Saturday Brunch/Closing Panel Slides

50 NEW Tech Tips

David Bonebrake, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.
Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA.
Glenn Rawdon, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.
Brian Rowe, Northwest Justice Project, Seattle, WA.

Document Available: Slides

Always one of the most popular sessions at the EJC, members of the legal aid technology community present 50 new technology tips! This fast-paced session will provide tips about free and low-cost tools, apps and software covering a broad range of topics that everyone can use.

Accessing Justice: Developing Partnerships with Libraries to Assist Pro Se Litigants

Jennifer Frazier, JD MLS, Kentucky State Law Library, Frankfort, KY.
Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA.
Janine Liebert, Los Angeles Law Library, Los Angeles, CA.
Terry Manuel, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY.
Steven Pulliam, Kentucky Bar Association, Frankfort, KY.
Soha Saiyed, Legal Aid Society of Louisville, Louisville, KY.
Marc Theriault, Administrative Office of the Courts - Kentucky, Frankfort, KY.

Document Available: Outline

With growing numbers of pro se litigants, community partnerships are more important than ever. This workshop will highlight novel collaborations between legal aid, courts and libraries to increase access to legal information and services. Panelists will discuss effective training models for librarians and technology innovations to connect patrons with resources.

Addressing Racial Disparities Though Administrative Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act

Juliet K. Choi, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Washington, DC.
Steven Fischbach, Rhode Island Legal Services, Providence, RI.
Christine Stoneman, Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS) of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
Romona Taylor Williams, Metro St. Louis Coalition for Inclusion and Equity, M-SLICE, St. Louis, MO.

After the Supreme Court’s decision in Sandoval v. Alexander, plaintiffs must prove discriminatory intent to prevail against a recipient of federal funds. However, the “intent” standard does not apply to administrative complaints filed under Title VI with the federal agency that funds the recipient. In this workshop participants will learn about the Title VI complaint process and applicable legal standards. Using live issues from St. Louis, participants will discuss the use of Title VI to address those issues and to which federal agency/ies such complaints could be filed with.

All Hands on Deck: How programs, firms and others can advance the right to counsel

Rene Kathawala, Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, New York, NY.
Mairi McKeever, Volunteer Legal Services Program, San Francisco, CA.
John Pollock, National Center for a Civil Right to Counsel, Montgomery, AL.

The civil right to counsel movement has continued to grow across the country, with a variety of different initiatives underway that seek to guarantee the right or gather the data that supports such a right. This panel will first discuss what kinds of efforts fit within the “civil right to counsel” banner. It then will look closely at several ambitious projects before concluding with a conversation about ways that all of us, including but not limited to law firms, can get involved in this rising movement.

ATJ Commissions Increasing Access to Justice

Terry Brooks, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL.
Jeffrey Colman, IL Access to Justice Commission, Chicago, IL.
Jennifer Lechner, NC Access to Justice Commission, High Point, NC.
David Rosenberg, MA Access to Justice Commission, Boston, MA.

Document Available: Outline

There are now Access to Justice Commissions in 28 jurisdictions, and it is anticipated that several new Commissions will be established in 2013. In this session, representatives of three Commissions will discuss initiatives they have undertaken to increase and improve access to justice in their states. This is a good opportunity to ask questions and share information about ATJ Commissions, learn whether a Commission might be useful in your state, and/or get ideas about projects that an existing Commission might replicate.

Attack of the Killer Law Students! – Addressing Fears and Hopes in the Wake of the New York Pro Bono Admission Requirement

Kristie Cinelli, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY.
Hon. Fern Fisher, NYS Courts Access to Justice Programs, New York, NY.
Eve Bliskind Klothen, Rutgers School of Law, Camden, NJ.
Thomas Maligno, Touro Law School, Central Islip, NY.
Lillian M. Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY.

News surrounding New York's Pro Bono Admission Requirement abounds but what will this rule really mean? This workshop will address the philosophical underpinnings and practical implications of such a requirement. Panelists will explore the pros and cons of such a requirement, expansion to other states and how the judiciary, law school and legal services/pro bono communities can collaborate to fulfill the requirement in a meaningful way.

Balancing Limited Resources with the Need for Increased Staff Compensation

Kelly Carmody, Carmody and Associates, Phoenix, AZ.
Cathy Carr, Community Legal Services, Philadelphia, PA.
Dave Pantos, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE.

A pressing issue for almost all legal aid and staffed pro bono programs is the compensation of their attorneys. Critical decisions must be made as organizations are managed with limited resources—When is the right time to increase compensation? Are increased salaries justified during lay-offs? This session will provide a detailed look at an organization that took on the balancing act and will provide ample time for discussion about why and how to be a leader on this issue, whether you are an executive director, a staff member, a board member or another member of the Access to Justice community.

Beyond the Digital Divide: Reaching Diverse Client Communities and Communities in Crisis with Technology

Saundra Brown, Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston, TX.
Adam Friedl, Pro Bono Net, New York, NY.
Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA.

How are low-income individuals using the Internet to find legal help? How many clients have smart phones? Is texting a good way to reach people? This session will discuss technology adoption among client communities, principles for accessible design, and how technology can improve access to legal assistance during a crisis.

Breaking Down Barriers and Developing Best Practices in Legal Services/Law Firm Partnerships

Meg Benson, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Chicago, IL.
Barbara Kagan, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC.
Joseph Sullivan, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Philadelphia, PA.

There are many common elements in how law firms manage pro bono and in how legal services agencies evaluate low-income clients for pro bono placement. However, where these two groups intersect - the referral, acceptance, and handling of pro bono matters - there is a patchwork of processes and often a lack of common understanding. This session aims to explore the issues, develop a conversation, and lay the groundwork for establishing best practices. Come prepared to share your experiences and contribute to the conversation.

Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness: Ensuring Housing and Educational Stability for Survivors of Domestic Violence and their Children

Lisa M. Coleman, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, Washington, DC.

Homeless families face many challenges trying to survive and improve their circumstances. The Violence Against Women Act and the McKinney Vento Act are available to assist with issues related to housing stability for survivors of domestic violence, access to education for their children, and the rights of unaccompanied youth. This session will provide an overview of federal and state laws that provide protections. Participants will gain an increased understanding of the laws available to help provide long-term stability to this vulnerable population.

Broadening Your Pro Bono Reach: Using Technology to Address the Record-Breaking Demand & Sharply Reduced Resources for Legal Services

Adam Friedl, Pro Bono Net, New York, NY.
Mary Horowitz, North Carolina Bar Association Foundation, Cary, NC.
Glenn Rawdon, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.
Stephanie Villinski, Illinois Legal Aid Online, Chicago, IL.

This session details how pro bono projects nationwide serve low-income people through technology. Bar associations and legal service providers have started using phone, internet, and apps to provide pro bono legal services to those in need. Speakers will provide information about efforts that participants can take home and easily implement.

