ACCESS TO JUSTICE NEWS

5.1.13 – "The turnout for the state’s first Lawyers in Libraries program at the Bangor Public Library on Wednesday demonstrates the need for legal services in the community, said Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Andrew Mead…. The program is the culmination of years of work by the Maine Justice Action Group, which includes judges, lawyers, librarians, social service providers and representatives from advocacy groups. JAG’s goal is to improve access to justice in Maine. Wednesday’s program was organized by the Collaboration on Innovation, Technology and Equal Access to Justice, an offshoot of JAG. Mead said that the goal of the program is to have local lawyers in libraries at least once a month around the state. Over the past six months, libraries have held sessions using the statewide teleconferencing system based at the Maine State Library in Augusta." (Story from the Bangor Daily News.)

5.1.13 – "Judge David Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit made an impassioned plea yesterday for law firms to take more responsibility for the welfare of civil legal services groups…. Tatel spoke at an event honoring 36 law firms that contributed $3.6 million last year to local civil legal services through the D.C. Access to Justice Commission's second annual Raising the Bar in D.C. Campaign. Firms were honored based on the percentage of annual D.C. office revenues donated to legal services; the number of participating firms in 2012 was up from the 23 that participated in 2011…. If the 12 Washington-based firms featured as top earners in this year's Am Law 100 contributed one-quarter of a percent of their annual revenue – they earned $7.5 billion last year – Tatel said it would double the capacity of local legal services organizations." (Story from the Blog of the Legal Times.)

4.29.13 - video of various speeches and panel discussions at the April 16 White House/LSC Forum on Increasing Access to Justice is now available.

Connecticut Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers participated in the forum. And home-state paper The Day looked at several initiatives underway to promote ATJ in the Nutmeg State. They include corporate sponsorship of a new legal fellowship program, and exploring a loosening of scope-of-representation rules.

4.26.13 - the Chicago Tribune highlights, before the fact, a Law Day "Listening Conference" hosted by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice. In addition to Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, several other officials from the judiciary, legal aid community, and the private bar participated in the conference, the purpose of which was "to hear from people engaged in the judicial system about problems confronting the poor and vulnerable in our communities and to hear about possible solutions."

3.18.13 - the Louisiana Supreme Court amended Canon 3(a)(4) of the Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct to provide guidance to judges in their engagement with self–represented litigants. Here is the revised canon along with relevant commentary language.

4.15.13 – "Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson has asked lawmakers to delay taking action on House Bill 2878, which targets the controversial pro se divorce forms promulgated by the high court. But supporters said that the bill would address issues with the forms…. The chief justice told committee members he had 'trepidation about the bill' because it requires a court to reject a form if a litigant fills it out incorrectly…. Trish McAllister, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, said that she thinks the bill would remove a judge's discretion to instruct pro se litigants to correct their forms immediately, and the bill could affect judicial efficiency. " (Full story from The Texas Lawyer, but it is password–protected.)

4.11.13 – A bill advancing in the Connecticut legislature is designed to help Spanish speakers avoid confusion over who is qualified to perform legal services. State authorities have received complaints about notaries…advertising themselves in Spanish as "notario publicos," which can be understood to refer to people authorized to perform services reserved in the United States only for…attorneys. The legislation that cleared the House…would prohibit notaries public from using that title in Spanish unless they are [attorneys] or indicate they are not state–licensed. It goes next to the state Senate." (Full AP story from WTNH.)

4.9.13 – in Maryland, a bill to create a statewide task force to explore civil right–to–counsel issues was signed into law. From a legislative summary: "This bill establishes the Task Force to Study Implementing a Civil Right to Counsel in Maryland. The Maryland Access to Justice Commission must provide staff support for the task force. The task force must report its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, the Presiding Officers, and specified committees of the General Assembly by October 1, 2014."

4.5.13 – an ATJ Commission appointment in California: "Attorney General Kamala D. Harris this week appointed Venus D. Johnson to a three–year term on the State Bar's California Commission on Access to Justice. Johnson, 33, a deputy district attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office." (Full announcement from The Post Newspaper Group.)

3.18.13 - the Louisiana Supreme Court amended Canon 3(a)(4) of the Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct to provide guidance to judges in their engagement with self–represented litigants. Here is the revised canon along with relevant commentary language.

4.1.13 — from Maine, the Justice Action Group's April newsletter includes info on their annual Access to Justice Day, which took place in March, and the "Lawyers in Libraries" program, which will roll out in May and utilize volunteer lawyers to deliver presentations to community members in local libraries.

3.22.13 — from the Blog of the Legal Times: In the year since the [ABA] adopted new guidelines for language access in the courts, proponents said today that although there's been progress, court systems nationwide can do much more to ensure all litigants understand what's happening when they step inside a courthouse. Leading a panel on language access at the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts' annual conference, District of Columbia Court of Appeals Senior Judge Vanessa Ruiz said that the cost of services is always the 'big elephant in the room.' But Ruiz and other panelists urged court administrators to not only consider the cost of expanding services, but also the costs of not doing so — staff resources needed to handle case delays or appeals, for instance."

3.19.13 — who knows if we'll reach it, but immigration reform is now discernible on the federal legislative horizon. Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Robert Katzman has a proposal about how to provide legal assistance to those many individuals who would be navigating a changed system. From the New York Times City Room blog: "[Katzman] wants to create what he describes as an immigrant justice corps that will recruit and train young lawyers, and then will send them around the country to work at community organizations eager for legal help. The program would echo existing public service programs like AmeriCorps VISTA and the Peace Corps, he said. Judge Katzman said he would welcome government financing, though he acknowledged that it was far more likely that the project would begin with private money.

3.21.13 - the previous edition of ATJ Headlines mentioned that our Access to Justice Commission Expansion Project awarded five grants to promote ATJC development in AZ, OH, OK, PA, and RI. In Rhode Island, the Providence Journal picked up on the news: "The American Bar Association awarded the Rhode Island Judiciary an $18,000 grant toward creating a commission to improve legal access for the poor and disadvantaged."

3.15.13 — the ABA Access to Justice Commission Expansion Project is pleased to announce a new round of grant awards to promote the development of ATJ Commissions in Arizona, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Read our announcement for details. Also, a reminder that the deadline for grant 2013 Innovation Grants is approaching. These grants enable existing Access to Justice Commissions to develop and test innovative new projects and expand the scope of their activities. Here are the particulars:

• Application date: May 1, 2013. Grants will be made on or around June 1, 2013.
• Innovation Grant application process Eligibility, examples, decision-making process and additional information.
• Innovation Grant template Use this template to submit your application.

From a 3.18.13 press release: "The Maryland Access to Justice Commission wants attorneys to take a novel approach to help poor and low-income Marylanders who need civil legal services. The commission is asking litigators to consider directing undistributed class action lawsuit funds to legal services organizations that serve low-income individuals. The proposal is outlined in a new publication, 'Class Action Residual Funds — Enhancing Access to Justice: A Toolkit for Maryland Attorneys'."

March 7 was Access to Justice Day in Maine. With sponsorship by the Justice Action Group (which serves as Maine's access to justice body), ATJ enthusiasts were encouraged to visit with state legislators. Both the Honorable Jon D. Levy, chair of the Justice Action Group, and the Honorable John H. Rich, the group's vice-chair, delivered remarks to the state's Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary.

The Mississippi Law Journal's 2013 Symposium edition is entitled, "Poverty and Access to Justice", and the edition's 10 articles deal with those topics.

From a 2.21.13 New Hampshire Public Radio story: "A new report titled 'The Justice Gap' finds that low income New Hampshire residents lack access to even basic legal services. The report estimates that more than 60% of civil cases in the state involve people representing themselves. And they do so because they don't have access to lawyers and paralegals."

Texas Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson's "State of the Judiciary" speech included discussion of ATJ shortcomings. Richard Zorza offers a summary on his blog.

Communications and Public Awareness

Supreme Court justices from Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas speak on importance of civil legal aid at LSC forum at Louisiana Supreme Court. (1/22/13)

Maine Supreme Court Justice Jon Levy highlights lack of legal civil representation in PBS interview. (12/12/12)

Illinois Supreme Court convenes first Access to Justice Conference. (10/19/12)

Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission launches regional public hearings. (7/16/01)

Arkansas "Representing Hope" conference brings together multi-sector group to develop solutions to poverty; features keynotes speeches by U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens (ret.), Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jess Dickinson. (5/30/12)

Hawaii 2012 Access to Justice Conference focuses on "Justice in Jeopardy: Expanding Access to Justice in Challenging Economic Times." (6/12/12)

"Legal Aid in Illinois: Selected Social and Economic Benefits," report from Social Impact Research Center. (5/30/12)

President Obama, bipartisan group of national leaders support LSC at White House forum on civil legal aid. (4/17/12)

California Access to Justice Commission, State Bar, and the Chamber of Commerce provide legislature with summary of findings from public hearings on civil justice crisis in courts and legal aid.

