have always wanted to become a lawyer to help people and directly improve the lives of others by helping them enforce their rights. When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, I felt frustrated because I could not make much of a difference from so far away. Therefore, when I heard about the Alternative Spring Break trip, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up—putting my skills to work for an entire city that is still recovering from that devastation.”

Linenberg received his Juris Doctor degree from the Rutgers School of Law–Camden in May. Starting in September, he will clerk for the Honorable Linda Feinberg, assignment judge for Mercer County.

Lawrenceville resident Andrew Dodemaide, 23, echoes Linenberg’s sentiments. “(The client’s) situation was so unfortunate and unfair that we had a moral obligation to develop a winning argument. Luckily, her case was markedly different from earlier cases – to the point that the precedent really didn't support the claim against her,” says the 2008 graduate of Rutgers–New Brunswick who is entering his second year at the Rutgers School of Law–Camden.

The law student team researched housing statutes, public housing rental agreements, and a mountain of cases, and interviewed the client to obtain more information. They summarized their findings in a predictive memorandum and collaborated on a strategy section—including likely opposing arguments and possible ways to defeat those arguments.

While they could not be present for the trial in May, the supervising attorney at SLLS subsequently informed them that the case presented in court – based on the attorney’s litigation skills and the team’s research memo – became one of the only One Strike cases to be decided in favor of the tenant since the Supreme Court upheld the One Strike Policy in HUD v. Rucker in 2002. According to Linenberg, this decision “is possibly the only post-Rucker decision in New Orleans refusing to evict a One Strike tenant.”

“It was difficult to believe the legislative intent behind the policy was to wrongfully evict those like our client,” says Mount Laurel resident Jacquie Huynh-Linenberg. “We knew if she won her case, it would help to open the doors in preventing wrongful evictions.”

A 2007 graduate of Penn State, where she earned her MBA degree, and a 2004 graduate of Drexel University, where she earned her undergraduate degree, Huynh-Linenberg looks forward to returning to New Orleans to provide legal support for citizens still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. “It was one of the first opportunities as a law student to apply what we were learning at school to help provide legal assistance to those who need it the most,” explains the student entering her second year at the Rutgers–Camden law school.

“The work done by these students, and the real impact that it has on the life of an elderly woman, is just one example of how Rutgers–Camden law students apply their skills on behalf of citizens in New Jersey and across the nation,” explains Eve Biskind Klothen, assistant dean for pro bono programs at the Rutgers School of Law–Camden. “Through our pro bono and clinical programs, the Rutgers–Camden law school delivers more than 30,000 hours of service each year to people who otherwise would not have the opportunity for support as they confront the complexities of the legal system.”

A podcast of the Chancellor's Forum on Civil Gideon, held by the Philadelphia Bar Association on July 7,  is now available on the Association's website.

Professor Russell Engler, director of clinical programs at New England Law School and a national expert on Civil Gideon, was the featured speaker at the Chancellor's Forum.

Engler serves on the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission and the Boston Bar Association's Task Force on Expanding the Civil Right to Counsel. 
 

This American Life, the popular program from Chicago Pulbic Media, featured a program entitle Pro Se on July 10, 2010.

The program told the stories of of pro se defenses offered by several individuals: some brilliant, some disastrous. 

A live stream of the broadcast and more information about the program, including how to purchase copies, are available at the link below.

"Pro Se" on This American Life

This blog post from Generation J.D. - A blog for young lawyers, appearing in The Maryland Daily Record, recounts an attorney's exerience as a young associate representing an art student in a pro bono case against her landlord, who was withholding the client's security deposit alleging that she had caused damage to the apartment.

This article in the Williamsport Sun-Gazette discusses a new mortgage foreclosure diversionary conference program that will be offered by the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas, working with the county Law Association, North Penn Legal Services and representatives from STEP Housing Counseling Services, that is scheduled to start by the end of this month or in August.