Building a Self-Supporting Non-profit Legal Services Program

Tiela Chalmers, Tiela Chalmers Consulting, San Francisco, CA.
Mike Ferry, Gateway Legal Services, St. Louis, MO.
Tai Glenn, Levitt Quinn Family Law Center, Los Angeles, CA.
Gregg Lombardi, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Kansas City, MO.
Odette Williamson, National Consumer Law Center, Boston, MA.

Can a legal services program rely in part or in full on funds other than those from grants and donations, to sustain itself? Come learn about 4 different models for keeping projects or programs going using earned income. Whether the funding comes from sliding scale fees, contingency fees out of awards, or third party beneficiaries of our work, come learn the pros and cons of moving beyond the usual sources of revenue.

Building a Successful Private Fundraising Campaign

Sheila Hubbard, Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Assoc., Boston, MA.
Meredith McBurney, Management Information Exchange, DENVER, CO.

The recent decline in key funding sources emphasizes the need for a strong private fundraising effort for every legal aid provider. This session will get you started on the right path. It is fundraising 101, designed for those just starting out or those who want to re-charge a modest campaign. Learn how to analyze your program’s fundraising strengths and weaknesses; develop a basic fundraising plan; determine which sources to pursue; figure out what staff, volunteer and financial resources are needed; and identify first steps for implementation.

Building Strong Partnerships to Promote Justice for Military Service-Members and Veterans

Dwain Alexander, NLSO Mid-Atlantic, Washington, DC, DC.
Tom Domonoske, Legal Aid Justice Center, Washington, DC, DC.
George Muckleroy, Sheats & Muckleroy, Fort Worth, TX.
Aleed J. Rivera, Tarrant County Bar Foundation, Fort Worth, TX.

The presenting organizations, using different methods, have the common goal of furthering justice for those associated with the military. Topics will include: establishing contacts with military bases; understanding military command structure and culture; the type of consumer education and litigation trainings that will benefit the military base; how a small/med size bar association can create a pro bono program to help veterans; how a statewide program was adapted to meet the needs of the community; how through partnerships, the program runs with a low budget and mostly on volunteer hours.

Call Me Maybe? Starting A Relationship With Pro Bono Attorneys

Kirsten Kreymann, Public Law Center, Santa Ana, CA.
Kelly Tautges, Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL.
Angela Vigil, Baker & McKenzie, Miami, FL.

Finding and landing pro bono attorneys to handle cases is bit like dating – it’s not always clear what the other side wants, you have to present your best side without straying too far from the reality that will inevitably appear and it takes time to develop the relationship. This roundtable discussion will address effectively packaging and pitching pro bono opportunities, including the skills law firms actually care to improve in their lawyers, the types of lawyers that may be interested in certain matters and communicating about new opportunities.

Community Organizing and Social Justice Lawyering

Bonnie Allen, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Edward W. De Barbieri, Urban Justice Center, New York, NY.
Amy Smoucha, Families USA, Washington, DC.

This session highlights two models for integrating community organizers into social justice lawyering. One is a public interest law organization with community organizers on staff; the other has lawyers partner with organizers at community-based organizations. Community organizers bring different sets of relationships to law practice, including more direct access to grassroots community leaders and their organizations. Rather than seeing legal problems as the main issue, organizers seek to build communities' voice and agency in identifying and addressing economic and racial justice problems.

Coordinator to Coordinator: Breaking Down the Pro Bono Roles at Firms and Provider Organizations

Steve Grumm, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL.
Kelly Tautges, Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL.
Angela Vigil, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Miami, FL.

Do you sometimes wonder what your pro bono counterparts at law firms or legal services organizations do all day? How they manage to help you in so many different ways? Why a seemingly simple request takes weeks to process? Whether to raise a particular issue or just let it go? This roundtable will explore the realities of the law firm and legal services pro bono positions, including internal dynamics and other pressures that impact their work.

Creating a Transactional Pro Bono Program for LSC Funded Organizations

Michael Duffy, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Kansas City, MO.
Jim Guest, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO.
Laurie Hauber, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO.

Document Available: Outline

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Learn how legal aid organizations can work with nonprofits and micro-businesses to empower historically disadvantaged individuals and low-income communities. Panelists will engage participants in a dialogue on creating such a program, including building a transactional attorney network, establishing community partners, attracting innovative funding sources, and addressing LSC specific issues.

Creating Pro Bono Projects to Expunge Juvenile Delinquency Records

Lourdes Rosado, Juvenile Law Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Riya S. Shah, Esq., Juvenile Law Center, Philadelphia, PA.

Delinquency records often follow youth into adulthood, hampering their life prospects by creating barriers to employment, housing and higher education. Expungement pro bono projects provide attorney volunteers with bite-sized cases that require limited time commitment but change the course of a child's life. This session will discuss the importance of expungement programs, step by step instructions on how to set up such a project and how to tap into local resources that can assist in building a program to put these youth on the path to success.

Designing a Strategic Plan for Diversity and Succession Planning

Deirdre Weir, Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. (LAD), Detroit, MI.

Come and participate in a strategic conversation about planning for the inevitable loss of seasoned and diverse staff to due to retirements, and most recently, retrenchments. In this session we will discuss strategies to replace lost intellectual capital and to retain diversity as programs face the draining task of succession planning on all levels of the organization.

E-Filing for Access to Justice: Why Should We Care?

Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, Richland, WA.
Susan Ledray, 4th Judicial District Court, Minneapolis, MN.
Richard Zorza, Self-Represented Litigation Network, Washington, DC.

E-filing is now a daily reality for attorneys. We will review issues and best practices identified related to e-filing for those without lawyers in court. The workshop will share issues and best practices that highlight ways courts and their IT departments can build e-filing systems that meet the needs of SRLs.

Emerging Technology to Enhance Delivery of Services to LEP communities: An Overview of Tools and Innovative Approaches

Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, New York, NY.
Maria Mindlin, Transcend Translations, Davis, CA.

In this workshop we will explore technology to create materials and content in other languages in a cost effective/quality conscious way. We will highlight technology that has yet to be deployed in the access to justice community, and explore other well know translation tools and methods. In addition, we will share practical tech based applications that can use those translations to improve legal services to LEP communities.

Ethics in Social Media

Will Hornsby, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL.

Our ethics rules apply to everything from Facebook posts to tweets to YouTube presentations, even though they are sometimes an imperfect fit. This workshop looks at the use and misuse of social media as tools to improve access to justice and provides tips to assure we meet our professional obligations and protect the interests of our clients.

Ethics Issues in Pro Bono Practice

Toby Rothschild, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
Catherine Weiss, Lowenstein Sandler, Roseland, NJ.

A wide range of ethical issues can arise in pro bono practice, just as in fee billable work. While the Model Rules of Professional Conduct can be helpful in defining and addressing the scope of an attorney's duties and responsibilities, many kinds of unpredictable situations can arise. For example, what issues arise when pro bono counsel and legal services staff attorneys disagree on the goals or process for properly representing a client? What issues arise when a pro bono attorney develops a conflict after the representation has been begun? This session will address these and other pressing concerns.