Maine Justice Action Group creates Task Force on Outreach to the Private Sector. (2/9/12)

Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, Justice Foundation, School of Law co-sponsor series of community briefings in cooperation with Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, state legislators. (3/1/12)

Chief Justices address “Accessing Justice, Rationing Law” at Yale Colloquium. (3/1/12)

California hearings on justice crisis highlight impact of chronic underfunding and budget cuts on courts and legal aid. (12/15/11)

Chief Judge’s Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services in New York issues 2011 report documenting unmet civil legal needs, economic benefit of legal aid. (12/1/11)

West Virginia Access to Justice Commission public forums identify barriers to the civil justice system and unmet legal needs. (11/15/11)

Montana Supreme Court receives Native American legal needs survey. (12/1/11)

Maine 2012 Access to Justice Symposium examines "Changing Maine: Serving the Legal Needs of Maine’s Growing Aging and Immigrant Population." (1/25/12)

Materials

White House honors “Champions of Change: Leaders in Closing the Justice Gap” to inspire law students. (10/13/11)

Honorees blog about their activities.
Law schools blog about public services commitment.

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman completes 2011 hearings on unmet civil legal needs. (11/6/11)

Lippman leads symposium on Access to Justice at NYU Law. (10/24/11)

Colorado Law’s Byron R. White Center sponsors conference on “Toward the Constitutional Right of Access to Justice: Implications and Implementation.” (11/4/11)

Lash Keynote speech by Karen Lash, U. S. Department of Justice Access to Justice Initiative.

New York Times editorial calls on government, legal profession, law schools to address “justice gap.”  (8/24/11)

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to preside at hearings in each of state’s four appellate divisions on the need for civil legal assistance. (9/15/11)

Study by University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research charts legal needs of low-income residents. (8/1/11)

Maryland Access to Justice Commission publishes media kit, with legal aid overview and statistics. (7/5/11)

Hawaii Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald reviews progress toward meeting civil legal needs in remarks at state’s third annual Access to Justice Conference.

Conference agenda. (6/24/11)

New Maryland Access to Justice Commission Awards honor governor, legislators, judge, law librarian, programs. (5/13/11)

Florida Bar Foundation releases report demonstrating economic benefit of civil legal aid. (2/15/11)

Louisiana State Bar Association releases report demonstrating economic benefit of civil legal aid. (2/15/11)

Seattle Journal for Social Justice publishes papers on Civil Right to Counsel, Impact of Counsel and Economic Benefit. (2/20/11)

New Jersey Report demonstrates ongoing "justice gap." (4/3/11)

Legal Aid Funding

5.1.13 - "The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County received an infusion of $365,634 in March from the National Mortgage Settlement….  Statewide, 20 legal aid groups were allocated $4.37 million by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi….  The money is being provided in three phases with an end date for services scheduled for July 31. Legal aid will get another influx of money after this week’s decision by Florida lawmakers on how to spend $200 million from the National Mortgage Settlement. Both the House and Senate agreed to give legal aid a one-time stipend of $10 million to help homeowners facing foreclosure. The legislation, SB 1852, must still get Gov. Rick Scott’s approval. If successful, the money will be available July 1." (Story from the Palm Beach Post.)

4.30.13 – From the Progressive Pulse, which did an interview with Legal Aid of North Carolina executive director  George Hausen:  "Hausen…says the sequester means $550,000 less in federal support this year through the Legal Services Corporation. That means some low-income, disadvantaged clients in North Carolina may get turned away, even if they do have a strong case.  Hausen joined us over the weekend on News & Views to discuss the impact of federal and state cuts on Legal Aid."

4.27.13 - more bad funding news out of North Carolina: "A $330,000 reduction in Pisgah Legal Services' state and federal funding could leave more than 2,200 local domestic-violence victims without legal assistance. The Asheville-based nonprofit is scrambling to close the gap but may reduce services.  Pisgah Legal is losing $210,000 from…a state agency that distributes federal funds. And the U.S. [DOJ] is cutting another $120,000 from what it typically awards the organization. The total is 59 percent of the organization's budget for helping domestic-violence victims."  (Story from the Mountain Express.)

4.27.13 – "Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has resolved the State’s enforcement action against Austin-based legal services provider Just for People, Inc. In July 2012, the State charged Just for People, its directors and its affiliates with providing unauthorized legal advice, document preparation and other immigration-related services in violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA)."  (Story from the Memorial Examiner.)

4.24.13 – in Washington State, a judge writes of the importance of not diminishing state funding for the Northwest Justice Project: "The Port Angeles NJP office opened in 2007 with three attorneys….   Since then, budget cuts have reduced staffing levels to a single attorney….   And it gets worse: a $3 million cut in funding for civil legal aid services under consideration in Olympia could force the outright closure of the North Olympic Peninsula's only NJP office as well as other offices serving rural communities across the state.   Any further reduction in state-funded civil legal aid would seriously impact the ability of indigent people to obtain access to justice….  The state budget should not be balanced on the backs of our community's most vulnerable citizens.   Civil legal aid in our state should be fully funded."  (Op-ed in the Peninsula Daily News.)

Maryland Access to Justice Commission study documents benefits of civil legal aid to state's economy.
Full report. (1/8/13)

Report on "Funding Justice: Strategies and Messages for Restoring Court Funding" from National Center for State Courts includes lessons applicable to civil legal aid. (12/15/12)

Public Welfare Foundation advocates for increased support for civil legal aid by private philanthropic foundations. (11/12/12)

Video interview on civil legal aid with PWF President Mary McClymont. (9/12/12)

Economic Benefit of Civil Legal Aid: Fact Sheet by Laura Abel, Cardozo Law School. (9/5/12)

Connecticut increases court fees to boost aid to poor. (6/16/12)

Illinois Supreme Court increases attorney registration fees to help fund legal services for poor. (6/5/12)

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania adopts new rule to require that 50 percent of residual class action funds be used for civil legal aid. (5/15/12)

Colorado Supreme Court authorizes transfer of $750,000 annually for two years from attorney registration funds to Colorado Legal Services. (5/11/12)

“The Relentless Push to Bleed Legal Services Dry”: report provides overview of LSC funding status. (6/12/12)

Conferences of Chief Justices/State Court Administrators adopt resolution supporting adequate funding for LSC.  (4/1/12)
CCJ/COSCA white paper supporting increased LSC funding

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court promulgates new pro hac vice registration fee for out-of-state attorneys benefitting legal aid. (4/12/12)

Pennsylvania Judiciary’s 2013 budget submission and State of the Courts report highlight current legal aid funding crisis along with court needs. (5/1/12)

Connecticut Judicial Branch proposes court fees bill to fund legal aid. (3/1/12)

Speech by Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Ralph Gants to over 700 lawyers at annual “Walk to the Hill” supporting increased legal aid funding. (1/26/12)

Attorney General Eric Holder joins D.C. Access to Justice Commission in honoring 23 D.C. law firms qualifying for 2011 “Raising the Bar” Leadership Circle; campaign brought in over $3 million for civil legal aid. (3/22/12)

Maine Justice Action Group hosts 4th annual Access to Justice Day at the Legislature; remarks by Maine Supreme Court Justice Jon D. Levy to Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary. (3/13/12)

 “Cuts in Legal Aid would Harm Those Already Financially Strapped,” op-ed by Washington State Chief Justice Barbara Madsen and King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Richard McDermott. (2/29/12)

Report quantifies economic benefit of legal aid in Massachusetts in 2011. (1/30/12)

White House recommends $402 million in FY 2013 for Legal Services Corporation (LSC), an increase of $54 million (to roughly FY 2011 level). (2/13/12)

LSC reports on impact of budget cuts on staff and services at local programs. (2/8/12)

Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators adopt resolution reaffirming the importance of LSC and calling upon Congress to restore necessary funding. (2/1/12)

New Mexico Supreme Court revises class action rules to provide that residual class action funds may go to legal aid providers. (5/11/11)

California hearings on justice crisis highlight impact of chronic underfunding and budget cuts on courts and legal aid. (12/15/11)

Chief Judge’s Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services in New York issues 2011 report documenting unmet civil legal needs, economic benefit of legal aid. (12/1/11)

Former Massachusetts Chief Justice Margaret Marshall calls on state lawyers and other residents to contribute to local legal aid programs in Boston Globe op-ed. (10/29/11)

Texas Supreme Court unanimously upholds “adult entertainment fee” as source of funding for legal and other services to victims of sexual assault. (8/26/11)

Maine Bar Foundation receives $2 million gift from anonymous donor to provide legal aid; donor’s attorney also worked as pro bono volunteer. (9/15/11)

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman addresses Equal Justice Conference, ATJ Chairs (5/19/11)

Video of keynote speech at Equal Justice Conference.