Read the Story

The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty recognized the efforts of its Lawyers' Executive Advisory Partners (LEAP) firms at Ending Homelessness through Pro Bono Work, a panel and reception on July 6, 2010. The event was held at the Washington, DC office of Sidley Austin LLP.

Partners from Dechert LLP, Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP, and Hogan Lovells LLP participated in the panel discussion on their firms' pro bono work with the Law Center and its ability to create policy change and end homelessness in the United States.

The panel was followed by a reception in honor of the LEAP partner firms, which featured an address by DC Bar President Ronald S. Flagg.

Many of the Law Center's most significant and high-profile legal victories were made possible through extensive pro bono service from the private bar. In 2004, it decided to strengthen its ties with its pro bono partners and recognize their vital contributions to its work. The Lawyers Executive Advisory Partners (LEAP) was formed.

LEAP is a national philanthropic effort of the legal community to help homeless and poor Americans achieve self-sufficiency. LEAP members work to prevent and end homelessness by providing the Law Center with financial support as well as pro bono legal services.

The members form a network of key influential leaders that realize significant positive social change. In return for their efforts, LEAP members enjoy a powerful camaraderie and opportunities to do rewarding and career enhancing pro bono work.

For more information about LEAP membership, contact NLCHP at 202-638-2535 or LEAP@nlchp.org.

In this story from Law.com David Ingram reports for the National Law Jounal on a  survey of state judges by the American Bar Association that indicates that fewer parties in civil cases are being represented by lawyers, and in the opinion of most of the judges, the outcomes of those cases are worse for it.

The judges who saw worse outcomes said the most common problems for pro se litigants are failure to present necessary evidence, procedural errors, ineffective witness examination and failure to object to evidence properly.

Read the Story

This article from the Maryland Legal Aid Newsroom discusses the response by volunteer lawyers to Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attack in New York City.

It reviews some of the findings of University of Maryland law professor Douglas L. Colbert as reported in a Howard Law Review article, Professional Responsibility in Crisis, where he questions why so few volunteer lawyers responded to these events.

Read the Story

Company donates document automation software for the rapid generation of custom legal documents

HotDocs Corporation, the global leader in document automation technology, today announced that it has agreed to continue the software and services donation program to the Wills for Heroes Foundation.

Wills for Heroes is a non-profit organization that offers free legal services to firefighters, police personnel, and other public servants that respond first in life-threatening situations.

Under the agreement, HotDocs will provide up to ten copies of HotDocs Developer 10, the company’s flagship technology, for each legal jurisdiction in which the Wills for Heroes Foundation operates.

The HotDocs donation program began in 2002, at which point, HotDocs was owned by LexisNexis. In late 2009, Capsoft UK, the largest distributor of HotDocs outside the US, purchased the software business, and has since been renamed HotDocs Ltd.

“We’re happy to assist the Wills for Heroes Foundation,” commented Russell Shepherd, CEO of HotDocs Corporation. “It provides a valuable service to thousands of first responders willing to risk their own lives for the public good. We’re honored to be involved with this great organization.”

The Wills for Heroes Foundation began in 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 disaster and consists primarily of volunteer attorneys and other legal professionals.

“HotDocs software, which dramatically reduces the time it takes to prepare custom legal documents, enables volunteers to provide individualized, quality estate planning documents to first responders on a much broader scale,” said Anthony Hayes, one of the organization’s co-founders and a partner at Nelson Mullins. “HotDocs is a critical component of the Wills for Heroes Program and we’re delighted that the new owners of HotDocs are continuing to support our program. To date, Wills for Heroes has produced more than 10,000 free wills and collateral documents for our heroic public servants.”

For more information, visit www.hotdocs.com and www.willsforheroes.org.

PR Web Release 

This article from The American Lawyer describes the efforts of Am Law 200 firms in response to the earthquake in Haiti in January.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, which killed 200,000 and displaced millions of Haitians, Am Law 200 firms responded en masse, with more than 35 firms donating a total of almost $3 million to relief efforts.