Evaluating Technology-Enabled Legal Services Delivery: Using Data to Improve and Choose Your Projects

Matthew Burnett, Immigration Advocates Network, New York, NY.
Sue Encherman, Northwest Justice Project, Seattle, WA.
Bristow Hardin, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.
Teri Ross, Illinois Legal Aid Online, Chicago, IL.
Ken Smith, Resource for Great Programs, Traverse City, MI.

This session will explore ideas and best practices for effectively evaluating technology-enabled legal services delivery. Panelists will discuss how to design an evaluation for technology-enabled legal services delivery projects; models, tools and best practices for collecting evaluation data; and share examples of both small and large-scale evaluations, including online intake, a statewide collaborative data system designed to improve service delivery, and web-based diagnostic and self-help tools.

Expanding Access to Justice by Engaging Senior Fellows

Susan Finegan, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Boston, MA.
Honorable Ralph D. Gants, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Boston, MA.
Bill Patton, Ropes & Gray, Boston, MA.

Document Available: Outline

Document Available: Handout

This session will discuss how to design a program to engage senior lawyers to partner with legal services organizations or non-profits. Under the Access to Justice Fellows pilot program in MA, retired volunteer lawyers spend 10-20 hours/week working with a partner organization on specified projects for an academic year. Discussion to include lessons learned, and how to design a program which encourage experienced lawyers to make significant contributions of time helping legal services organizations and non-profits serve client populations.

Expanding Access to Justice by Engaging the Academy

Dean Jeremy Paul, Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, MA.
Deborah Ramirez, Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, MA.
Len Zandrow, Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, MA.

Justice Bridge is a legal residency program at NEU for new lawyers interested in learning the business and legal skills necessary to represent middle and working class litigants. The program will address the justice gap and the jobs gap by creating a cadre of "access" lawyers committed to representing those who do not receive free legal services, but who cannot afford to hire an attorney under the current billing structure. The program will be working in MA with the Access to Justice Commission, Senior retired judges, legal services providers and major law firms.

Expanding Private Foundation Support for Legal Aid

Bonnie Allen, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Sandra McAlister Ambrozy, Kresge Foundation, Troy, MI.
M. Ryan Baker, Missouri Foundation for Health, St. Louis, MO.
Alex Gulotta, Legal Aid Justice Center, Charlottesville, VA.
Mary McClymont, Public Welfare Foundation, Washington, DC.

This session will help you translate legal aid and pro bono work and outcomes into “the language of philanthropy.” Panelists will include foundation program officers and legal aid leaders who will provide tips on how to frame the results achieved by legal aid and pro bono lawyers in ways that link to the foundations’ missions and goals so that successful partnerships can be formed and funding for critical legal services can be obtained.

Federal Funding Roundtable

David Godfrey, American Bar Association, Washington, DC.
Karen A. Lash, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
Lillian M. Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY.
Don Saunders, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Washington, DC.
Omar Valverde, U.S. Administration on Aging, Washington, DC.

This session will provide an opportunity for advocates to share information, ideas and experiences on obtaining and/or maintaining non-LSC federal funding. Discussion will focus on existing federal funding programs and new potential federal funding opportunities. Updates on funding will be given on the Violence Against Women Act and Older Americans Act. Issues in working with HUD and other agencies will be flagged. Participants will also have the opportunity to share successes, raise issues of mutual concern and learn from one another about traditional and new sources of funding.

Filling the Justice Gap: Innovative Law Firm/Public Interest Partnerships Address Benefits and Housing

Miriam Buhl, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP, New York, NY.
Marlene Halpern, Legal Aid Society of NY, New York, NY.
Lynda Krupp, Legal Aid and Defender Association, Detroit, Detroit, MI.
Joseph A. Sullivan, Pepper Hamilton LLP, New York, NY.

Three innovative projects that address systemic issues in housing and benefits with pro bono assistance: a housing project that includes law firm management endorsement, multi-partner supervision and a holistic approach to individual representation and affirmative litigation; a three-way partnership of a health care provider, corporate counsel and a public interest law center, which focuses on access to benefits and expungement hearings; and a mortgage foreclosure project that is a collaborative of the judiciary, municipal government, housing counselors, legal services and pro bono partners.

Global Pro Bono: A Primer

Saralyn M. Cohen, Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York, NY.
Lisa R. Dewey, DLA Piper US LLP, Washington, DC.
Charlotte Dollard, Advocates for International Development (A4ID), London, England.
Louis O’Neill, White & Case LLP, New York, NY.

It's daunting enough doing pro bono in one jurisdiction in the United States. But many firms have at least one office in another country, and due to the world economic crisis, money for basic legal services for the poor in overseas jurisdictions has never been tighter. Some foreign jurisdictions have a strong history of encouraging pro bono and others have discouraged it, even to the point -- until recently -- of illegality. This panel will help you think about and navigate the issues facing you if you want to expand a pro bono practice to overseas jurisdictions.

Hot Topics in Legal Aid

Jim Sandman, Legal Services Corporation, washington, DC.
Don Saunders, NLADA, Washington, DC.
Lisa Wood, ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants, Boston, MA.

This session will concentrate on current developments affecting the legal aid community. Among the issues to be considered are: 1) Status of FY 2014 LSC appropriations process; 2) Other LSC issues, including the LSC outcome measures initiative; technology summit and the implementation of the 2010 census on LSC basic field funding; 3) Developments affecting Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts; 4) Pro bono initiatives (principally covered in Hot Topics Part II); 4)Non-LSC federal funding opportunities; and 5) Other matters of interest.

Hot Topics in Pro Bono

Cait Clark, NLADA, Washington, DC.
Sharon Goldsmith, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
Laurie Mikva, Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.
Mary Ryan, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Boston, MA.
Julia Wilson, OneJustice, San Francisco, CA.

Across the country there are some exciting national initiatives in the pro bono arena. This session will focus on how these projects are enhancing and growing the effectiveness of the pro bono delivery system. Presenters will report on the ABA's Pro Bono Data Collection Report and Pro Bono Standards update project, LSC's Pro Bono Task Force Report and efforts to revise 45 CFR 1614 (the PAI regulation), and NLADA's public private partnership initiatives.

How Lawyers and Advocates can Promote Housing Mobility and Access to Opportunity

Housing Choice Voucher holders face difficulties finding housing in opportunity neighborhoods. This session will explore how housing mobility programs and local advocates can help HCV holders access opportunity neighborhoods. Through an interactive dialogue with national experts and the PRRAC/Urban Institute toolkit we will provide the basic framework on how to design a local program.

How to Utilize Pro Bono Financial Experts: The Benefits to Clients and Public Interest Organizations

Lawyers are not only the only professionals who provide services to legal services clients and organizations. Economic experts can provide invaluable information to pro bono clients about the financial consequences of important decisions as well as help analyze complex data to assist with advocacy. This panel will include financial experts, pro bono law firms and legal aid organizations to demonstrate the benefits to case resolution and efficient representation of clients.