Remarks at National Meeting of ATJ Chairs.

Texas Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson and Justice Nathan Hecht sway state Legislature to appropriate $17 million in legal aid funding; Legislature commends Supreme Court for its leadership. (7/1/11)

Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald Castille calls for eliminating sunset provision on filing fee to benefit legal aid, permanently increasing funding. (7/1/11)

New York Chief Justice Jonathan Lippman continues advocacy for increased civil legal aid funding. (6/18/11)

Georgia Chief Justice Carol Hunstein op-ed, “Legal aid to poor can’t take more cuts.” (5/26/11)

New Hawaii cy pres rule benefits civil legal aid. (7/1/11)

Fifty state bar presidents sign letter supporting full funding for Legal Service Corporation.(4/8/11)

Maryland Access to Justice Commission develops white paper, Fee-Shifting to Promote the Public Interest in Maryland. (11/1/10)

Florida Bar Foundation releases report demonstrating economic benefit of civil legal aid. (2/15/11)

Louisiana State Bar Association releases report demonstrating economic benefit of civil legal aid. (2/15/11)

Court Access/Self-Represented Litigants

"The Access to Justice 'Sorting Hat':Towards a System of Triage and Intake that Maximizes
Access and Outcomes," article by Richard Zorza. (2/1/13)

New Access Brief on Forms and Document Assembly from National Center for State Courts. (1/4/13)

New Access Brief on Self-Help Services  from National Center for State Courts. (11/24/12)

Texas Supreme Court approves pro se divorce forms after controversy. (11/14/12)

"Turner v. Rogers: The Implications link Access to Justice Strategies," article from Judicature magazine by Richard Zorza. (7/30/12)

Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators recommend that states consider language in Codes of Judicial Conduct explicitly supporting efforts by judges to facilitate the ability self-represented litigants to be fairly heard. (7/25/12)

Colorado court adopt strategic plan for implementing enhanced language access. (3/15/12)

Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee reviews draft standardized forms developed by Court’s Uniform Forms Task Force for use in uncomplicated, uncontested divorces. (4/20/12)

Report assesses evolving role of law libraries in serving self-represented litigants. (4/1/12)

Massachusetts Trial Court's Access to Justice Initiative report reviews 2011 efforts. (2/1/12)

U.S. District Court for Southern District of New York develops manual for self-represented litigants. (4/2/12)

Alaska courts program uses unbundled pro bono assistance to speed the resolution of family law cases. (4/4/12)

South Carolina Access to Justice Commission convenes “Law School for Interpreters.” (2/11/12)

"A New Day for Judges and the Self-Represented: Toward Best Practices in Complex Self-Represented Cases," article in ABA Judges Journal by Richard Zorza. (1/30/12)

Connecticut Judicial Branch Strategic Plan Implementation Report describes initiatives, links to data, forms, videos, reports, publications and other tools. (12/1/11)

Connecticut Judicial Branch, Commission on Civil Court Alternative Dispute Resolution, Report and Recommendations. (12/21/11)

New York State Courts Access to Justice Program, 2011 Report, describes DIY forms/document assembly initiatives, volunteer lawyer of the day programs, mobile self-help center. (1/30/12)

DC Superior Court rule requires landlords to bring the "rent ledger" to court in non-payment cases. (12/1/11)

District of Columbia Courts adopt revisions to Code of Judicial Conduct concerning judges' interactions with unrepresented litigants; broader than ABA Model Code. (1/1/12)

ABA House of Delegates to consider proposed national standards on language access in state courts, supported by Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. (12/15/11)

“A New Day for Judges and the Self-Represented: The Implications of Turner v. Rogers,” article in Judges Journal by Richard Zorza. (11/30/11)

Access to Justice Commissions pursue multi-state application for grant for JusticeCorps to fund volunteers to assist self-represented litigants. (11/8/11)

Association for Family & Conciliation Courts publishes “Innovations for Self-Represented Litigants,” edited by Bonnie Rose Hough and Pamela Cardullo Ortiz. (10/1/11)

New self-help centers open.(11/1/11)

Maryland “Self-help center expands free legal services statewide”
Hawaii

Maine courts create new Access to Justice Coordinator position (10/15/11)

Maine Justice Action Group Collaboration on Innovation, Technology, and Equal Access to launch new project linking pro bono attorneys and unrepresented litigants at libraries through videoconferencing. (9/15/11)

Vanderburgh County (Indiana) Pro Se Litigant Clinic creates handbook on creating a pro se litigant clinic staffed with volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and/or law students. (8/15/11)

Sonoma County courts strategic plan calls for Uniform Litigant Assistance Triage Process to ensure clients receive appropriate level of service.
(7/15/11)

Tennessee Supreme Court approves rule recommended by state Access to Justice Commission providing for adoption of forms to be accepted as legally sufficient in all Tennessee courts. (7/27/11)

Plain Language Divorce Forms approved by Court.

ABA issues report on “Crisis in the Courts” caused by underfunding. (8/15/11)

Washington State Chief Justice Barbara Madsen addresses “Professionalism and the Pro Se Problem” in August Washington State Bar News. (8/15/11)

“Resources to Assist Self-Represented Litigants: A Fifty-State Review of the "State of the Art,"
report by John M. Greacen.

Video available on YouTube provides introduction to Texas court processes for self-represented litigants; developed by Texas Access to Justice Commission, Lubbock County Bar, and Texas Legal Services Center. (9/1/11)

California Court of Appeal Justice Laurie Zelon speaks on “Courts for the 21st Century” at Remarks at National Meeting of ATJ Chairs (5/19/11)

U.S. Supreme Court addresses due process requirements for an unrepresented litigant in Turner v. Rogers; Symposium on case highlights positive potential for access to civil justice. (6/27/11)

Illinois Coalition for Equal Justice opens 59th internet-based legal self-help center. (7/5/10)

District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission Chair Peter Edelman offers case study of Commission’s landlord-tenant court initiatives: one of four papers from Center for American Progress on “Doing What Works” to address crisis in courts, legal aid funding. (6/22/11)

D.C. Access to Justice Commission, D.C. Superior Court and legal aid programs launch Child Support Court-Based Legal Services Project. (5/1/11)

Delaware Supreme Court adopts Judicial Guidelines for Civil Hearings Involving Self-Represented Litigants. (5/11/11)

Self-Represented Litigants Committee of Texas Access to Justice Commission launches initiatives on Uniform Rules and Guidelines, Education, Self-Help Centers, Assisted Pro Se, Limited Scope Representation and Information Dissemination. (6/1/11)

Delaware Supreme Court adopts new Judicial Guidelines for Civil Hearings Involving Self-Represented Litigants. (5/11/11)

ABA poll finds little public awareness of limited scope representation (‘unbundling”) but positive response to the concept. (2/15/11)

Montana limited scope representation rules said to set "the gold standard." (3/21/11)

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announces program to provide legal assistance at foreclosure settlement appearances. (2/15/11)

Supreme Court of Texas creates task force on uniform forms. (3/15/11)

Work group addresses deficiencies in new Model Administrative Procedure Act. (5/1/11)

South Carolina Supreme Court established first pilot self-help center. (2/2/11)

Pro Bono

5.1.13 – from the New York Law Journal: "New York lawyers must disclose on their biennial registration forms how many pro bono hours they provided and the amount of financial contributions they made to pro bono programs during the previous two years.  The new reporting requirements of Part 118 and Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct were approved by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman and the presiding justices of the Appellate Division's four departments on April 23 and went into effect yesterday (See Announcement).  Lippman's Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services recommended increasing the voluntary pro bono goal for lawyers in the state to 50 hours a year from 20 (NYLJ, Dec. 7, 2012). That proposal was also implemented yesterday."

