Legal Talk Network Interviews
The Legal Talk Network did several interviews at the 2018 ABA/NLADA Equal Justice Conferenc
- ABA Retirees Discuss Access to Justice: Interview with Steve Scudder, Terry Brooks, Beverly Groudine & Will Hornsby
- Anti-Human Trafficking Litigation
- Civil Right to Counsel in the Trump Era
- Developing Partnership for Legal Field Research
- Educating Legislators About Legal Aid 2.0
- Ethics in the Age of Innovation
- Pro Bono Legal Services in Disaster Relief
- Storytelling Through Digital Media
- The Criminalization of Poverty
Session Materials
#Engage: Get social (media) with your volunteers, board members, clients, and more!
- Maria Duvuvuei, Community Legal Aid, Akron, OH
- Claud Nelson, The Florida Bar Foundation, Maitland, FL
- Julia Wilson, OneJustice, San Francisco, CA
Over 2.5 billion people today have social media accounts, and the average person spends more than 2 hours on them each day. Whether you’re a social media master or have never sent a tweet, this interactive session will share some tricks and tools to help engage your audience, no matter who they are.
15 Steps to a More LGBT Inclusive Program
- Lisa Cisneros, California Rural Legal Assistance, Watsonville, CA
- Xander Karsten, LegalServer, Chicago, IL
- Lillian M. Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY
- James Sandman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
Not sure where to start when thinking through LGBT inclusion? Looking for more than just the basics? This session aims to provide a variety of useful tools and practices that you can implement regardless of where you or your agency currently stands in addressing the needs of LGBT communities, both clients and staff. Come join us as we explore 15 actions you can take to make your program or practice more inclusive of LGBT communities. We'll examine simple steps taking just 5 minutes to implement through complex ways of pushing yourself and your agency to examine what inclusivity means and what it looks like in practice. With a diverse panel of practitioners, we'll walk through various aspects of service delivery, staff and pro bono training, data collection and much more.
50 Tech Tips
- David Bonebrake, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Fransico, CA
- Glenn Rawdon, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Jane Ribadeneyra, Legal Services Corporation, portland, OR
50 new technology tips! This fast-paced session will provide tips about free and low-cost tools, apps and software to help improve your efficiency and effectiveness in providing legal assistance to the low-income community._x000D_ This session will help further equal justice for diverse client communities or workplaces by providing advocates with technology tips and tools that can help them do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Tips will be geared toward specific legal applications and general software tips and tools that address common challenges
A Client Centered Approach to Technological Solutions for Service Delivery
- Sandhya Kidd, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Sara Raffer Lee, Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc., San Diego, CA
- Angie Wagenhals, Montana Legal Services Association, Helena, MT
- Mary Zimmerman, Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc., Boise, ID
Working on a new technology project? Want to hear what other programs have tried? This session is for you! We will explore lessons learned through the development of legally empowering technologies designed to bolster pro bono services in both rural and urban settings. The session will cover lessons learned using Pro Bono Innovation Fund grant money and offer participants real world solutions for a variety of challenges involved. Participants will be encouraged to discuss their own technology projects and to work together with the panelists to come up with creative solutions.
A New Tool of Civil Practice: Victims' Rights Enforcement
- Ann Cofell, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, Minneapolis, MN
- Meg Garvin, National Crime Victim Law Institute, Portland, OR
- Kathrina Peterson, U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC
Clients receiving civil legal assistance are often involved in parallel criminal proceedings against their perpetrator. Drawing on concrete examples, this session will strengthen attorneys’ ability to serve clients by providing an overview of victims’ rights, identifying legal advocacy tools for rights enforcement, and articulating strategies for forging new partnerships.
A Statewide Collaborative Pro Bono Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Project
- Pablo Almaguer, Texas Riogrande Legal Aid, Edinburg, TX
- Linda S. Good, Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston, TX
- William Marple, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Fort Worth, TX
Learn how 3 LSC-organizations pooled resources and collaborated with sitting judges, trustees, and practitioners to create a statewide program to fill an unmet need for Chapter 7 bankruptcies and how you can, too.
Advancing Your Work Through Federal Funding: Human Trafficking, Reentry, and Veterans
- Arielle Altman, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Washington, DC
- Ken Babcock, Public Law Center, Santa Ana, CA
- Lorin Kline, Legal Aid Association of California, Oakland, CA
- Karen Lash, American University, Washington, DC
- Andrea Loney, South Carolina Legal Services, Columbia, SC
- Kate Marr, Legal Aid Society of Orange County, Santa Ana, CA
- Maxine Pulliam, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
This session will focus on civil legal aid’s ability to advance the objectives of federally-funded initiatives to serve veterans and their families, ensure the safety and security of human trafficking survivors, and help facilitate successful reentry. Presenters will share information, ideas, and experiences on accessing and implementing federal grants in these three areas. Participants also will have the opportunity to discuss their successes, raise issues of mutual concern, and learn from one another about activities and services that can be supported by these funds.
Anything But In Person
- Stacey Marz, Alaska Family Law Self-Help Center, Anchorage, AK
- Mike Williams, Bronx Family Court, New York, Bronx, NY
- Mary Zimmerman, Idaho Legal Aid Services, Boise, ID
The users of court, lawyer and legal aid services now expect to access information and services on line, by telephone, or by video conference. We will show how technology enables users to obtain legal help, translation services, and court proceedings without having to travel to an office or courthouse.
Assessing Outcomes Of Systemic Work: Strong Results And Powerful Stories
- Catherine Carr, Community Legal Services, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
- Alex Gulotta, Bay Area Legal Aid, Oakland, CA
- Ken Smith, The Resource for Great Programs, Inc., Grants Pass, OR
This session will present a new methodology for assessing the outcomes of systemic legal cases and projects. Pilot projects in Virginia and Florida have revealed significant opportunities for applying findings of outcome assessments to strengthen advocacy and tell a more compelling story about the results being achieved for low-income communities.