How to Work with Your Court to Increase Access to Justice

Ana Maria Garcia, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Glendale, CA.
Bonnie Hough, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, San Francisco, CA.
Judge Mark A. Juhas, Los Angeles Superior Court, Los Angeles, CA.

The relationship between courts and legal services providers is changing in many communities as partnerships are developed to serve the needs of low-income persons. This workshop will consider how to identify judges and court administrators who may be potential allies and how to develop and support those relationships and joint projects.

Human Trafficking in your DV Cases: Identification, Assessment, Representation

Vivian Huelgo, Task Force on Human Trafficking and Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence of the American Bar Association, Washington, DC, DC.
Kavitha Sreeharsha, Global Freedom Center, San Francisco, CA.

Document Available: Handout

In this workshop, attorneys working on domestic violence cases will develop strategies and internal protocols to identify and screen trafficked persons within their clientele and intake, understand common and varying legal needs from domestic violence cases, coordinate wraparound social services, and develop programs including pro bono partnerships to effectively represent trafficked people in immigration, victim representation, criminal defense, and civil litigation.

I'm a Lawyer, Not a Social Worker! How Social Work Services Can Enhance Legal Services Delivery and Client Outcomes

Jennifer Berger, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington DC, DC.
Karen Currie, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington DC, DC.
Alisa Neary, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
Tina Nelson, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington DC, DC.

Document Available: Outline

Many times lawyers cannot maximize the results for their clients because of the unaddressed social work services clients may need. This session seeks to provide a solution to that problem by discussing how lawyers and social workers can work together to improve client outcomes.

Incubating New Practices to Meet Legal Needs

Luz Herrera, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, CA.
Fred Rooney, City University of New York School of Law, New York, NY.

Newly admitted lawyers are struggling to find work while a huge percentage of both the poor and working poor go without legal assistance. Incubators and residency programs are emerging in response to this dilemma. This workshop examines the ways in which law schools and bar associations are working to develop law practices that enable newly admitted lawyers to start community-oriented practices and do well by doing good.

Innovative Approaches to Representing Modest Means Clients

April Faith-Slaker, ABA, Chicago, IL.
Luz Herrera, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, CA.
Dan Taubman, Colorado Court of Appeals, Denver, CO.

How do we serve those who have a little too much to qualify for legal aid but not enough for traditional legal services? This workshop discusses efforts made by bar associations, practitioners and law schools to provide affordable legal services to those with modest means. It also examines the intersections between these programs and those offered by legal aid and pro bono.

Innovative Consumer Protection Resources and Initiatives for Information Seekers and Legal Advocates

Jennifer Van Dulmen, Community Legal Aid, Akron, OH.
Joannie T. Wei, Federal Trade Commission, Chicago, IL.

This workshop will highlight free resources and innovative partnerships to address consumer protection issues, including consumer debt, credit, and identity theft. Panelists will discuss public outreach initiatives, including online self-help resources, interactive forms, and replicable tools to assist advocates and volunteers in this growing area

Innovative Legal Outreach for Underserved Culturally Diverse Communities

Callen Ching, Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI.
Sheryl Rosensky Miller, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington, DC.
Tina Nelson, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington, DC.

Document Available: Outline

This session will showcase innovative legal outreach models designed to reach culturally diverse low income populations. Through interactive dialogue and role play, participants will explore how to create collaborative models with community partners. Participants will role play solutions and barriers that may exist in outreach due to race, ethnicity, social class, nationality, gender, and low or no English proficiency. Participants will engage in mock intake sessions to apply techniques for increasing cultural competence in delivering legal services to diverse communities.

Interactive Legal Ethics for Legal Aid Attorneys

David Godfrey, ABA Commission on Law and Aging, Washington, DC.
Keith Morris, Elder Law of Michigan, Lansing, MI.
Kimberly E. O'Leary, Thomas M. Colley Law School, Lansing, MI.

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Working in small groups participants will examine case studies of challenging ethical issues for legal aid attorneys in light of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and create a plan of action that they will report out to all participants. Session leaders will facilitate small groups, and stimulate discussion in the session debrief.

Interweaving Coalition Building, Technology, and Pro Bono to Fill Gaps in Access to Justice: The Story of a Nine-State Project

Sunrise Ayers, Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc., Boise, ID.
Russell Butler, Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc., Upper Marlboro, MD.
Marilyn Harp, Kansas Legal Aid Services, Topeka, KS.
Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, Richland, WA.

Document Available: Outline

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This session will detail how nine states worked together to create a grass roots empowerment movement for identity theft crime victims using coalitions, technology, interactive Access to Justice forms, pro bono recruitment and more. Attendees will learn how this pilot project prompted the creation of a model for all 50 states and discuss techniques and strategies for using this model to create similar projects in various subject areas.

It Takes A Summit-Bringing the Community and Court Together to Help Domestic Violence Victims

Claudia Johnson, ProBonoNet, San Francisco, CA.
Susan D. Ryan, Riverside Superior Court, Riverside, CA.

Victims of domestic violence face numerous hurdles in attempting to obtain a restraining order from the court. This session will demonstrate how Riverside Superior Court reached out to the community to raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence, and also develop an electronic fax filing program that allows domestic violence victims to fax file their request for a restraining order without having to come to court.

It Takes A Village - Working Across Justice Communities to Achieve a Common Goal

Bonnie Allen, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Whitney Barkley, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Warren L. Martin, Jr., , Jackson, MS.

Consisting of a private attorney, non-profit attorney, law student, and community organizer, this presentation would focus on how the Mississippi Center for Justice marshaled litigation, legislation, and community forums to address proprietary colleges that target low income African American communities and women with high-cost and poorly accredited degrees.

It Takes A Village - Working Across Justice Communities to Achieve a Common Goal

Ebony Gayles, Poverty & Race research Action Council, Washington, DC.
Brendan Saunders, Open Communities, Chicago, IL.

Consisting of a private attorney, non-profit attorney, law student, and community organizer, this presentation would focus on how the Mississippi Center for Justice marshaled litigation, legislation, and community forums to address proprietary colleges that target low income African American communities and women with high-cost and poorly accredited degrees.

Justice - There's an App for That

David Bonebrake, LSC, Washington, DC.
Matthew Burnett, Immigration Advocates Network, New York, NY.
Brian Rowe, Northwest Justice Project, Seattle, WA.

Learn how to use and create innovative, consumer-driven technology and accessibly-designed programming to further your goals and meet the needs of your clientele. Through this presentation, you’ll learn how cutting-edge service delivery tools can easily be tailored to suit the needs of any legal organization working with diverse populations.

Justice in Any Language: Limited English proficiency, Community Engagement, Legal Services, Pro Bono, and the Courts

Calleen J. Ching, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI.
Chuck Greenfield, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Washington, DC.
Gregory J. Linhares, Missouri Courts, Jefferson City, MO.
Moriah Nelson, Volunteer Lawyers Project, Boston, MA.
Christine Stoneman, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

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This session will focus on how persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) can gain access to the civil justice system and what improvements can be made to increase access. We will discuss an access continuum, including active community outreach and engagement with LEP persons by a legal aid program, how a pro bono attorney can effectively assist LEP persons and responses by the judiciary. We will also have a short background on Title VI legal requirements and the new ABA Standards for Language Access in Courts.