4.30.13 – "In support of a new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office regional office in Dallas, the Center for Innovation in Arlington said today it will serve as the area’s pro bono patent assistance center….  The center will match inventors with volunteer patent and intellectually property attorneys. Pro bono service will be provided to entrepreneurs whose household income does not exceed 300 percent of federal poverty guidelines. The poverty guideline for a family of four, for instance, is $23,550. The center will also have a sliding fee scale for anyone who exceeds the poverty income guidelines."  (Blog post from the Dallas Morning News.)

March/April 2013 – in the ABA’s Law Practice magazine, Baker Donelson’s Linda Klein makes the case for including law-firm staff in pro bono projects: "It’s important to have a policy that expressly includes staff. It’s equally important that the firm culture support the policy. Our lawyers in management do a great job of emphasizing that the firm supports and encourages pro bono. One way our culture supports the policy is to provide credit for staff members, lawyers and paralegals whose performance is judged on productivity. Our pro bono policy grants some credit hours annually for paralegals because they have billable hour requirements, too. We also have paid community service hours for staff, so they can take "time off" to devote to pro bono activities. This applies to all staff, not just those who get billable hour credit….   [S]taff can be involved in pro bono in the same way they support paying clients.  We find that morale for our attorneys and staff is best when we use the services of support staff for pro bono matters as well as paying ones.

4.15.13 – from Law Week Colorado: "The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado announces a pilot program that creates a panel of attorneys who have agreed to accept pro bono appointments to represent indigent pro se litigants in civil cases. As a means to reimburse attorneys who accept cases as volunteers, the pilot program includes provisions for the faculty of federal advocates to manage the reimbursement of expenses, funded in part by grants to the faculty from the court. Funding for the grants will derive from an increase in attorney admission fees and a one–time renewal fee for current members of the bar. Current members will be expected to pay the renewal fee by July 1." (Here's an announcement from the district court itself.)

4.15.13 – "Pennsylvania's top jurist is calling on the commonwealth's 70,000–plus licensed lawyers to engage in pro bono service in support of the state's legal aid programs. Supreme Court Justice Ronald D. Castille recently drafted a letter alongside Tom Wilkinson, the president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, that was sent to attorneys as a reminder to make a personal commitment to provide pro bono service through direct representation of the poor and financial support of legal aid programs." (Full article in the Pennsylvania Record.)

4.11.13 – New York's 4th Judicial Department is launching an appellate pro bono project. From a press release: "The Pro Bono Appeals Program, created by the New York State Bar Association, is offering free representation to individuals of modest means in civil…cases involving the essentials of life, such as family stability, unemployment insurance, education, housing and health. Experienced appellate attorneys will handle the appeals for individuals who lost civil cases in trial court, as well as individuals who won in lower court but must respond to appeals…. The State Bar's Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction will select cases based on several factors, including the merits of the issues raised and the potential impact of the case…. The new program in the Fourth Department builds upon the experience of the State Bar Pro Bono Appeals Program in the Third Judicial Department, which the State Bar Association launched with The Legal Project and the Rural Law Center of New York in 2009."

4.9.13 – as reported by the Pro Bono Institute: "On April 8, the Illinois Supreme Court made effective a new rule that empowers more than 400 limited license in–house attorneys in the state to provide pro bono legal services free from unnecessary restrictions…. Illinois joins two other jurisdictions, Colorado and Virginia, that permit broad participation in pro bono by registered in–house counsel and allow registered in–house counsel to provide pro bono services subject to the same rules of professional conduct and disciplinary measures as all other attorneys licensed in state."

4.9.13 – the head of DLA Piper's international pro bono and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs offers his take on the relationship between the two: "For many businesses, C[S]R still means 'volunteering in the community'. This is where there has been tension in some law firms historically. The tension typically arises when a law firm provides non–legal volunteering opportunities, but fails to provide sufficient pro bono opportunities. In those circumstances, the lawyers in the firm rightly question whether the approach is correct. From my perspective, law firms ought to look for ways to make a positive impact in their communities. It is also highly desirable that firms consider where they can have the most impact. In many communities around the world there are high levels of unmet legal need, creating barriers to access to justice. Law firms obviously possess the skills to address this important human rights issue, and I think it is incumbent upon us as lawyers to play a role in improving access to justice where we can."

4.1.13 – Kansas has established an "emeritus program" which encourages retired attorneys to render pro bono services. A rule relating to attorney registration was amended to include the following language: "Only attorneys registered as active may practice law in Kansas, except that a retired or inactive attorney, who obtains a statement from the disciplinary administrator that he or she is in good standing and has no pending disciplinary proceedings, may practice on a pro bono basis through: (1) a not–for–profit provider of civil legal services approved by the Supreme Court for this purpose, or (2) an accredited law school clinic approved by the Supreme Court for this purpose."

4.1.13 — Kansas has established an "emeritus program" which encourages retired attorneys to render pro bono services. A rule relating to attorney registration was amended to include the following language: "Only attorneys registered as active may practice law in Kansas, except that a retired or inactive attorney, who obtains a statement from the disciplinary administrator that he or she is in good standing and has no pending disciplinary proceedings, may practice on a pro bono basis through: (1) a not-for-profit provider of civil legal services approved by the Supreme Court for this purpose, or (2) an accredited law school clinic approved by the Supreme Court for this purpose."

3.21.13 — The ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono & Public Service has released Supporting Justice III: A Report on the Pro Bono Work of America's Lawyers.  The report is the committee's third empirical investigation of American volunteer legal service since 2004. The report quantifies the amount of pro bono work done by U.S. lawyers in 2011, describes characteristics of recent pro bono service that can be used to guide new pro bono initiatives and identifies factors that encourage or discourage pro bono service.

3.20.13 — Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice Ralph Gants, who co-chairs the Bay State's ATJ Commission, co-authors a letter supporting a boost in pro bono work by corporate counsel.  The letter explores the recent growth in corporate pro bono and highlights initiatives in Massachusetts. (Full letter in the Metropolitan Corporate Counsel.)

3.12.13 — a Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist trumpets pro bono efforts among North Star State attorneys, and laments the passing of Bricker Lavik, a Twin Cities-based champion of pro bono who died on March 1.

3.4.13 — a Connecticut Law Tribune editorial calls upon law firm and corporate counsel leaders to "lead from the top" in promoting pro bono service among their attorneys. "Every law firm and every corporate legal department should state explicitly that every attorney is expected to handle at least one pro bono matter every year or donate an amount equivalent to one hour's billable rate to a recognized program that provides representation to indigent clients. Representation need not be limited to litigation. There is a significant need for free legal help for non-profit organizations on matters such as real estate transactions, corporate governance, tax and employment matters."

3.1.13 — in Michigan, the State Bar Association and Bar Foundation commissioned a report on the state's pro bono delivery system, "with an eye toward recommendations regarding systemic changes to enhance [pro bono's] use." The report was produced in February.

on a related note the Michigan State Bar's strategic planning process includes consideration of 1) the increase in pro se litigants, and 2) how unbundling could affect the delivery of legal services. (Full story from the Grand Rapids Business Journal.)