Automated workflow: A legal helpline case study
- Lukas Bell, Kim Technologies, Asbury Park, NJ
- Timothy D. Hughes, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
- Ann Pruitt, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
This helpline case study will explore how a dynamic case management system can allow legal aid providers to automate workflow (no coding required), integrate with other services like auto generated follow up texts, collaborate with partners inside and outside your organization and improve analytics through artificial intelligence embedded applications
Beyond The Hotline: Expanding Through Live Chat And Pro Bono
- Quisquella Addison, LawHelpNY, New York, NY
- Melissa LaRocco, Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Toledo, OH
- Eve Ricaurte, Iowa Legal Aid, Des Moines, IA
Many legal service organizations provide legal information and referrals through hotlines staffed internally. This panel will invite providers to consider expanding hotline-type services through live chat programs that don't unduly tax staff, take advantage of pro bono, and reach community members where they increasingly seek out information - online.
Beyond The Pro Bono Manual: Mobile-Centric Strategies To Engage And Support
- Mike Grunenwald, Pro Bono Net, New York, NY
- Barbara Siegel, Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association, Boston, MA
Changing trends in the nature of pro bono work, user expectations, and adoption of mobile devices are driving the need to rethink what types of recruitment tools and substantive resources are most effective for volunteers. At the same time, technology is allowing legal aid programs to provide more comprehensive support to volunteer attorneys in "on the go" settings such as clinics, outreach settings, and in court. In 2017, several new LSC-funded initiatives launched in response to these trends and opportunities. Panelists will highlight new, mobile-first volunteer engagement tools, online settlement checklists, practice toolkits and other technologies that make it easier for volunteers to take on or increase their pro bono work. We will share feedback from volunteers that informed the development of these tools and opportunities for replication.
Breaking Free: Pro Bono Anti-Human Trafficking Litigation
- Patrick M. Arenz, Robins Kaplan LLP, Minneapolis, MN
- Faith M. Morse, Andersen Morse & Linthorst, Medford, OR
- Vincent T. Nappo, Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC, Seattle, WA
- Martina Vandenberg, The Human Trafficking Legal Center, Washington, DC
Human trafficking is one of the greatest crimes against humanity. But few understand exactly what it is. This panel will provide a background of what human trafficking consists of, provide a primer of statutes/case law that provide relief to survivors, and identify areas of need for attorneys to help.
Building A Brief Legal Services Helpline From The Ground Up
- Erin L. Cody, Center for Elder Law and Justice, Buffalo, NY
- Nicole Komin, Center for Elder Law and Justice, Buffalo, NY
Participants will learn how to build a brief services helpline, including initial planning, format/delivery method selection, development of resources for helpline attorneys, implementation, and outreach best practices. Participants will learn how to retain the best volunteer attorney staffers and which helpline formats best align with their agencies' goals.
Business Process Improvement: Tackling Hard Challenges To Serving Clients
- Amy Burns, Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc., Stuart, FL
- Kristen Lentz, Disability Rights Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Ilenia Sanchez-Bryson, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., Miami, FL
The panel will discuss the Business Process Improvement (BPI) method and how 2 Florida programs used BPI to better serve clients and increase access to their services. BPI enabled the programs to identify the root cause of their intake challenges and make significant changes to better serve the community.
Civil Right to Counsel in the Trump Era: Protecting Vulnerable Communities from Fees/Fines, Deportation, Increased Inequity, and More
- Ahilan Arulanantham, ACLU of Southern California, Boston, MA
- Lisa Foster, Fines and Fees Justice Center, Washington, DC
- John Pollock, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, Baltimore, MD
- Andrew Scherer, New York Law School, New York, NY
The Trump Administration has explored or initiated efforts to expand mass incarceration, deportation, and asset seizing, as well as to cut legal aid and to pursue a range of other policies that magnify inequality. This has increased the need, and also awareness of the need, for a right to counsel in critical civil cases to protect the fundamental rights and interests of vulnerable people. This panel will examine current right to counsel advocacy efforts at the federal, state and local level in areas of amplified need, such as failure to pay fees/fines or child support (often called "debtor’s prison"), immigration removal proceedings, civil asset forfeiture, eviction defense, and more.
Clinic Is Not A 4 Letter Word: Creating Impactful Pro Bono Clinics
- Brenna DeVaney, Skadden, Chicago, IL
- Adam Heintz, LSNYC, New York, NY
Many legal providers have significant concerns about the utility of clinics. But what if clinics could move far beyond limited scope, to deliver quality legal services on a whole new scale? Speakers will discuss three successful models: clinic-plus; mega-clinics; and on-going monthly clinics. Participants will brainstorm challenges about clinics and the potential solutions.
Collaborating To Engage Future Pro Bono Leaders
- Marlene Halpern, Center for Reproductive Rights, New York, NY
- Marcia Levy, Columbia Law School, New York, NY
- Laren Spirer, Columbia Law School, New York, NY
- Benjamin Weinberg, Dentons, Chicago, IL
The Session will explore innovative collaborations between law schools, nonprofits, and law firm or corporate pro bono that engage students in pro bono as they face critical choices about their professional development. In this interactive session, we will explore various models that work: Externship programs that engage law firm and corporate pro bono with nonprofits partners and students; student run projects in collaboration with nonprofits and/or law firms or companies; classes devoted to pro bono theory and projects. We will brainstorm other ways to engage the next generation at the student or "lawyer in training" stage, so that wherever they choose to work, they are empowered to lead the pro bono effort.
Collaborating With Other Organizations To Increase Access And Resources
- Juliet Holmes-Smith, Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, Portland, ME
This session will describe how collaborations with other non legal community organizations can enhance support for specific client groups and increase their access to legal representation. Additionally, ways of building collaborations that lessen the burden of intake and triage of cases for a pro bono project will be explored. Finally, the benefits of relationship building and cross training with non legal community organizations will be examined.
Collaborations with Corporations
- Marnie Berk, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, New York, NY
- Brenna DeVaney, Skadden, Chicago, IL
- Jennifer Kroman, Cleary Gottlieb, New York, NY
- Erin Law, Morgan Stanley, New York, NY
- Benjamin Rader, Goldman Sachs Foundation and Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund, New York, NY
An exploration of successful pro bono partnership projects with legal service providers, law firms and corporations. These collaborations, when done right, can be exceedingly effective at addressing unmet legal needs. What are the necessary ingredients to making these long partnerships work over time? What are the obstacles? We will discuss successful models as a vehicle for exploring the elements to high functioning partnerships.