Katrina to Sandy: Where Are We Now?

Anthony H. Barash, Attorney; former Director, ABA Center for Pro Bono, Chicago, IL.
John Eidleman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.
David H.K. Nguyen, ABA Young Lawyers Division, Indianapolis, IN.
Susanne Sere, Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston, TX.
Ranie T. Thompson, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, New Orleans, LA.

Document Available: Outline

Since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf in 2005 there has been greater engagement of pro bono lawyers in disaster work. This session will examine how lawyers currently engage in disaster legal services in light of Hurricane Sandy including the areas of recovery and mitigation.

Law School and Access to Justice Commission Partnerships: Separate Goals, Separate Roles – Unified Positive Results

Tina Fernandez, University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX.
Trish McAllister, Texas Access to Justice Commission, Austin, TX.
Pamela D. Robinson, USC School of Law, Columbia, SC.
Robin Wheeler, SC Access to Justice Commission, Columbia, SC.

Law School pro bono programs and Access to Justice Commission have different points of view and bring unique challenges, benefits and skills to the table but, through effective collaboration, can bring a much needed burst of energy to pro bono delivery while helping secure a steady stream of volunteers committed to increased access for all. Panelists will discuss best practices for establishing an A2J/Law School partnership, ethical concerns and ideas for future innovations.

Learn About the ABA Standards For Programs Providing Civil Pro Bono Legal Services To Persons of Limited Means

Tiela Chalmers, Tiela Chalmers Consulting, San Francisco, CA.
Sharon Goldsmith, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
Cheryl Zalenski, ABA Center for Pro Bono, Chicago, IL.

This session will review the Standards for Programs Providing Civil Pro Bono Legal Services to Persons of Limited Means, the proposed revisions to the Standards, and how program staff and board members can use them in their management of their projects.

LSC’s Summit on the Use of Technology to Expand Access to Justice

Bonnie Hough, Center for Families, Children and the Courts, San Francisco, CA.
Bill Jones, ABA Center for Pro Bono, Chicago, IL.
Alison Paul, Montana Legal Services Assoc., Helena, MT.
Glenn Rawdon, LSC, Washington, DC.
Richard Zorza, Zorza Associates, Mitchelleville, MD.

Document Available: Outline

LSC recently concluded its Summit on the Use of Technology to Expand Access to Justice. The Summit brought together selected technology experts, academics, private practitioners, and representatives of legal services programs, courts, and governmental and business entities to develop a technology vision for the future and to develop strategies that will promote the development and widespread deployment of the identified components of the technology vision. Join a discussion as the vision and strategies are introduced to the legal services community for the first time.

Measuring Outcomes as Best Practice to Secure and Maintain Funding

Bonnie Hough, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, San Francisco, CA.
Lynn Jennings, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC, DC.
Lydia Watts, NLADA, Washington, DC, DC.

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For the past decade or more, funders and other stakeholders have increasingly asked for more complex information about the impact of their donations and how the money is being used in the most effective and efficient ways. Additionally, funding has continued to become more and more scarce, and competition for those limited dollars has increased exponentially. Legal aid programs now must be able to demonstrate their impact in much more sophisticated ways. Come hear about some best practices you can implement to measure and report on your outcomes – thereby securing and maintaining more funding!

Medical-Legal Partnership: Getting the Healthcare Investment You Need and Deserve

Diane Goffinet, JD, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc., Carbondale, IL.
Gregg Lombardi, JD, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Kansas City, MO.
Samantha Morton, MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP | Boston, Boston, MA.
Kelly Scott, JD, LLM, ABA, MLP Project, Chicago, IL.
James Teufel, Phd, MPH, OASIS Institute, Saint Louis, MO.

This session brings together medical-legal partnership experts to discuss how to work together towards an investment from healthcare partners in MLP. The speakers will provide an in depth explanation on MLP return on investment as well as discuss the investment from both the data and leadership perspective. Attendees are encouraged to actively participation in the workshop.

Meeting in the Middle: Tapping Pro Bono Partnerships with Law Firms to Reach Rural and Low-Resource Communities

David Lash, O’Melveny, Los Angeles, CA.
Ginny Martin, NH Pro Bono Referral Program, Concord, NH.
Jennifer van Dulmen, Community Legal Aid, Akron, OH.
Al Wallis, Brown Rudnick, Boston, MA.

How can legal services providers and pro bono programs access the resources of law firms to serve under-resourced areas? This session will explore perceived barriers to fostering law firm/legal provider partnerships and identify ways to break through them, create effective partnerships and, in doing so, provide much needed services to low-resource and rural areas. Participants will identify strategies to develop partnerships and better connect resources to needs through collaboration, culture shift, use of technology and more.

MIE Roundtable for Legal Services Executive Directors and Managers

Jan May, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington, DC.
Patricia Pap, Management INformation Exchange, Boston, MA.
Toby Rothschild, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

This forum provides legal services executive directors and managers with an opportunity to share management concerns and receive peer support and assistance in an informal and confidential setting. The roundtable will be facilitated by members of the Management Information Exchange Board of Directors.

Milwaukee Justice Center: "Stone Soup" Approach to Pro Bono Program Development

John Barrett, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
Dawn Caldart, Milwaukee Justice Center, Milwaukee, WI.
Julie Darnieder, Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic, Milwaukee, WI.
Mike Gonring, Quarles & Brady, Milwaukee, WI.

The Milwaukee Justice Center (MJC) is a partnership of Circuit Courts, Marquette Law School, bar association and law firms. A small staff aided by volunteer attorneys and law students provides a spectrum of legal services, including a user-friendly website, self-help assistance with forms and brief advice. 11,000 clients are served annually. The presentation will include the history and development of the MJC using a public/private partnership model. The pot of stone soup is a wonderful metaphor for the untapped resources of the community wealth that can be organization for the common good.

Mindful Moments | Friday

David Lamarre-Vincent, Mindful Solutions By Design, Concord, NH.

Mindful Moments | Thursday

David Lamarre-Vincent, Mindful Solutions By Design, Concord, NH.

Document Available: Outline

Models for Building and Utilizing Increased Capacity in the Pro Bono Delivery System

Michael Bergmann, Public Interest Law inititative, Chicago, IL.
Patricia Nelson, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Chicago, IL.
Aleed Rivera, Tarrant County Bar Association, Fort Worth, TX.
Samantha Sanchez, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN.

Document Available: Outline

How can we increase capacity in the pro bono delivery system. Equally important, how can we effectively utilize that capacity, once created? Panelists will share models from their personal experiences and discuss elements that have contributed to the success of those models. The discussion will also explore how to develop and implement these initiatives so that they can be replicated locally. Bring your questions and your plans to share with the panel and attendees!