Is the New York 50 hour requirement changing the future of law student pro bono? (1/12/13)

Minnesota Supreme Court adopts rule permitting house counsel to provide pro bono services. (1/17/13)

"Lawyers incorporating pro bono into their lives talk about its rewards, challenges," article in ABA Journal. (2/1/13)

State Bar of Georgia hosts free legal advice clinics around the state. (2/15/13)

Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission launches first of-its-kind Pro Bono Fellows project for transitioning senior attorneys. (9/26/12)

Nashville Ledger article cites Tennessee Supreme Court leadership on pro bono, support for self-representation. (7/13/12)

"More Tennessee Lawyers Doing Pro Bono Work," Memphis Daily news. (7/12/12)

Celebrate Pro Bono 2012 launches "Just Stories" video quilt. (7/12/12)

"Serving Those Who have Served," article on State Bar of Texas's "Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans" project, UT Law Magazine. (6/28/12)

"Judicial Support for Pro Bono Legal Service," article by Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory J. Hobbs, Jr., for Denver Law Review. (6/15/12)

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman opens symposium on "Access to Justice: The role of New York's Law Schools"; announces advisory panel to guide new pro bono requirement for prospective lawyer licensing. (5/22/12)

West Virginia Justice Brent Benjamin calls for increased pro bono, support for LSC funding (5/8/15)

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announces pro bono requirement for state bar admission. (5/1/12)

District of Columbia courts launch Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. (5/1/12)

Web site and video highlight Florida pro bono campaign: “one client, one attorney, one promise.” (5/1/12)

Indiana legislature approves filing fee surcharge benefitting pro bono. (3/25/12)

Louisiana Chief Justice Katherine D. Kimball urges judges to encourage pro bono service. (4/2/12)

Connecticut Judicial Branch Volunteer Attorney Day Program marks two years, over 1000 cases. (3/1/12)

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court establishes Pro Bono Recognition Program. (1/1/12)

Arkansas Pro Bono iPhone app allows licensed attorneys to view potential pro bono cases and request with a push of a button. (2/1/12)

Nebraska adopts rule permitting in-house counsel admitted in another jurisdiction to provide pro bono services. (1/1/12)

Pennsylvania Chief Justice of Ronald D. Castille thanks Pennsylvania’s lawyers for pro bono work and calls on them to continue their service. (2/15/12)

Hawaii Supreme Court amends Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1 to permit attorneys to fulfill voluntary pro bono commitment by donating at least $500 to legal aid. (1/1/12)

New Mexico State Bar Foundation and Access to Justice Commission offer CLE on "poverty, pro bono and professionalism"; fulfills mandatory CLE requirements, with fees going to legal aid. (12/1/11)

New York Courts offer free “bridge-the-gap” CLE training in return for pro bono service. (10/24/11)

PB week events

Mobile apps facilitate pro bono. (10/20/11)

Illinois Pro Bono app from Illinois Legal Aid Online
Maryland State Bar Association free app, provides links to ethics rules and supports attorneys working in unfamiliar areas.

Colorado “Make History” pro bono campaign and video highlight historic pro bono cases. (10/24/11)

Connecticut Pro Bono Summit highlights opportunities for service. (10/5/11)

National Pro Bono Celebration set for October 23-29, 2011. National Online Pro Bono Conversation now under way. (9/7/11)

LSC President Jim Sandman discusses how large law firms can expand pro bono support, including assistance on technology and marketing. (8/15/11)

Indiana Pro Bono Commission creates model Resource Guide for judicial appointees to local pro bono committees. (9/10/11)

Maine Supreme Court launches Katahdin Counsel Pro Bono Recognition Program. (9/15/11)

New Mexico local pro bono committees describe initiatives in annual report to Supreme Court. (6/31/11)

Tennessee Bar Association and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services create new on-line virtual pro bono advice clinic. (5/5/11)

Missouri Supreme Court launches on-line Judge’s Tool Kit on Pro Bono Legal Assistance. (3/16/11)

Missouri Supreme Court has published an on-line the Judge’s Tool Kit on Pro Bono Legal Assistance. (3/1/11)

The North Carolina Bar Association launches Call 4ALL, permitting pro bono attorneys to provide discrete services by telephone to pre-screened legal aid clients. (3/15/11)

Arkansas Supreme Court authorizes attorneys licensed outside of Arkansas to provide pro bono services in state. (4/1/11)

Civil Right to Counsel

4.24.13 – "A federal judge in California has ordered immigration courts in three states to provide legal representation for immigrants with mental disabilities who are in detention and facing deportation, if they cannot represent themselves. The decision is the first time a court has required the government to provide legal assistance for any group of people before the nation’s immigration courts."  (Story from the New York Times.)

A Washington Post op-ed wonders about extending the right-to-counsel scope in immigration proceedings: "Now that such an important precedent has been set, it is imperative that the government move quickly to ensure that minors get similar protections. As it stands now, children under 18 without a parent or guardian are forced to navigate the immigration detention process alone. Even children who are little more than toddlers are expected to appear before immigration judges to defend themselves in legal proceedings if they can’t secure a lawyer."

April, 2013 – Legal Aid of North Carolina executive director George Hausen – who I think now qualifies as the star of this "ATJ Headlines" edition - makes the practical case for Civil Gideon in the April edition of the state-based magazine Trial Briefs.

3.22.13 — Senator Tom Harkin used the occasion of the Gideon decision's 50th birthday to lament the civil justice gap: "[it is...outrageous that there remains no guaranteed right to counsel in the civil context." Sen. Harkín's thoughts on civil legal aid begin about halfway down the third column on p. S2323.

The National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel has been gathering the many articles and opinion pieces published in connection with the Gideon v. Wainwright decision's 50-year anniversary. View the "Gideon and Civil Right to Counsel" section NCCRC's Gideon Anniversary site.

Notably, this New York Times piece on the civil justice gap was widely circulated online: "Civil matters — including legal issues like home foreclosure, job loss, spousal abuse and parental custody — were not covered by the decision. Today, many states and counties do not offer lawyers to the poor in major civil disputes, and in some criminal ones as well. Those states that do are finding that more people than ever are qualifying for such help, making it impossible to keep up with the need. The result is that even at a time when many law school graduates are without work, many Americans are without lawyers."

3.11.13 — Congresswoman Gwen Moore of Wisconsin "re-introduced a bill that will take important steps towards ensuring that parents and legal guardians are afforded legal representation in all stages of a child welfare case." (See full press release.)

"Civil Right to Counsel: Where We've Been, Where We're Going: A Look at the Status of Civil Right to Counsel and Current Efforts", article from MIE Journal by John Pollock. (6/1/12)

Law students, volunteer attorneys, and legal aid staff reach out to rural areas on 2012 "Road to Justice." (3/20/12)

Washington State Bar Association launches statewide reduced-fee lawyer referral service for people of moderate means. (4/1/12)

Boston Bar Foundation issues report on “The Importance of Representation in Eviction Cases and Homelessness Prevention," based on “Civil Gideon” pilot projects. (3/2/11)

Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission creates special working group to develop study to evaluate the costs and benefits of civil right to counsel.(1/9/12)

Montana Supreme Court cites inherent authority of trial courts to appoint pro bono counsel in appropriate cases.(12/8/11)

Article explores Turner v. Rogers and implications for “Triaging Appointed-Counsel Funding and Pro Se Access to Justice.” (11/1/11)

Prof. Jim Greiner discusses Massachusetts Civil Right to Counsel pilot projects. (11/7/11)

Wisconsin Supreme Court takes no action on civil right to counsel petition. (10/17/11)

Testimony
News coverage
ABA comments

San Francisco considers legislation to become “Civil Right to Counsel City.” 11/4/11

Maryland Access to Justice Commission develops white paper, Fee-Shifting to Promote the Public Interest in Maryland. (11/1/10)

ABA Past President Michael Greco gives keynote speech on Civil Right to Counsel at Annual Convention of Kentucky Bar Association. (6/16/11)

Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission endorses petition to state Supreme Court to provide free counsel to indigents when basic human needs are at stake. (6/14/11)

Seattle Journal for Social Justice publishes papers on Civil Right to Counsel, Impact of Counsel and Economic Benefit. (2/20/11)

Civil Legal Aid Planning, Delivery and Support

California Bar explores limited practice licensing. (2/1/13)

Harvard's Journal of Legal Technology publishes papers from LSC technology summit. (1/30/13)

George Washington University launches National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership. (1/16/13)

NLADA web site collects summaries and links to research on civil legal aid. (1/3/13)

Washington State Supreme Court approves rule to create "Limited License Legal Technician Board" to authorize specific areas of non-lawyer legal technician work. (6/1/12)

"Using Technology to Connect Pro Bono Attorneys to Remote Clients," article from ABA Dialogue Magazine." (5/1/12)

New Apps for smartphones: “Legal Aid News,” “Legal Aid Finder” created by Pine Tree Legal Assistance. Provide individual state and national news feeds, legal aid contact information. Available in the Apple App store and the Android Marketplace. (1/15/12)

New Mexico Supreme Court amends attorney registration and bar dues rules to provide for legal services limited license. (1/1/12)

CUNY Law School’s Incubator for Justice program helps new law grads transition to community-based practice. (9/22/11)

“Access Across America: First Report of the Civil Justice Infrastructure Mapping Project,” by Rebecca L. Sandefur and Aaron C. Smyth for the American Bar Foundation. (10/7/11)

Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission Special Planning Committee issues second report on improving state’s legal aid delivery system. (9/15/11)

New York statute promotes medical-legal partnerships and sets implementation standards. (9/26/11)