Combating Hate: A National Campaign to Protect and Defend Targets of Hate
- Shirlethia V. Franklin, Jones Day, Washington, DC
- Barbara Mack Harding, Jones Day, Washington, DC
- Becky Monroe, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Washington, DC
Hate-related incidents have increased over the past several years as the country becomes more polarized and individuals influenced by white nationalist, neo-Nazi and anti-Muslim ideologies are emboldened by nationalist and racist rhetoric. This session will describe national efforts by volunteer attorneys and premier civil rights organizations to combat extremism and stem the tide of targeted campaigns of hate-inspired intimidation, harassment, threats, trespass, and violence.
Cracking The Code: "Mentoring And Supervision" Of Pro Bono Attorneys
- Kelly Tautges, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Minneapolis, MN
- Julia Wilson, OneJustice, Los Angeles, CA
What do we mean by "mentoring and supervision" for pro bono attorneys working in unfamiliar areas of law? This session will break down the activities encompassed by these terms and explore how legal aid organizations and law firms can more efficiently deliver support and more clearly communicate about resources and expectations.
Creating a Legal Service Roadmap to Disaster Preparedness and Resiliency
- Moderator Martin Costello, LSC Disaster Team, Washington, DC
- John Eidleman, LSC Disaster Team, Washington, DC
- Lisa Gavin, Iowa Legal Aid, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Shirley Pang, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
The hurricanes and wildfires of 2017 indicate that disasters are occurring with greater fury and frequency. It is imperative that the legal services community prepare for future disasters. LSC’s Midwest Legal Disaster Coordination Project has worked to improve the resilience of low-income communities by fostering relationships between emergency management, disaster preparedness community, and legal service providers. Both have developed templates capturing this work that can be replicated to develop disaster preparedness. Legal service providers in Florida over years of disaster experience and New York in Superstorm Sandy have learned crucial lessons for disaster preparedness. The panel will share the best practices and help other organizations develop preparedness and resilience plans.
Creating A Pro Bono Partnership To Close The School-To-Prison-Pipeline
- Michele G. Scavongelli, Esq, The EdLaw Project, Boston, MA
- Alison Sclater, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, New York, NY
Access to education can have a lifelong, positive impact on the lives of youth. Learn about an innovative project that leverages resources through a pro bono partnership to expand education advocacy for youth at risk. Panelists will present how their multi-year pro bono partnership has dramatically increased the number of low-income youth who have received education advocacy to keep them in school and out of the school-to-prison-pipeline.
Creating And Funding Legal Services For Youth Experiencing Homelessness
- Linda Britton, American Bar Association, Washington, DC
- Amy Horton-Newell, American Bar Association, Washington, DC
- Erin Palacios, Bay Area Legal Aid, Oakland, CA
- Whiquitta 'Kee' Tobar, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Learn about the emerging national Homeless Youth Legal Network and how to develop and fund new projects through existing civil legal services or pro bono projects. HYLN pilot sites will highlight their models and discuss innovative funding streams as well as data and talking points that resonate with funders.
Creating Your Own Justice League: The Legal Services Alabama High Impact Team
- Joseph Abrams, Legal Services of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
- Michael Forton, Legal Services of Alabama, Huntsville, AL
- Farah Majid, Legal Services of Alabama, Huntsville, AL
In 2017 LSA undertook the creation of a special unit designated as our Hit Impact team. Staff applied from across the state and selected seven attorneys to identify, analyze and litigate the most important cases to our client populations. The session would discuss the lessons we learned, how the team functioned and the success we have begun to see.
Cy Pres Awards and Legal Aid: A Win-Win Solution for All
- Bill Boies, McDermott Will & Emery LLP, Chicago, IL
- Salena Copeland, Legal Aid Association of California, Oakland, CA
- Bob Glaves, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL
Cy Pres funds, a/k/a residual funds in class action cases, have been an important source of funding for legal aid and access to justice in recent years. At this session you will learn more about cy pres awards to legal aid and why they can be a win-win solution for the court and the parties to the case, get practical tips from states that have mounted successful educational campaigns for the bench and bar, and have the opportunity to share your own successes and challenges on this front.
Delivering Innovative And Inclusive Services For Transgender Individuals
- Kirsten Anderson, Southern Legal Counsel, Inc., Gainesville, FL
- Simone Chriss, Southern Legal Counsel, Gainesville, FL
- Joseph Schieffer, Florida Justice Technology Center, Tallahassee, FL
This workshop provide participants with tools to deliver culturally competent and inclusive legal services to transgender clients. Participants will discuss increasing access to justice through the use of technology, pro bono, and community-based legal clinics and strategize about service delivery innovations to meet the unique needs of transgender clients.
Delivery Innovations In Referrals From A Senior Legal Hotline
- Ellen Cheek, Bay Area Legal Services Inc., The Florida Senior Legal Helpline, Tampa Bay, FL
- Laurie Heer Dale, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
- Keith Morris, Elder Law of Michigan, Lansing, MI
- Mike Walters, Pro Seniors, Inc., Cincinnati, OH
One of the most challenging aspects of delivering legal services is how to refer a client to another program. Four senior legal hotline mangers explain recent innovations in referring clients directly from their legal hotline to other legal (and social) service programs.
Developing Partnerships for Legal Field Research
- April Faith-Slaker, Access to Justice Lab, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
- Amy Johnson, Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, Little Rock, AR
- Ellen Lawton, The National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership, Department of Health Policy & Management, The Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Developing and launching field research in the legal profession requires significant coordination between service providers and investigators. Mutual understanding of each partner’s internal processes and objectives is vital to a successful operation. Learn from panelists representing three varied institutions about their experiences collaborating to improve empirical research in the law.