Beyond the outpouring of funds, at least 70 Am Law 200 firms have taken on pro bono projects to further the relief effort. Am Law 200 lawyers have served as outside general counsel to relief nonprofits, aided Haitian refugees applying for temporary protected status in the U.S., and helped document the humanitarian crisis on the ground in Haiti as conditions deteriorated.

This story provides a sampling of the kinds of pro bono work lawyers are doing to help rebuild the country.

Read the Story

The American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section will honor Patricia L. McKinnon of Indianapolis with the Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Service Award, which recognizes TIPS members who have the attributes embodied by Sen. Muskie: his dedication to justice for all citizens, his public service, and his role as a lawyer and distinguished leader of the section.

The award will be presented to McKinnon at the 2010 ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, during the TIPS Leadership and Awards Dinner on Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

“Patricia McKinnon is extremely deserving of this award. Not only has she dedicated her law practice to family law, but she volunteers her time as an advocate for parental rights and children in need. Her involvement in so many professional organizations is impressive and her commitment to serving the public is why we are so honored to present her with this award,” said Section Chair John Tarpley of Nashville, Tenn.

Since 1994, McKinnon has been a family lawyer at the Office of Patricia L. McKinnon, Esq. and is affiliated with the firm Baker, Pittman & Page. She is a certified as a family law specialist by the Indiana State Bar Association. She served as a part-time public defender for termination of parental rights and civil cases involving children in need of services at the Marion County Public Defender Agency from 1995-2000.

McKinnon has received a number of awards for her service including the Indiana Bar Foundation’s President’s Award in 2008 and Pro Bono Publico Award in 2002 and 2006. She was also the recipient of the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Board of Manager’s Award in 2000 and its President’s Award in 1996.

McKinnon is a member of the Indiana State, Indianapolis and American Bar Associations; she is also a fellow of both the Indiana and Indianapolis Bar Foundations. She has been active with the Indiana State Bar Association, where she has served since 2001 as chair of the Talk To A Lawyer Today program. She is also the current chair and past vice-chair of its Pro Bono Committee. Also at the state bar, McKinnon has served as chair of the Articles and Bylaws Committee; vice-chair of the Women in the Law Committee; sub-committee chair of the Ethics Committee; and member of the Planning Committee for the Small/Solo Conference. She is a member of the Family & Juvenile Law Section.

She serves as a board member for the Indiana Legal Services, Inc., is a founding board member of Seeds of Hope, a halfway house for chemically dependent women in Indianapolis and is a past board member of the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic in Indianapolis.

Among McKinnon’s numerous volunteer projects are her service as a guardian ad litem (advocate for children) on family law cases for both Kids’ Voice and Child Advocates, Inc. She provides pro bono service to Indianapolis Legal Aid, Inc., the Heartland Pro Bono Council, the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic and Indiana Legal Services, Inc. McKinnon also volunteers her time as a tutor for a program serving low-income youth.

McKinnon earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1994 and her Bachelor of Arts in English/History from Augustana College in 1983.
 

This letter to the Readers Of The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel from Mary Jane Forbes describes the activities of the Central Pennsylvania Association of Corporate Counsel to date during 2010, including two CLE events, new pro bono programs and continuing support for the diversity initiatives of the chapter.

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This article from American Lawyer.com examines pro bono participation trends at Am Law 200 firms in 2009.

It finds that despite the prevalence of deferrals and layoffs last year, the Am Law 200's aggregate pro bono numbers were steady.

Pro bono hours showed a 2 percent increase from 2008. Average hours per lawyer was flat, and the percentage of lawyers with 20 hours or more of pro bono work dipped only 1 percent, to 47.5.  

These results in the face of decreasing numbers of attorneys is attributed to the fact that some firms stepped up their pro bono participation efforts.

Read the Story