New Mexico Supreme Court order directs state Access to Justice Commission to continue oversight of delivery of legal services and implementation of Pro Bono Plan. (7/20/11)

Minnesota Supreme Court Legal Services Advisory Committee, State Bar Association, and Legal Service Coalition release innovative study on Client Access, Barriers and Solutions. (9/14/11)

National Law Journal highlights law school incubator programs that help recent graduates establish solo practices and encourage free or low-cost legal services to underserved communities. (9/7/11)

Wal-Mart joins Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, state legal aid programs, and hospital to launch medical–legal partnership. (6/17/11)

Texas Access to Justice Commission and American College of Trial Lawyers host Pretrial Academy for 30 legal aid attorneys. (6/1/11)

Texas Access to Justice Commission and State Bar of Texas and Corporate Counsel Section increase funding for Access to Justice Summer Internship Program, placing 14 law students from eight law schools in rural legal aid offices. (6/1/11)

State Bar of Texas to provide $1.75 million over five years to fully fund Access to Justice Commission Student Loan Assistance Program, benefiting 140 legal aid lawyers in 2011-2012. (6/1/11)

Limited Scope Representation/Unbundling

ABA House of Delegates adopts resolution on limited scope representation. (2/11/13)

Louisiana Supreme Court adopts new district court rules on limited appearances. (11/27/12)

Colorado adopts appellate limited scope representation rule. (11/20/12)

ABA Delivery of Legal Services reviews developments on limited scope representation and other innovations in delivery. (6/4/12)

Tennessee legislature approves limited scope representation rules. (4/2/12)

Supreme Court of Alabama adopts new rule on limited scope representation. (3/26/12)

Free on-line CLE focuses on "Expanding Your Practice Using Limited Scope Representation." (3/25/12)

Kansas Supreme Court adopts new limited scope representation rules. (3/15/12)

Colorado and Indiana amend rules of civil procedure to facilitate limited scope representation. (10/20/11)

Colorado
Indiana

Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Planning and Policy Advisory Committee issues report and recommendations on expanding limited scope representation. (8/1/11)

“Providing Legal Help on a la Carte Basis”: limited scope representation a hot topic at Connecticut Bar Association annual meeting. (6/20/11)

Access to Justice Commission Development and Leadership

New Access Brief on Access to Justice Commissions from National Center for State Courts. (1/24/13)

District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission issues Annual Report, highlighting private firm giving and collaborations with courts. (1/7/13)

New York Court Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services issues report and recommendations on funding, law school initiatives, pro bono, and pilot program on non-lawyer advocacy. (12/1/12)

ABA Access to Justice Expansion Projects announces 2012 Grants to Promote Innovation in Expanding Access to Justice. (11/30/12)

Connecticut Access to Justice Commission issues first Annual Report, with subcommittee reports and recommendations. (10/15/12)

Illinois Supreme Court creates new 11-member Access to Justice Commission. (6/13/12)

Montana Supreme Court creates new Access to Justice Commission. (5/22/12)

Tennessee Access to Justice Commission launches Faith-Based Initiatives Advisory Committee, sponsors Access to Justice luncheon for religious leaders.(4/14/12)

Wyoming Access to Justice Commission charts accomplishments and sets priorities in three-year evaluation and report to the Wyoming Supreme Court. (12/1/11)

Montana Supreme Court petitioned to create new Access to Justice Commission. (12/1/11)

Connecticut Access to Justice Commission expands activities through new subcommittees. (10/31/11)

Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Dan Taubman speaks on “Opening Doors to Access to Justice for Persons with Moderate Income” at ABA’s first National Summit on the Future of Legal Services Plans. (10/19/11)

Hawaii Supreme Court charts progress and accomplishments in three-year evaluation of state’s Access to Justice Commission. (7/21/11)

Mark B. Childress sworn in as Senior Counselor for Access to Justice at U.S. Department of Justice. (6/2/11)

Remarks from Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman and California Court of Appeals Judge Laurie Zelon at National Meeting of State Access to Justice Chairs. (5/21/11)

Hawaii Access to Justice Commission Annual Report reviews accomplishments in 2010. (5/15/11)

West Virginia Access to Justice Commission to hold public forums on legal needs. (7/1/11)

Vermont Supreme Court Justice Denise Johnson, “What the Access to Justice Coalition is Doing,” article from Vermont Bar Journal, Spring 2011 (5/1/2011)

Connecticut Supreme Court announces creation of new Access to Justice Commission. (4/13/11)

Michigan Justice Initiatives Summit focuses on "Engaging the Next Generations of Justice Initiatives Leaders." (4/11/11)

Legal Education

4.30.13 - the successes of the Lewis B. Puller Jr. Veterans Benefit Clinic at William & Mary Law School has caught Virginia Senator Mark Warner's eye as a replicable model, and he's urged the Veterans Administration to give the clinic a look. http://www.dailypress.com/news/military/dp-nws-veterans-law-clinic-20130430,0,7746002.story

4.27.13 – a look at how Superstorm Sandy and the New York 50-hour pro bono rule conspired to create a legal clinic, and how the rule may help shape future law school pro bono and curricular offerings: "[The] Disaster Relief Law Field Clinic, which ended this week, grew out of discussions between Kevin Cremin, MFY Legal Serivice’s [sic] director of litigation for disability and aging rights, and Rebecca Rosenfeld, Cardozo’s director of externships, about the new 50-hour pro bono work requirement for New York State bar admission."  (Story from DNAinfo.com.)

4.26.13 – from New York: "The Legal Aid Society has created a diverse menu of pro bono opportunities to assist law students in completing 50 hours of pro bono work prior to bar admission. The Chief Judge’s initiative, the first in the country, became effective as of January 1, 2013 and will be applicable to candidates for admission to the New York State bar on or after January 1, 2015. The timetable enables current second and first year law students to plan their pro bono service in a meaningful and timely fashion.  The Society's Civil, Criminal, and Juvenile Rights Practices, will partner with law students and law graduates on a number of specific 50-hour projects."  (Announcement posted on ProBono.net.) 

4.22.13 – ripples from the New York 50-hour Rule?  "It's been nearly a year since the New York State court system announced its first-of-its-kind 50-hour pro bono requirement for new attorneys. No state has followed suit yet, but that may soon change. Leaders of the State Bar of California are poised this fall to adopt a similar rule, while a task force…in New Jersey is weighing the merits….  A report by the Connecticut Judicial Branch's Access to Justice Commission also recommends that the state create a task force to consider a pro bono mandate, but judicial leaders were inclined against the idea….  Some pro bono advocates had hoped that the [ABA] would take the lead on incorporating a 50-hour requirement into its law school accreditation standards.  However, the idea gained little traction among the ABA committee members, who said that mandating pro bono hours falls outside the scope of its accreditor role."  (Story from the National Law Journal.)

4.1.13 — Drexel joins the small cadre of law schools which offer a two-year JD degree path, according to Philly.com.

3.29.13 — from the ABA Journal: "Barely half of all 2012 law school graduates had full time, long-term legal jobs as of Feb. 15, according to employment outcome data released Friday by the ABA's Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. Law schools reported that 56.2 percent of 2012 graduates were in jobs requiring bar passage, the figures show. But that's still a slight improvement over last year, when only 54.9 percent of all 2011 graduates had full-time, long-term legal jobs nine months after graduation. Another 9.5 percent of 2012 graduates were employed in jobs in which a law degree is preferred, which is a slight improvement over the class of 2011's numbers, when 8.1 percent of graduates held so-called JD advantage positions."

3.15.13 — "A new student-founded clinic at Emory University School of Law will focus on justice for Atlanta-area veterans by providing free legal representation for disability benefit claims and appeal hearings. Students also will work alongside experienced attorneys on legislation and other initiatives to create an alternative court for Georgia veterans involved in criminal proceedings. The Emory Law Volunteer Clinic for Veterans began accepting cases in February." (Story from the Emory News Center.)

3.8.13 — The New York Times reports on several law schools driving a mini-trend toward opening nonprofit law offices and/or incubator programs to give experience to un- and underemployed grads. "Over the next few years, 30 [Arizona State law] graduates will work under seasoned lawyers and be paid for a wide range of services provided at relatively low cost to the people of Phoenix. The plan is one of a dozen efforts across the country to address two acute — and seemingly contradictory — problems: heavily indebted law graduates with no clients and a vast number of Americans unable to afford a lawyer. This paradox, fed by the growth of Internet-based legal research and services, is at the heart of a crisis looming over the legal profession after decades of relentless growth and accumulated wealth. It is evident in the sharp drop in law school applications and the increasing numbers of Americans showing up in court without a lawyer."