Developing Technology To Develop Justice
- William Palin, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
- Jonathan Pyle, Philadelphia Legal Assistance, Philadelphia, PA
- Ericka Rickard, Harvard Access to Justice Lab, Cambridge, MA
An rapidly evolving tool in the access to justice toolkit is the use of technology. The legal services field is increasingly exploring machine learning, document automation, and other technologies to improve service delivery. In this interactive session, we shift beyond outdated tools and focus on new technologies adapted to attorney, law student and client needs.
Developments in Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- David Miller, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Washington, DC
- Radhika Singh, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Washington, DC
This presentation will provide legal staff and employers with concrete advice on navigating the increasingly complex universe of federal student loan repayment and forgiveness options. It also will cover new developments, including the possible capping or elimination of Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
Discovering Pro Bono Design Inspiration in Non-Legal and Legal Volunteer Models
- Xavier Leonard, The San Diego Foundation, San Diego, CA
- Ariella L. Morrison, OneJustice, Los Angeles, CA
- Renée J. Schomp, OneJustice, San Francisco, CA
In a world of constant innovations, how can the legal sector learn about impactful pro bono project design from successful NON-legal volunteer models? This session intertwines challenging, hands-on pro bono design activities with lessons learned from experts in successful, creative volunteer program design and management from three divergent sectors: conflict resolution, technology, and law.
Due Process & Ethics In The Age Of Tech And Innovations In The Justice System (ETHICS)
- Abhijeet Chavan, Urban Insight, Inc., Los Angeles, CA
- Jonathon Pyle, Philadelphia Legal Assistance, Philadelphia, PA
- Angela Tripp, Michigan Legal Help Program, Ann Arbort, MI
Courts, legal service providers, and others in the justice community are increasingly adopting new technologies like machine learning, Big Data analytics, e-filing, automated triage, and on-line dispute resolution. New technologies always offer a mixture of risks and opportunities, but how do decision-makers cut through the hype they read in the press and the sales pitches they hear from vendors? This interactive session will start a conversation within the larger justice community about how we can inform and guide decision-makers so that these technologies are implemented in ways that protect the interests of our client populations. We need to ensure that ethics and policy considerations drive technology instead of technology and innovations mandating policy and practice changes. We will explore questions such as: How do we prevent software vendors from effectively setting policy within courts and government agencies? Has delegation of traditional court functions to vendors go too far? Promoting on-line dispute resolution has the potential for access to justice, but how can courts ensure that litigants still have a meaningful right to their day in court? When courts use AI to help litigants find information, how can they ensure the systems are providing high quality service? How far should legal aid organizations go in delegating tasks like triage and intake to technology? Court data may be "public information," but when it is available easily on the internet, scam artists can get to a defendant before the process server does. What should court clerks know about the dangers of public access systems?
Educating Legislators About Legal Aid 2.0
- Carol Bergman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Nikole Nelson, Alaska Legal Services Corporation, Anchorage, AK
- Moderator Jim Sandman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Vicky Selkowe, Legal Action of Wisconsin, WI
- Betty Balli Torres, Texas Access to Justice Foundation, Austin, TX
This session is designed to build on the workshops we have done for the past few years on how to explain legal aid as constituent services to legislators and staff. Many LSC grantees and other legal aid programs have begun to develop relationships with federal and state legislators and staff; we want to identify ways to build on and expand those connections, e.g., provide training for district caseworkers and involve legislative staff in community outreach efforts.
Engaging Attorneys In Transition In Your Resource Development Programming
- Ana Cruz, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, MA
- Sam Prince, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Fort Worth, TX
- Phong Wong, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Newly licensed attorneys, senior status and retired lawyers require an investment of time and energy to develop into productive donors. There are other lawyers transitioning into law practice too. All offer the promise of financial support. How do we secure it?
Equal Access To Rental Housing: Fighting Subsidy And Racial Discrimination
- Scott Chang, Housing Rights Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Ilene J. Jacobs, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., Marysville, CA
- Becky Moseley, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, McKinney, TX
- Renee Williams, National Housing Law Project, San Francisco, CA
This session directs advocates in exploring legal and policy strategies to address barriers to accessing rental housing, focusing on the specific challenges of source-of-income discrimination (refusing to rent to someone with a housing subsidy), and discrimination, including racial harassment, by other tenants.
Equal Justice For Families: Effective Interdisciplinary Solutions
- Kathleen Creamer, Community Legal Services, Philadelphia, PA
- Leslie Heimov, Children's Law Center of California, Monterey Park, CA
- Amy Kelso, Office of the Respondent Parents' Counsel, Denver, CO
This interactive workshop focuses on the novel interdisciplinary model of representation for children and parents involved in the child welfare system and challenges the structure of a legal system that unjustly makes adversaries of children and parents by pitting the right to family integrity against the right to be safe.
Face To Face Family Preparation Planning For Deportation
- Mindy Rush Chipman, Immigrant Legal Center, an affiliate of the Justice For Our Neighbors Network, Omaha, NE
- Molora Vadnais, Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara, CA
The session will describe family preparation planning for deportation community events matching community advocates and interpreters with families living in fear of deportation. The session will discuss the benefits of one-on-one family preparation planning and how to start such a program.
Fines and Fees: Changes and Challenges
- Lisa Foster, Fines & Fees Justice Center, Washington, DC
- Brandon Greene, East Bay Community Law Center, Berkeley, CA
- Theresa Zhen, East Bay Community Law Center, Berkeley, CA
This panel will provide an update on efforts to reform fines and fees around the country, describe a successful reform campaign, and share strategies that legal aid lawyers and advocates can use in their communities.
Getting Back To Our Community Roots: Anchoring Legal Aid In Health Centers Through Medical-Legal Partnerships
- Ellen Lawton, JD, The National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership, Washington, DC
- Courtney Powers, JD, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
This session will offer a basic review of MLP components, but with a focus on community health centers. Participants will gain a nuanced understanding of the role of CHC's in the healthcare landscape, and how emerging social determinants of health trends are increasing the relevance and interest in MLP for health centers. Participants will hear from national MLP experts who can reinforce the centrality of healthcare engagement and integration as the key to MLP success. Comments and case studies will reflect MLP activity in community health centers. Discussion will focus on how the MLP approach identifies legal needs directly associated with health issues.