Navigating the Immigration Maze: Working with Private & Nonprofit Advocates to Increase Access to Justice

Suzanne Brown, Law Offices of Suzanne Brown, P.C., St. Louis, MO.
Rebecca Feldmann, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc., St. Louis, MO.
Kim Allen Murray, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc., St. Louis, MO.
Kenneth K. Schmitt, US Legal Solutions, LLC, St. Louis, MO.

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Given the increasing numbers of new Americans and the complex nature of immigration law, there is a high need for lawyers who specialize in immigration law to meet the growing legal needs of low income immigrants and refugees. This workshop session will involve an interactive discussion to identify hurdles most often faced by immigrant clients, including lengthy agency delays in adjudication of cases and lack of access to affordable legal assistance. The session will also address important public/private partnerships key to addressing these hurdles.

News you can Use: Legal Aid as Federal Grantees, Subgrantees and Partners in Federal Government Anti-poverty Initiatives

Silvia R. Argueta, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
Melanca D. Clark, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
Karen A. Lash, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
C. Kenneth Perri, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Geneva, NY.
Don Saunders, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Washington, DC.

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The session will provide updates on U.S. Department of Justice Access to Justice Initiative and Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable efforts to identify opportunities for federal agencies to better integrate civil legal aid into federal safety-net grant programs and other federal initiatives that could be strengthened by incorporating legal services. Presenters will provide information about federal grant programs that expressly allow for legal aid and tips for accessing these funds, as well as an overview of policy and other initiatives that are of interest to the legal aid community.

Nothing to Fear: How Law Student Pro Bono Can Help You Expand Your Mission Without Making You Crazy

Trish Keady, UC Berkeley School of Law, Berkeley, CA.
Sue Schechter, UC Berkeley School of Law, Berkeley, CA.
M. Teresa Schmiedeler, University of Maryland Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD.
Ann Zimmerman, University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, WI.

Document Available: Outline

Join law school pro bono coordinators for a candid discussion of law school/legal services partnerships--our common purpose, the common difficulties we face and how pro bono law students can help. We’ll show you effective models for working with pro bono law students and discuss the ethical considerations at stake. We’ll also discuss how mentoring law students can strengthen your organization, expand your reach, and open up new opportunities for fundraising and support.

Pro Bono Partnerships to Expand Training and Professional Development Opportunities

Bonnie Allen, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Joan Fairbanks, Washington State Access to Justice Board, Seattle, WA.
Kelly Tautges, Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL.

Law firms and law schools have tremendous educational resources to offer to legal aid and pro bono organizations. This panel will highlight innovative examples of partnerships that include bar associations, law firms and law schools that are expanding professional development and training opportunities. Through these partnerships, program leaders and advocates have the opportunity to sharpen their leadership, management and advocacy skills. These partnerships also can lead to other forms of support, including pro bono work and funding.

Pro Bono Strategies for Access for the Self-Represented

Kathleen Alteneder, Alteneder Law, Fairbanks, AK.
Martha Delaney, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Minneapolis, MN.
Hon. Fern Fisher, New York Courts, New York, NY.
Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, Richland, WA.

This session will explore a variety of pro bono collaborations with self-help programs, including discussions of the advantages for pro bono attorneys of this approach.

Public Interest Impact Litigation: Improving Law Firm and Public Interest Partnerships

Nancy Anderson, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Washington, DC, DC.
Marnie Berk, New York Lawyers' for the Public Interest, New York, NY.
Marlene Halpern, The Legal Aid Society, New York, NY.
Jennifer Kroman, Akin Gump - Cleary Gottlieb, Washington, DC, DC.
Steven Schulman, Akin Gump - Cleary Gottlieb, Washington, DC, DC.

While law firms and public interest organizations often work in tandem on impact/class litigation, conflicts can arise as to strategy, potential political outcomes, and public information. In the current economic climate these partnerships create unique challenges: defining the law firm's role; handling litigation costs; and addressing staff resources and law firm expectations. This session will explore the law firm/public interest tension and ways to improve this important partnership that expands access to justice.

Public Legal Information: All Access, All the Time

John Simpson, Legal Services Society, British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Angela Tripp, Michigan Poverty Law Program Project, Ann Arbor, MI.

Document Available: Outline

Legal aid clients often face challenges in accessing legal information needed to help them resolve their legal issues. LSS asked consultants from different areas of expertise to assess the barriers to using public legal education and information resources. The research included site visits, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, observation and “listening labs”. This session will cover the research, recommendations and implementation steps towards expanding access.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness & Beyond: The Changing Landscape of Educational Debt Relief

Heather Jarvis, AskHeatherJarvis.com, Wilmington, NC.
Radhika Singh Miller, Equal Justice Works, Washington, DC.
Jen Mishory, Young Invincibles, Washington, DC.

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Panelists will discuss the details of qualifying for powerful programs including Public Service Loan Forgiveness and President Obama’s new Pay As You Earn Plan that are available to help attorneys in public service positions struggling to manage their student debt. Attendees will gain insights into legislative and regulatory proposals on this important topic, as well as learn about new ways organizations are mobilizing to address student debt. Come prepared to learn, listen and ask questions of the experts.

Race and Culture in the Delivery of Legal Services

Lillian Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY.
Camille Holmes Wood, NLADA, Washington, DC.

How can legal aid and pro bono programs offer basic training in why race and culture matter in serving the low income community? Create an awareness of unconscious bias and an orientation toward equity in your legal aid or pro bono program. Explore how an equity focus informs our cultural competence in all client services.

Recruiting Law Student Interns and Externs to Increase Productivity

Kari Deming, Lakeshore Legal Aid, Clinton Township, MI.
David Godfrey, ABA Commission on Law and Aging, Washington, DC.
Keith Morris, Elder Law of Michigan, Lansing, MI.

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Legal aid providers are chronically understaffed and law students and recent graduates are desperate for quality meaningful experience. But not every student is a good fit. This session will review tips for recruiting and supervising students who are a good fit and creating a meaningful experience for the volunteers.

Representing Minors in Immigration Matters

Karen T. Grisez, Fried Frank, Washington, DC.
Robert Sagastume, Kansas/Missouri DREAM Alliance, Kansas City, MO.
Angela L. Williams, The Law Offices of Angela L. Williams, LLC, Kansas City, MO.

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With immigration and trafficking at the forefront of today’s issues, how can your program or firm assist immigrant children? Panelists, including an applicant for deferred action for childhood arrivals, will discuss the critical need and forms of relief available. Explore how volunteer attorneys can assist clients in obtaining T visas (trafficking), U visas (crime victims, including trafficking victims), SIJS visas (special immigrant juvenile status) & DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals).

Research and Strategies on the Relationship of Right to Counsel and Self-Represented Access Innovations

Bonnie Hough, California AOC, San Francisco, CA.
Richard Zorza, Self-Represented Litigation Network, Washington, DC.

As right to counsel pilots move forward, an as they engage issues of triage, the relationship between right to counsel, and self-represented innovations moves to the fore, with research a critical component.