Delivery of Legal Services

4.17.13 – an editorial in the Scranton Times–Tribune (a/k/a the New York Times of Northeast Pennsylvania), supports a boost in legal aid funding: "Assistance of counsel is crucial on matters such as divorce, foreclosure, eviction, debt and tax collection, civil litigation aspects of domestic violence, workplace rights and innumerable others…. The Great Recession and the slow recovery…have exacerbated the need for legal assistance for the poor…. In 2011, programs funded by [LSC] provided legal services to about 2.3 million people, but about 50 percent of those who were eligible for help and sought it were turned away. President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes a $90 million increase in the LSC budget…. Equal justice under the law is a cherished American principle, but it will be just a phrase unless Congress provides adequate funding for legal assistance to the poor.

4.16.13 – "The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia today opened a newly expanded legal services center in Southwest Washington, with financial help from Kirkland & Ellis. The firm has pledged $125,000 a year for at least five years toward a legal services center that expands an existing clinic [in Southwest DC]." The Kirkland Foundation had helped to start the original clinic a few years ago, and Kirkland & Ellis attorneys/staff have been active supporters ever since. Now a new partnership is evolving as the Legal Aid Society will begin management to expand the clinic, with K&E's support. (Report from the Blog of the Legal Times.)

4.15.13 – CBS legal commentator and Brennan Center fellow Andrew Cohen rings the alarm bell concerning the state of civil legal aid funding, and the sequester's already–felt impact on the legal aid community. Cohen touches on the economic case for legal aid, citing the Brennan Center's Mark Ladov: "Ladov says that apart from whatever moral value there is in helping the less fortunate among us, 'investing in foreclosure prevention pays for itself by stabilizing communities, saving lost property taxes, and preventing costly increases in crime and dislocation.' He says that 'legal services for domestic violence victims pays for itself by reducing public healthcare costs, the need for police assistance, and lost jobs and wages.' And, he adds, society ends up paying anyway — 'legal services for low–income citizens prevent evictions, saving $116 million in shelter costs in 2009–2010 in New York state [sic] alone'."

4.13.13 – "[Texas RioGrande Legal Aid] announced…that it would lay off almost 25 percent of its workforce, including closing its offices in Del Rio. The staffing reductions — affecting about 65 attorneys, paralegals and other staff — will result in a reduction of services to about 5,000 families across its 68–county service area in Southwest Texas…. The layoffs are the unavoidable toll of federal budget cuts that 'finally caught up with us,' said David Hall, its longtime executive director. Last year, the nation's legal aid organizations suffered a 15 percent cut in federal funding, resulting in the loss of 1,000 attorneys at similar offices across the country. Those cuts were briefly mitigated in Texas by the infusion of one–time grant moneys from a settlement. But when TRLA was then hit by the automatic federal budget cuts in the sequester, it forced the organization to quickly cut its budget by a total of about $3 million." (Full story from The Monitor. And here's similar coverage from the Austin American Statesman.)

4.12.13 – Happy 100th, Mid– Minnesota Legal Aid! "On April 15, 1913, Legal Aid opened for business in Minneapolis…. Working with University of Minnesota law clerks, [Legal Aid's sole attorney] handled over 3,000 cases that year. Today, Mid–Minnesota Legal Aid represents and advises people in the 20 counties of central Minnesota from the Wisconsin to the South Dakota borders…. In 2012, Legal Aid represented and advised over 3,000 clients with housing matters alone. In addition to cases handled by staff, Legal Aid partners with students, private and corporate attorneys, and government agencies to extend our service to more people seeking our help." (Full piece, from executive director Cathy Haukedahl, in The Minnesota Lawyer.)

4.10.13 – the Obama Administration's FY2014 budget proposal would provide $430 million in funding for the Legal Services Corporation, "…an increase of $90 million over current funding and $28 million more than the White House recommended for FY 2013. The recommendation includes $400.3 million (93 percent) for basic field grants, which fund the delivery of civil legal assistance to low–income Americans, and $19.5 million (4.5 percent) for management and grants oversight. It also includes $3.5 million for LSC's Technology Initiative Grants (TIG), $1.5 million for a new Pro Bono Innovation Fund, $1 million for the Herbert L. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program, and $4.2 million for the Office of Inspector General."

Recall that LSC itself is asking Congress for $486 million in FY 2014.

4.11.13 – the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments in the dispute between California Rural Legal Assistance and the Legal Services Corporation over the scope of an LSC subpoena concerning CRLA records. This is part of a long–running LSC Office of Inspector General investigation of CRLA activity. (Here's coverage of the run–up to the appellate hearing, from the California Report and McClatchy News Service.)

4.8.13 – "Despite steep federal funding cuts, legal services for the poor are protected in Maryland – for now. In the final hours of the 2013 session, the Maryland General Assembly is acting to soften the blow of federal budget reductions to the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau, which have topped $1 million over the past two years. The Maryland House and Senate are extending state–level funding sources for the bureau, including a civil court filing–fee surcharge that was set to expire this year." (Story from the Public News Service.)

4.8.13 – new OSI grants going to nonprof coalitions to fund joint projects

4.17.13 – an editorial in the Scranton Times–Tribune (a/k/a the New York Times of Northeast Pennsylvania), supports a boost in legal aid funding: "Assistance of counsel is crucial on matters such as divorce, foreclosure, eviction, debt and tax collection, civil litigation aspects of domestic violence, workplace rights and innumerable others…. The Great Recession and the slow recovery…have exacerbated the need for legal assistance for the poor…. In 2011, programs funded by [LSC] provided legal services to about 2.3 million people, but about 50 percent of those who were eligible for help and sought it were turned away. President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes a $90 million increase in the LSC budget…. Equal justice under the law is a cherished American principle, but it will be just a phrase unless Congress provides adequate funding for legal assistance to the poor.

4.16.13 – "The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia today opened a newly expanded legal services center in Southwest Washington, with financial help from Kirkland & Ellis. The firm has pledged $125,000 a year for at least five years toward a legal services center that expands an existing clinic [in Southwest DC]." The Kirkland Foundation had helped to start the original clinic a few years ago, and Kirkland & Ellis attorneys/staff have been active supporters ever since. Now a new partnership is evolving as the Legal Aid Society will begin management to expand the clinic, with K&E's support. (Report from the Blog of the Legal Times.)

4.15.13 – CBS legal commentator and Brennan Center fellow Andrew Cohen rings the alarm bell concerning the state of civil legal aid funding, and the sequester's already–felt impact on the legal aid community. Cohen touches on the economic case for legal aid, citing the Brennan Center's Mark Ladov: "Ladov says that apart from whatever moral value there is in helping the less fortunate among us, 'investing in foreclosure prevention pays for itself by stabilizing communities, saving lost property taxes, and preventing costly increases in crime and dislocation.' He says that 'legal services for domestic violence victims pays for itself by reducing public healthcare costs, the need for police assistance, and lost jobs and wages.' And, he adds, society ends up paying anyway — 'legal services for low–income citizens prevent evictions, saving $116 million in shelter costs in 2009–2010 in New York state [sic] alone'."

4.13.13 – "[Texas RioGrande Legal Aid] announced…that it would lay off almost 25 percent of its workforce, including closing its offices in Del Rio. The staffing reductions — affecting about 65 attorneys, paralegals and other staff — will result in a reduction of services to about 5,000 families across its 68–county service area in Southwest Texas…. The layoffs are the unavoidable toll of federal budget cuts that 'finally caught up with us,' said David Hall, its longtime executive director. Last year, the nation's legal aid organizations suffered a 15 percent cut in federal funding, resulting in the loss of 1,000 attorneys at similar offices across the country. Those cuts were briefly mitigated in Texas by the infusion of one–time grant moneys from a settlement. But when TRLA was then hit by the automatic federal budget cuts in the sequester, it forced the organization to quickly cut its budget by a total of about $3 million." (Full story from The Monitor. And here's similar coverage from the Austin American Statesman.)