Helping Self-Represented Domestic Violence Survivors With Evidence
- Ian Harris, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Washington, DC
- Amanda Kay, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Reno, NV
Domestic violence survivors often are forced to litigate in family court without an attorney. Presenting evidence, particularly tech abuse evidence, is a significant challenge for self-represented litigants. This workshop will present resources to assist litigants and provide insight in how to collaborate to build state-specific resources for survivors.
Hidden Immigration Issues in the Trump Era & the Important Role of Pro Bono
- Catherine Wagner Calderaro, Inner City Law Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Katherine Carroll, New York City Commission on Human Rights, New York, NY
- Susan Hoffman, Crowell & Moring, LLC, Washington, DC
- Joseph A. Sullivan, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Philadelphia, PA
The panel will discuss strategies for pro bono work around immigration-related issues confronting clients in the Trump era that receive less media attention but greatly impact lives, including landlord harassment and discrimination; ICE sweeps of food banks, shelters, and courthouses; sexual assault and domestic violence; and fear of seeking legal services or applying for benefits even in sanctuary cities.
Hot Topics in Legal Aid
- Hon. Lora Livingston, Travis County Courts, Austin, TX
- James Sandman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Don Saunders, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Washington, DC
This session will provide an overview of the most critical issues affecting the delivery of civil legal assistance in the U.S. Among the topics to be covered: 1) LSC funding and challenges in the administration and 115th Congress; 2) other developments at the Legal Services Corporation; 3) Access to Justice Commission highlights; 4) federal developments affecting Public Service Loan Forgiveness; 5) Cy pres challenges; 6) developments at the ABA; 7) non-LSC federal funding update; 8) the Justice for All grant program; and 9) other matters of interest.
How To Start A Transgender Law Clinic In Today's Political Environment – What Went Right (And What Didn’t) From Some People Who Did It
- Dannie Cesena, LGBT Center Orange County, Santa Ana, CA
- Anna Strasburg Davis, University of California Irvine School of Law, Irvine, CA
- Stephen T. Hicklin, The Hicklin Firm, Tustin, CA
The Transgender Law Clinic in Orange County, California began as a random conversation among colleagues who wanted to meet a need and turned into a collaboration of the private bar, the Orange County Superior Court's Self-Help Center, UC Irvine School of Law, and the LGBT Center OC. It hasn’t always been easy, but in two years it has assisted 300 clients, it has been adopted as a project template or a clinical offering by two more schools, and others are considering similar programs. We will talk about how to involve the community in pro bono programs, teach law students to love pro bono work, and develop a sustainable partnership to meet the needs of an insular client base, especially when the landscape seems inhospitable and money is scarce.
Increase and Support Pro Bono Assistance on Limited English Proficient (LEP) Cases
- Sharon Bashan, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Glendale, CA
- Laura Dym Cohen, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA
- Ana Maria Garcia, Esq., Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Glendale, CA
- Phong Wong, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Encouraging volunteers to assist on Pro Bono LEP cases can be difficult. This session will address the perceived barriers that restrict pro bono volunteers and legal services organizations from taking on LEP cases and offer solutions to overcome those barriers. Specifically, the session will highlight (1) the need and obligations for pro bono assistance on LEP cases, (2) showcase the free resources and trainings that can help bridge the LEP knowledge gap, and (3) explore ways to connect and collaborate with parties (pro bono attorneys, legal services orgs, law students, volunteer interpreters) on pro bono LEP opportunities.
Incubating Innovation in the Aloha and Midnight Sun States: Updates on the Justice Portal Initiative
- Nalani Fujimori Kaina, Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI
- Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA
- Stacey Marz, Alaska Court System, Anchorage, AK
- Glenn Rawdon, LSC, Washington, DC
LSC, Microsoft and Pro Bono Net are partnering with Alaska and Hawaii to develop new justice portals to help all people with civil legal needs more easily access assistance. We will highlight findings from user immersion studies and ideation workshops conducted in each state, intersections with Justice for All initiatives, and developments in this project’s cutting-edge technology and partnership strategies.
Integrating Financial Empowerment to Advance Outcomes for Legal Services
- Mary Griffin, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington, DC
- Susan Ingles, South Carolina Legal Services, Greenville, SC
- Chiquisha Robinson, D.C. Public Defender Services' Community Defender Division, Washington, DC
Demonstrating the value of financial empowerment in civil and criminal legal aid settings, this session will provide an overview of CFPB’s financial empowerment initiative (Your Money, Your Goals) and will highlight the use of its Focus on Reentry companion guide in drug court settings. To assess the value of financial empowerment in improving outcomes, the CFPB’s Financial Well-being Scale will be presented with a demonstration of the digital and mobile version of the scale. Incorporating the validated and tested scale into the work of legal aid organizations can help provide a reliable and easy way to track financial well-being outcomes of clients.
Integrating Senior Attorney Volunteers Into The Core Services Of Your Organization
- Thomas Barnard, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
- Deborah Coleman, Coleman Law LLC, Cleveland, OH
- David Kutik, Jones Day, Cleveland, OH
- Gerald (Gerry) Meader, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
- Ann McGowan Porath, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
- Rachel Riemenschneider, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Does your program tap in to the senior volunteer population as effectively as you could? This panel will discuss how to successfully engage and retain senior volunteers. Panelists will outline the benefits, as well as the challenges, of engaging these volunteers in your pro bono program. Learn about the types of opportunities that are best for retired and late career volunteers.
Investments in Innovation: Transformation in Legal Aid Pro Bono
- Ericka Garcia, The Florida Bar Foundation, Maitland, FL
- Sandhya Kidd, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Mytrang Nguyen, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- José R. Padilla, California Rural Legal Assistance, Oakland, CA
- Jeff Ponting, California Rural LegalAssistance, Oakland, CA
LSC’s Pro Bono Innovation Fund and the Florida Bar Foundation have created new programs to initiate culture change and innovation in legal aid pro bono. Their Pro Bono Transformation Grants support organizations who are committed to reinventing and restructuring their entire pro bono program to create one that is high-impact and incorporates pro bono best practices into core, high-priority client services. To date, both funders have committed a total of over $1M for Pro Bono Transformation Grants that will support the rigorous assessment of an organization’s pro bono program, creative problem solving, and the adoption of client-centered pro bono best practices. This session will share the funder and grantee experience with pro bono transformation including resources to promote understanding and replication by others.