Roundtable on Serving Veterans Legal Needs Through Pro Bono

Steve Binder, San Diego County Office of the Primary Public Defender, San Diego, CA.
Cheryl Zalenski, ABA Center for Pro Bono, Chicago, IL.

This roundtable discussion will focus on identifying the existing resources for serving veterans’ legal needs through pro bono and brainstorming ways to better connect veterans and potential volunteers with providers, identifying gaps in service and developing projects to address those gaps, and better coordinating the available information and advocates.

Roundtable on Transactional Pro Bono Program - Administration and Operations

Kathleen Hopkins, Real Property Law Group, PLLC, Seattle, WA.
William J. Woodward, Jr., Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, CA.

Transactional pro bono program managers and staff will be invited to share their best practices, successes and challenges, while other pro bono managers will be invited to share their experiences in creating signature projects and programs ranging from local to nationwide.

Self-Help Centers in Courts - What's Going On?

Emily Chambers, Baton Rouge Bar Association, Baton Rouge, LA.
April Faith-Slaker, ABA, Chicago, IL.
Michael Schachtman, Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans, LA.
Judge Lisa Woodruff-White, East Baton Rouge Parish Family Court, Baton Rouge, LA.

The first self-help center emerged 20 years ago. Since then, they have spread throughout the states and operate in a wide variety of shapes and forms. This workshop begins with insights from the recent ABA Self-Help Center Census, with a focus on the economics of a center in a climate where court budgets are seeing substantial reductions. The workshop then looks at the development of self-help centers where limited resources rule the day. With a focus on the work done in Louisiana, the program highlights how to maximize existing resources, identify potential partners, and define what role each stakeholder can play, concluding with tips for ensuring sustainability and improvement.

Self-Represented Access Project Funding ideas: IV-D, Justice Corps, and Beyond

Danielle Hirsch, Illinois Access to Justice Commission, Chicago, IL.
Richard Zorza, Self-Represented Litigation Network, Bowie, MD.

Self-help services are now being funded from an increasing variety of sources. This session will explore some of the more promising possibilities, including use of Section IV-D child support money, and AmeriCorps.

Social Return on Investment: Communicating the Real Value of Legal Services

John Byrnes, Community Services Analysis LLC, Tucson, AZ.
Lillian Johnson, Community Legal Services, Phoenix, AZ.
Jo-Ann Wallace, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Washington, DC.

Valuing and communicating the value of legal services work is critical to expanding and maintaining support for civil legal aid. Join us to discuss new highly effective tools and strategies for demonstrating the social return on investment for every dollar spent by your legal aid program.

Sprinkling Tax Throughout Your Legal Aid Practice

Whitney Barkley, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Peggy Guinn, Local Taxpayer Advocate, St. Louis, MO.
Kinberly Haas, Wisconsin Judicare, Wausau, WI.
Beth Ann Richlen, Local Taxpayer Advocate, St. Louis, MO.

Many times, the benefits of filing a properly prepared tax return are overlooked. Low-income populations miss out on the tax programs designed specifically to assist them in breaking the poverty barrier or are targeted for collections but lack the tools to overcome such actions. This session will discuss how to identify tax issues in a traditional legal aid practice, provide resources for resolving tax disputes and coordinate tax services with pro bono attorneys, community agencies and local post-secondary schools. Panelists will also explore potential funding options for tax law projects.

Sprinkling Tax Throughout Your Legal Aid Practice

Whitney Barkley, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS.
Kinberly Haas, Wisconsin Judicare, Wausau, WI.

Many times, the benefits of filing a properly prepared tax return are overlooked. Low-income populations miss out on the tax programs designed specifically to assist them in breaking the poverty barrier or are targeted for collections but lack the tools to overcome such actions. This session will discuss how to identify tax issues in a traditional legal aid practice, provide resources for resolving tax disputes and coordinate tax services with pro bono attorneys, community agencies and local post-secondary schools. Panelists will also explore potential funding options for tax law projects.

State Funding Roundtable – What Are We Learning in 2013?

Meredith McBurney, ABA Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives, DENVER, CO.

This annual roundtable is an opportunity for those working on state legislative campaigns for CIVIL legal services to share information and network with their colleagues in other states. Bring your best stories, both good and bad, about your 2013 legislative session. We will talk about strategies, messages, and funding sources, and share materials.

Strangers No More: Toward the Effective Representation of Low-Income LGBT Clients

Cathy Sakimura, National Center for Lesbian Rights, San Francisco, CA.
Cole Thaler, Georgia Legal Services Program, Atlanta, GA.
Daniel Torres, California Rural Legal Assistance, Sacramento, CA.

Legal aid organizations, nonprofits, and other advocates increasingly seek to improve services for low-income LGBT clients. Attendees will learn how to develop initiatives to serve this diverse population, including in the rural South, and will strategize about methods to develop cultural competency and substantive legal expertise on matters that affect LGBT communities.

Technology Innovations for Pro Bono Volunteers: Case Management Systems, Widgets and More

Alex Gulotta, Legal Aid Justice Center, Charlottesville, VA.
Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA.
Mike Monahan, State Bar of Georgia Pro Bono Project, Atlanta, GA.
Jane Ribadeneyra, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC.

Want to make better use of technology to engage and recruit volunteer attorneys? Come to this session to learn about recent technology innovations to help volunteer attorneys find and manage their pro bono opportunities, including an online portal integrated with a case management system, an online case notification and placement system, and embedded widgets for your partners to promote trainings and cases on their websites.

The Care & Feeding of Volunteers

Meg Benson, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Chicago, IL.
Michael Bergmann, Public Interest Law Initiative, Chicago, IL.
Amanda Colvin, Bryan Cave, St. Louis, MO.
Jason Dodson, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO.
Virginia Martin, NH Pro Bono Referral Program, Concord, NH.

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Your recruitment program is a success and you’ve corralled a full complement of eager volunteers. Now what? How do you engage, train and keep them interested in your pro bono program for the long term? We’ll discuss various ways you should feed and care for volunteers, from the initial orientation & trainings through ongoing support and encouragement to recognition and rewards. We will also delve into some of the more challenging volunteer types - the tender-hearted newbie who calls you for help every day; the crusty, experienced curmudgeon who doesn’t, and other not-so-rare varieties in between. And just as your volunteers need to be enticed, engaged, supported and acknowledged so do audience members, so this will not be your usual talking heads program - prepare to actively participate in the discussion and be rewarded for your involvement!

The Case for Strategic Planning & Implementation - It's Key to Organizational Success!

Denise McNerney, iBossWell, Inc., Kansas City, MO.

Document Available: Outline

If one of your goals is to complete or update your strategic plan, and you're looking for data to support devoting resources to the process, join this conversation. Hear the findings from the 2012 national survey on non-profit strategic planning practices conducted by the Association for Strategic Planning, the first large-scale survey to ask NPOs directly about strategic planning practices, what works, what doesn't and why. Among the findings: successful organizations identify strategic planning as crucial to their operations. Also to be discussed are the planning practices that non-profits both large and small have found to be most beneficial to their efforts. Participants will leave with ideas for the rationale for plan development and ongoing plan implementation efforts, as well as specific tips for practices to incorporate into the planning to maximize the benefits.