4.12.13 – Happy 100th, Mid– Minnesota Legal Aid! "On April 15, 1913, Legal Aid opened for business in Minneapolis…. Working with University of Minnesota law clerks, [Legal Aid's sole attorney] handled over 3,000 cases that year. Today, Mid–Minnesota Legal Aid represents and advises people in the 20 counties of central Minnesota from the Wisconsin to the South Dakota borders…. In 2012, Legal Aid represented and advised over 3,000 clients with housing matters alone. In addition to cases handled by staff, Legal Aid partners with students, private and corporate attorneys, and government agencies to extend our service to more people seeking our help." (Full piece, from executive director Cathy Haukedahl, in The Minnesota Lawyer.)

4.10.13 – the Obama Administration's FY2014 budget proposal would provide $430 million in funding for the Legal Services Corporation, "…an increase of $90 million over current funding and $28 million more than the White House recommended for FY 2013. The recommendation includes $400.3 million (93 percent) for basic field grants, which fund the delivery of civil legal assistance to low–income Americans, and $19.5 million (4.5 percent) for management and grants oversight. It also includes $3.5 million for LSC's Technology Initiative Grants (TIG), $1.5 million for a new Pro Bono Innovation Fund, $1 million for the Herbert L. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program, and $4.2 million for the Office of Inspector General."

Recall that LSC itself is asking Congress for $486 million in FY 2014.

4.11.13 – the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments in the dispute between California Rural Legal Assistance and the Legal Services Corporation over the scope of an LSC subpoena concerning CRLA records. This is part of a long–running LSC Office of Inspector General investigation of CRLA activity. (Here's coverage of the run–up to the appellate hearing, from the California Report and McClatchy News Service.)

4.8.13 – "Despite steep federal funding cuts, legal services for the poor are protected in Maryland – for now. In the final hours of the 2013 session, the Maryland General Assembly is acting to soften the blow of federal budget reductions to the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau, which have topped $1 million over the past two years. The Maryland House and Senate are extending state–level funding sources for the bureau, including a civil court filing–fee surcharge that was set to expire this year." (Story from the Public News Service.)

4.8.13 – new OSI grants going to nonprof coalitions to fund joint projects

4.3.13 — from the Wisconsin State Bar: "As lawmakers prepare the state budget, the State Bar of Wisconsin encourages restored state funding for free or reduced-fee legal services that will help the state's poor when facing civil matters with life-altering consequences... Currently, these agencies are funded by Wisconsin lawyers, federal and private grants. In 2011, the Wisconsin Legislature completely eliminated general purpose state funding for civil legal services, making Wisconsin one of just four states to do so. Previously, the state made a $1 million appropriation for civil legal services in 2008, a $1.9 million appropriation in 2009, and a $2.5 million appropriation in 2010. Although there's a projected $420 million surplus for fiscal years 2013-15, Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget does not restore civil legal service funding."

3.28.13 — Public Welfare Foundation president Mary McClymont, writing in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, makes the case for how and why charitable funders should support civil legal aid: "...[G]rant makers have an opportunity not just to help advance equal access to justice but also to make progress on other issues, such as affordable housing, access to health care, education reform, economic development, income security, domestic violence, and help for children and families. We should recognize that civil legal aid can serve as a significant grant-making tool, similar to community organizing, advocacy, or research. It adds value to the work grant makers already undertake."

3.28.13 — the DC Bar Foundation announced that it has awarded $3.17 million in publicly-funded Access to Justice grants to a variety of legal services providers: "Among other strong programs funded this year, FY13 ATJ Grant awards include a ground-breaking project, run by Ayuda, to end fraudulent practices by notarios who prey on vulnerable immigrant communities in DC; and funding to anchor legal services to low-wage workers in Southeast DC, through the DC Employment Justice Center."

Public funding notwithstanding, the legal-aid funding picture is far from bright. This Washington Post piece highlights continued IOLTA woes.

3.27.13 — LSC tweeted — yes, it's a verb — a weblink for a page that "highlights [technology] projects and resources designed to increase efficiency and enhance service delivery for LSC grantees." It's a good way for legal aid providers and other ATJ stakeholders to see how their peers are using technology to serve clients.

3.27.12 — the JusticeCorps project, which originated in California, has taken root in Illinois. The JusticeCorps concept is to train college students to provide resources/support to pro se litigants. This piece highlights a project, run out of Illinois State University, which is leveraging AmeriCorps funding to staff a courthouse self-help desk. The Chicago Bar Foundation and Prairie State Legal Services are engaged in these JusticeCorps efforts.

3.27.13 — the Texas ATJ community has had successes in promoting legal aid funding's importance among the general public. Here the San Antonio Express-News editorial board calls for more state funding: "Texas is woefully remiss in meeting the needs of poor citizens who qualify for free legal aid, and the state cannot afford to reduce public funding for the service. Only one legal aid lawyer is available for every 11,512 Texans who qualify for the services, according to the Texas Access to Justice Foundation."

3.23.13 — a grant from Wyoming's first-ever state-funded legal aid entity is empowering a new telephone hotline project. The project is run by the state's LSC grantee, Legal Aid of Wyoming. The new state-funded entity is — and beware the similar name — the Wyoming Center for Legal Aid. The Center, a "new judicial entity of the Wyoming Supreme Court, was created on April 19, 2011, a year after the Legislature passed the Wyoming Civil Legal Services Act. The center receives money from a $10 filing fee for civil legal actions." (Here's the full Casper Star-Tribune article.)

3.20.13 — Legal Services of New Jersey goes to the state senate with a plea for additional funding to stave off layoffs and service cuts: "The main state organization providing legal representation to poor New Jerseyans asked the Senate Budget Committee for additional state aid Wednesday to prevent layoffs and help end an ongoing budget crisis. Steep drop-offs in several funding sources has forced [LSNJ] to reduce its staff from 720 in 2008 to less than 400 today, and only one in six low-income residents seeking legal representation in cases ranging from domestic violence to tenant issues can get it. And president Melville D. Miller told the committee he was preparing to lay off another 30 employees Wednesday." (Story from The Record.)

3.16.13 (Maine) — The new "Lawyers In Libraries" program is an "outreach effort coordinated by the Volunteer Lawyers Project, or VLP. A grant allows VLP to arrange clinics by video conference; a lawyer speaks in real time at one location while people at libraries across the state watch and listen. After the lawyer's presentation, viewers can ask general questions about the law, although the lawyer cannot serve as a questioner's legal representative." (Story from the Bangor Daily News.)

3.14.13 (California) — "A coalition of legal aid groups is suing the Los Angeles County Superior Court and the state for allegedly denying minority and disabled residents access to justice to by shutting down courthouses. The lawsuit was filed in federal court Wednesday afternoon. It's aimed at a plan set to take effect Monday that would cut court tenant dispute services in 26 courthouses throughout the county." (Story from KPCC.)

3.11.13 (New York) — Probono.net showcases a joint project with MFY Legal Services that uses technology to help distressed consumers. "With a grant from the New York Community Trust, we are leveraging technology and legal expertise to help New Yorkers sued for consumer debt or harassed by credit agencies. The new NYC Consumer Debt Defense Project puts information in the hands of low-income New Yorkers sued for consumer issues and increases the capabilities of the attorneys serving them. Last month, we launched the new, automated legal forms for pro se litigants, giving low-income New Yorkers the tools to advocate for themselves. The information is available on LawHelpNY."

3.5.13 (Massachusetts) — "A collaboration of legal services programs in the state today launched a new pilot project to provide legal help to people facing evictions in MetroWest and Worcester County. Funded by a $400,000 grant from Attorney General Martha Coakley's office, the HomeCorps Homelessness Prevention Project will provide free representation to low-income tenants and landlords in Worcester Housing Court and Framingham District Court. As manager of the project, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute will be working with regional legal services providers, including MetroWest Legal Services in Framingham, as well as a special advisory panel." (Full story from the MetroWest Daily News.)

2.20.13 (Texas) — the Texas legal aid community, with some high-court backing, is seeking much-needed funding from the state legislature. From the Austin American- Statesman: "For the third consecutive legislative session, advocates for legal aid programs are scrambling to cobble together enough state money to help tens of thousands of low-income Texans navigate…life-altering problems. House and Senate budget negotiators recently agreed to renew a $17.6 million allocation for 2014-15, providing legal aid to about 100,000 people a year, but the money will meet only 20 percent of the estimated demand, Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht said Wednesday. 'This is a very dire situation,' Hecht said during a news conference at the Capitol. 'People don't have access to a lawyer and, therefore, access to the justice to which they are entitled'." Here is more coverage from the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram and the Houston Chronicle.

Updated: 05/20/2013