It Takes A Village: Getting New Stakeholders Involved With Achieving Access
- Hon. Mark A. Juhas, California Commission on Access to Justice, Los Angeles, CA
- Jennifer M. Lechner, North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission, Raleigh, NC
- Lillian M. Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY
- William B. Sailer, Qualcomm Inc, San Diego, CA
Have you ever struggled with how to work with new players who seem reluctant for reasons you don't understand? This interactive workshop will address the benefits and challenges of expanding the "access to justice" tent, including the "care and feeding" of new coalition members at the federal, state and local level.
Kicking Our Addiction to The War On Drugs: Holistic Strategies to Combat the "Collateral" Civil Consequences
- Rosa Cohen-Cruz, The Bronx Defenders, Bronx, NY
- Alice L. Fontier, The Bronx Defenders, Bronx, NY
- Runa Rajagopal, The Bronx Defenders, Bronx, NY
Over 45 years into the failed war on drugs, we have seen how poor communities of color have been over policed and mass incarcerated for what is essentially a public health crisis. We will explore the data and policies of policing and prosecuting drugs and identify creative, early advocacy strategies and interdisciplinary tools to combat the devastating civil punishments that affect individuals and their families, including evictions and deportations.
Leading for Fundraising Success: an MIE Seminar for Executive Directors and Other Management Staff
- Silvia Argueta, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Martin Ellin, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Atlanta, GA
- Meredith McBurney, MIE, Denver, CO
Are you overly dependent on one or two sources of funding? Do you need more unrestricted revenue? Are you ready to invest more in fundraising but don't know how to get started effectively? This session will help you understand the steps to achieving greater fundraising success: (1) your board and staff share a commitment to invest to raise money; (2) you have strong and sufficient staff to run a fundraising effort; (3) you have dedicated volunteer leadership; (4) you have a well-designed strategic resource development plan and (5) your organization is known and respected in the community.
Legal Risk Management For Advocacy Nonprofits In A Time Of National Change
- Gloria Chun, The Bar Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Sean Delany, Lawyers Alliance for New York, New York, NY
- Elizabeth M. Guggenheimer, Lawyers Alliance for New York, New York, NY
- Rebecca L. O'Toole, Withersworldwide, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Many nonprofits, including legal service providers, want to speak about government policies or encourage voter participation but are unsure of applicable laws. This session will explore how nonprofits can engage in issue advocacy and manage their associated legal risks, with practical tips for pro bono counsel representing these organizations.
Limited Scope, Far-Reaching Impact On ATJ
- Bob Glaves, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL
- Danielle Hirsch, Administrative Office of Illinois Courts, Springfield, IL
- Will Hornsby, ABA Division for Legal Services, Chicago, IL
- Samira Nazem, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL
Limited scope, or unbundled, representation is a powerful tool across the atj spectrum--in legal aid, pro bono, and incubator programs, and as an adjunct to court-based assistance programs--yet is not being used to anywhere near its full potential. Research shows that clients want more of it and courts can benefit from more of it, and with technology is making it possible for people to handle more legal tasks on their own, there is more opportunity than ever before on this front. There are a number of innovative programs and strategies around the country that are showing great promise. Learn more about these successes and discuss how we all can build on these models to significantly expand access to justice.
Looking At The Next Level Of Service Delivery
- Laurie Heer Dale, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
- Keith Morris, Elder Law of Michigan, Lansing, MI
- Katie Strickfaden, Lakeshore Legal Aid, Detroit, MI
The delivery mechanisms of today will not be those of tomorrow. This workshop looks at new ways that programs are delivering legal services, but from the program manager's perspective. It will break down techie talk so that the non-techie can understand the advantages and challenges of the new technology being tested and used.
Master Your Pro Bono Universe: Developing A Framework For Pro Bono Management
- Michael G. Bergmann, Public Interest Law Initiative, Chicago, IL
- Patricia Gerrich, Volunteer Lawyers Program, Phoenix, AZ
- Ginny Martin, New Hampshire Bar Association, Concord, NH
- Jennifer van Dulmen, Community Legal Aid Services, Akron, OH
Pro bono managers work in a fast pace, multi-faceted, and evolving legal environment. They need to manage and improve existing projects, while developing innovative new projects that respond to diverse client needs. This session offers practical tips and a framework for pro bono managers facing these challenges.
MIE Roundtable For Legal Services Executive Directors And Managers
- Jacquelynne J. Bowman, Greater Boston Legal Services, Soughton, MA
- Jan Allen May, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Washington, DC
- Patricia Pap, Management Information Exchange, Boston, MA
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.
Multi-faceted Approach to Increasing Seniors' Access to Justice in Rural Communities
- Catherine Clayton, West Tennessee Legal Services, Jackson, TN
- Ashley Holliday, West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc., Jackson, TN
- Ann J. Pruitt, Tenneesee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
Addressing unmet legal needs of largely rural, rapidly growing aging population thru a combination of 1)cutting edge (TIG grants) and basic (senior-friendly website enhanced with printable fact sheets, comprehensive state-wide resource list, videos, and brochures) technology; 2)targeted outreach & 3)state-wide collaboration with stakeholders throughout TN.