The Impact of the Affordable Care Act

Joel Ferber, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO.
Jane Perkins, National Health Law Project, Carrboro, NC.
Don Saunders, NLADA, Washington, DC.

The Affordable Care Act promises significant changes in our country’s health care system. A number of these changes will have a direct impact on access to health care for people living in poverty. A panel of experts experienced in the implications of health care reform on low-income people will discuss the major portions of the new law and provide an update to participants on how the ACA is being implemented across the nation.

The Mindful Pro Bono / Legal Services Lawyer: How Meditation & Mindful Practices Aid Your Work in Hard Times

David Lamarre-Vincent, Mindful Solutions By Design, Concord, NH.

Interested in learning how to cultivate focus, calm and clarity in your life? Would you like to decrease job stress and improve your ability to accept and work with difficult clients and stressful demands? Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a practical, hands-on approach to mindfulness meditation which began 30 years ago at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness with well-known author Jon Kabat-Zinn, and was featured in the Bill Moyers PBS series "Healing and the Mind". We will look at the basic principles of MBSR, spend some time practicing mindfulness, explore the applications of mindfulness in our legal work, and discuss the difficulties and benefits of mindfulness practice in the busy lives of legal professionals. This session will include time for conversation in small groups so that participants will have the opportunity to connect on an individual level.

The New and Improved VAWA: Everything You Need To Know

Rebecca Henry, ABA Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence, Washington, DC.

On March 7, 2013, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization into law, after nearly two years of Congressional debate. Apart from the headline issues (immigration, LGBT access, and Tribal jurisdiction), VAWA 2013 contains many significant changes for civil attorneys, including new funding streams, new permissible purpose areas, and new accountability requirements. Come hear what this reauthorization means for you, your programs, and your clients.

The Training is There, All You Have to do is Ask

Joni Franklin, Kansas Bar Foundation, Wichita, KS.
Kathy N. Grunewald, Esq, Florida Legal Services, Inc., Tallahassee, FL.
C. William Ossmann, Kansas Third Judicial District, Topeka, KS.

Training is costly, both in dollars and time. What if your office didn’t have to pay for it? This session will explain how your office can reach out to organizations in search of grant money to fund a NITA training program. The panelists represent all the constituents necessary to go through this process.

Transformative Ideas: Non-Lawyer Practice and Court Simplification

Hon. Fern Fisher, New York Courts, New York, NY.
David Udell, National Center for Access to Justice, New York, NY.
Richard Zorza, Self-Represented Litigation Network, Bowie, MD.

The idea of licensed non-lawyer practice is being very seriously explored in several states. A similarly transformative idea is the very beginnings of a movement to simplify court proceedings. This session will explore these two different approaches to solving the access problem.

Trauma-Informed Advocacy for Children and Youth

Jessica Feierman, Juvenile Law Center, Philadelphia, PA
Eva Klain, ABA Center on Children and the Law, Washington, DC.

Document Available: Outline

Attorneys and other advocates in child dependency, status offense, and delinquency systems should identify their clients' polyvictimization and past trauma experiences to guide advocacy efforts. This session, based on trauma-informed and evidence-based practice, will help them ask the right questions and provide guidance on how to take appropriate actions in response.

Triage Wheel of Fortune: How do we buy a vowel when we can’t meet the demand?

Tiela Chalmers, Tiela Chalmers Consulting, San Francisco, CA.
Laura Chiera, Homeless Advocacy Project, San Francisco, CA.
Martha Delaney, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Minneapolis, MN.
Kari Deming, Elder Law of Michigan/Lakeshore Legal Aid, Lansing, MI.
Lynn Kelly, City Bar Justice Center, New York, NY.

Virtually all of us triage cases somehow, deciding which cases to take and which to decline, and what level of service to provide. In this interactive workshop, we will work together to examine our assumptions about this process. What paradigms are we using to make those decisions? Which ones make sense for our programs? How do we, or can we, apply the paradigms when faced with particular cases? What are our biases – spoken or not – about which cases we should take? Come join in a spirited discussion.

Using the ADA and Olmstead to Preserve and Enhance Community-Based services and Increase Revenue for Legal Services Programs

Larry Croce, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee, Oak Ridge, TN.
Joel Ferber, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO.
Steven Gold, Steven Gold, Esq, Philadelphia, PA.

This panel focuses on how legal services lawyers can use the ADA to improve services for their clients. States are cutting crucial services for people with disabilities and spend money on expensive institutionalized care that can be more efficiently spent in community settings. Legal aid lawyers can use the ADA and Olmstead to fight Medicaid cuts, improve services and help clients remain in or transition to the community. Legal aid lawyers can collaborate with the Department of Justice, private attorneys and national support centers to enforce Olmstead, while generating revenue for Legal Services programs through attorneys’ fees.

Veterans Treatment Courts: How Civil Justice Practitioners Can Powerfully Advance the Right to Counsel and Clients’ Rights

Steve Binder, San Diego County Office of the Primary Public Defender, San Diego, CA.
Cait Clarke, Esq., NLADA, Washington, DC, DC.
W. Edward Neusteter, Esq., San Diego County Office of the Primary Public Defender, San Diego, CA.

Veterans treatment courts are exploding all over the country – now over 100. Panelists will discuss the history and development of specialized criminal court reformist models and holistic advocacy in these venues. Panelists will engage the audience about: the nexus between war fighting and criminal charges; the short and long-term social consequences of criminal punishment theories including rehabilitation and retribution; how law school clinic-legal aid collaboration can aid client and family rehabilitation; and practical advice on starting a veterans treatment court in your jurisdiction.

Walk a Month in my Shoes - Poverty Simulation

Tiela Chalmers, Tiela Chalmers Consulting, San Francisco, CA.

In this interactive workshop, participants experience first-hand the challenges faced by those living in low-income communities. Over 4 15-minute "weeks," participants must get to work, pay their bills, feed their families, and respond to unexpected challenges. Afterwards, participants discuss the impact of what they learned on their legal services work.

Why Do Some Legal Services Programs Resist Pro Bono Relationships? And How Focusing on Strategic Advocacy Could Help

Cait Clarke, NLADA, Washington, DC, DC.
Lydia Watts, NLADA, Washington, DC, DC.
Camille Holmes Wood, NLADA, Washington, DC, DC.

We hear from many sectors that using pro bono attorneys is one way to meet the demand for legal services. However, NLADA often hears from the pro bono sectors that programs do not know how to effectively employ this resource; and we hear from programs that engaging with pro bono attorneys if often more work than it is worth. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – what could make it work? Maybe using pro bono resources to enhance the capacity of legal services programs to conduct high quality “broad-based advocacy” is an answer that could satisfy everyone AND serve to reduce the justice gap!

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Workshops

EJC 2013 Workshops