Nabbing The Narrative BACK!: Storytelling Through Tech, Media, Social Media
- Eve Stotland, The Door, New York, NY
- Angela Virgil, Baker McKenzie, Miami, FL
Telling the story of our clients, families, communities, organizations is always critical to gain support, funding, volunteers, resources and so much more. And in this particular time in history, it is at least as critical as it has ever been. How will you grab the passion and concern of those whose support you need is critical. The world will only view the clients and communities we serve if they see it through our eyes. How we tell the story makes all the difference. This session will be full of examples, tips, demos and exercises by the audience to help us tune up our storytelling skills for every day use! How: We plan to actually have news stories about issues and then have someone demo how to tell the story better. We then would allow the room to break into groups to take a few example of stories and retell them themselves in groups and then share the best ones with the group. We will explore - social media storytelling - strategic placement of articles in paper and online print - live storytelling - for press, courts, public statements, etc. - visual storytelling and other mechanisms
New Age Of Immigration: Impact On Communities Of Color
- Tanya Douglas, Manhattan Legal Services, New York, NY
[ Cultural Competency] The landscape of immigration is influx Immigrant communities of Color are disproportionately impacted Experts will provide an overview on ways people enter and remain in United States and how they can stay here or change their status once here as the backdrop to this panel discussion. The bulk of the discussion will center on what's currently going on in the country in terms of enforcement, DACA, ICE in the courthouses and during ICE check-ins, the travel ban, and TPS, and how advocates who do not practice in this area can flag and prepare for immigration issues and the impact of the current policies and consequences for immigrants of color they may represent.
New York City's Groundbreaking New Right to Counsel in Evictions: A Critical Piece in the Struggle for Housing Justice
- Susanna Blankley, Right to Counsel NYC Coalition, New York, NY
- Marika Dias, Legal Services NYC, New York, NY
- Randy Dillard, Community Action for Safe Apartments, Bronx, NY
- Judith Goldiner, Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
- Andrew Scherer, New York Law School, New York, NY
This session will tell the story of the Right to Counsel Coalition, which launched a successful 3-year campaign to make New York City the first city in the US to guarantee a right to an attorney for tenants facing eviction. Coalition members -- lawyers, advocates and tenants -- will draw insights from their perspectives about how this right is key to fighting for other housing rights, including a right to housing, as well as how to implement a new law in a way that reinforces a right and builds tenant power. They will also share lessons learned from the coalition and the campaign, offering insights for other localities.
Oh, The Cool Things We Can Do Together!
- Ana Maria Garcia, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Glendale, CA
- Bonnie R. Hough, Judicial Council of California's Center for Families, Children & the Courts, San Francisco, CA
- Stacey Marz, Self-Help & Language Access Services, Anchorage, AK
Ombudsman Partnership With Legal Services: A Model Approach To Advocating
- Kelly Barrett, Center for Elder Law & Justice, Buffalo, NY
- Lindsay Heckler, Center for Elder Law & Justice, Ombudsman Program, Buffalo, NY
As long term care resident advocates, ombudsmen are an essential resource for providing residents with advocacy and information. The Region 15 Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (Region 15), is unique in NYS in its partnership with the Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ). Through the partnership, CELJ provides residents in long term care settings with direct linkages to free civil legal services, and provides research, resources, and systemic advocacy support to the residents, Region 15, and its ombudsmen volunteers. CELJ does this through its legal liaison. The presentation will focus on how the partnership has improved the lives of nursing home and adult care facility residents and how the partnership is effectuating systemic change in Region 15 (Western NY). We will be educating the attendees about how the CELJ legal liaison assists in volunteer ombudsman training and guidance on state and federal regulations, systemic advocacy measures Region 15 is championing (specifically Jimmo and resident capacity to make decisions), and how the partnership promotes resident autonomy and advocacy.
Opening Doors for Marginalized Entrepreneurs
- Shanila Ali, Esq., Volunteers of Legal Service, New York, NY
- Andrea Beleno Harrington, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Austin, TX
- Darryl Maxwell, DC Bar Pro Bono Center, Washington, DC
- Christopher McCauley, Wayfind, Seattle, WA
Entrepreneurship helps marginalized communities attain assets and community revitalization. Business ownership allows the disabled and disenfranchised to succeed on their terms. The private bar in partnership with legal and small business technical assistance providers, can collaborate in support of the growth of small businesses in our nation's most underserved communities.
Paralegal Pro Bono Roundtable (ETHICS)
- Christine Flynn, Haggerty, Goldberg, Schleifer & Kupersmith, Philadelphia, PA
- Teresa Scharf, Paralegal Association of Central Ohio (PACO), Columbus, OH
This session will provide attendees with background and overview of paralegal involvement and assistance in pro bono. Panelists will discuss how and why paralegals participate in pro bono, using the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) Model Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility guidelines and aspirations on pro bono and community service involvement for illustration. Topics will include recruiting and retaining local paralegals to provide assistance in your pro bono agency or organization; appropriate training and tasks; paralegal interaction with clients; potential barriers, including ethical issues, and how to overcome them. The session will close with an open discussion on how to best match the needs of pro bono agencies and organizations with local paralegals in order to increase access to justice.
Partnership Programming, Courts, Legal Aid, And Self Help Centers Working Together To Help Many
- Ana Maria Garcia, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angles County, Los Angeles, CA
- Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, Richland, WA
When every day at 8 am there is a line of people seeking help at your doorstep, your program needs to develop methods and tools to be efficient, effective and provide quality services without compromising quality of compassion. In this workshop we will share how two of the highest volume self help centers in Southern CA run and manage their self help centers to be able to serve all that come in a timely basis. They will share about staffing, work flow, and systems that they use to provide quality services with high quality and high capacity.
Perfect Pro Bono Attorneys: Defining Greatness & Creating More
- Lise Adams, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, Washington, DC
- Rene Kathawala, Orrick, New York, NY
- Michael Winn, Stanford Law School, Stanford, CA
Being a great volunteer attorney takes more than a willingness to help and/or a sense of duty. In this session, participants from firms, nonprofits, in-house groups, and law schools will: (1) identify the attributes of their best pro bono attorneys; and (2) develop plans for how to find and create more of them.
Prison Justice: The Role of Law Students, Law Clinics & Community Partners
- Warren Binford, Willamette University, Salem, OR
- Michelle Christopher QC, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
- Kelsey Forbes, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
- Elizabeth Weisenburger, Michael Oykhman Criminal Defence Lawyers, Calgary, AB
This roundtable session explores the role of law students, law school clinics and community partners in post-conviction legal service delivery to prisoners and/or those on parole. Professional identity formation, social justice orientation, ethics, and diversity are amongst topics to be discussed as we seek to understand how best to partner with community organizations in doing this important work.
Pro Bono Infrastructure: The Top Ten State Laws & Policies for Promoting Pro Bono
- Jamie Gamble, National Center for Access to Justice, New York, NY
- Latonia Haney Keith, Concordia UNiversity School of Law, Boise, ID
- Cheryl Zalenski, ABA Center for Pro Bono, Chicago, IL
Join this discussion of how some states have been improving pro bono services and culture, and how yours can too, by adopting laws, rules and policies which promote pro bono participation, such as (i) requiring pro bono service as a condition to becoming licensed for law practice; (ii) permitting attorneys who take pro bono cases to earn credit toward mandatory CLE requirements; (iii) requiring attorneys to report on certain aspects of pro bono service to maintain their professional licenses to practice; and (iv) waiving professional license requirements for law professors, in-house counsel, retired and inactive attorneys and for out-of-state attorneys assisting individuals and families in a state impacted by a disaster. At the conclusion of the session, we will identify a suggested set of best laws, rules and policies for supporting pro bono, and the reasons for and against the inclusion of each.
Project Safety: A collaborative service model for serving victims of crime
- Riddhi Mukhopadhyay, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish, Seattle, WA
- Connie Ritchie, Eastside Legal Assistance Program, Bellevue, WA
- Natasha Willson, King County Prosecutors Office, Seattle, WA
A three level panel will discuss this unique service model, including a senior official of the King County Prosecuting Attorneys office, the County crime victims advocate, and a NGO service provider who manages the interactions between the county, victims and multiple service providers, including over 1,500 pro bono attorneys . Attendees will be introduced to this unusual combination of partners meeting a common goal.
Research Findings From The Shriver Civil Counsel Pilot Project
- Bonnie R. Hough, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, San Francisco, CA
- Kelly Jarvis, NPC Research, Portland, OR
This session will discuss the findings of an extensive 5 year evaluation of 9 pilot projects which provided representation for low-income persons in cases where the other party was represented. Case types included housing, high-conflict custody, guardianship and conservatorship cases. Participants will learn about the research methods used and what further research is being conducted.
RJ Lawyering 101:enacting An Intersectional Analysis To The Practice Of Law
- Sequoia Ayala, SisterLove, Inc, Atlanta, GA
- Lill Hewko, Transgender Law Center, Oakland, CA
[ Community Lawyering ] This session is designed for attorneys and legal professionals who interact with individuals from marginalized communities, including women of color, LGBTQ folks, immigrant women and families, and low-income individuals. We seek to provide participants with an introduction to reproductive justice lawyering, as well as identify concrete ways to apply the reproductive justice framework to zealous advocacy in order to better serve the needs of disenfranchised communities' access to power and justice using a legal rights and justice based framework.
Road Maps For Justice: Pro Se Litigants In Federal Court
- Cat Itaya, U.S. District Court, EDNY, Brooklyn, NY
- Sharon Katz, Davis Polk, New York, NY
- Hans Romo, NYLAG Legal Clinic for Pro Se Litigants in the Southern District of New York, New York, NY
This session will ask participants to consider how to improve access to justice for unrepresented litigants in the federal courts. Panelists from new Pro Se Litigation Projects in EDNY and SDNY will discuss building collaborations with Clerk's Offices, Court Libraries, law firms, bar associations, and the legal services community.
Show Me The Money: The Role Of Law Firms In Public Civil Legal Aid Funding
- James Bamberger, Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid, Olympia, WA
- Carol Bergman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Steven Schulman, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Washington, DC
Law firms have excelled in pro bono representation, and have given generously to legal services, but have neglected their role in advocating for civil legal aid funding. This panel will engage the audience in discussion of innovative ways for the private bar to advocate for public civil legal aid funding
State Funding Roundtable: Sharing Experiences for Future Success!
- Meredith McBurney, ABA Resource Center for ATJ Initiatives, Denver, CO
This Roundtable is an opportunity for staff and volunteer leaders working to increase state legislative funding for civil legal aid to learn about best practices and discuss issues of concern. Those active in the legislature in 2018 will report on lessons learned that are applicable to other states and we will discuss issues and trends that will help each state preserve and grow this major funding source.
Success at Every Step: Developmental Milestones for Legal Services Professionals
- David Daniels, Public Counsel, Los Angeles, CA
- Ericka Garcia, The Florida Bar Foundation, Maitland, FL
- Samantha Howell, New York State Chapter of National Association of Social Workers, Albany, NY
- Whitney Untiedt, Akerman LLP , Miami, FL
Professionals at legal services organizations focus on making a difference at every phase in their careers. This interactive session will guide discussion about professional milestones and lessons learned, identifying each speaker's most successful ventures; the impact of storytelling on building relationships; and how the speakers’ professional skills have evolved over time.
SWEET: Social Workers And Esquires Engaged Together
- Alexa Giardino, Prisoners’ Legal Services, Albany, NY
- Elena Kilcullen, Prisoners' Legal Services, Albany, NY
- Daniella M. Lachina, Legal Aid of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
[ Role Play ] This session highlights the importance of interdisciplinary work between legal and non-legal professionals. This integrative approach utilizes social workers to provide more holistic services and support to clients that experience disproportionate levels of oppression. This approach increases cultural competency and the ability to support a more expansive population.
Tackling The Opioid Epidemic On Two Fronts Through Medical-Legal Partnership
- Jay Chaudhary, JD, Indiana Legal Services, Indianapolis, IN
Using the framework of medical-legal partnership, this session will unpack the dynamics and challenges of the opioid epidemic, and describe emerging strategies to support substance use disorder initiatives by linking legal aid services with opioid related interventions. In particular, this session will explore the notion of access to civil legal aid through MLP as a “recovery support service,” as well as the logistical and ethical challenges presented by this framework. Speakers will offer insights from the legal and clinical settings, and help participants think about key strategies to reach this especially vulnerable group.
Tapping the Power of the Media to Engage Key Audiences: Op-eds, Story Placement and More
- Martha Bergmark, Voices for Civil Justice, Washington, DC
Engaging the media is key to engaging your program's key audiences, swaying hearts, changing minds, attracting donors and even shaping public policy. In this skill-building session you will learn how to work with the media to get your program's story told through client accounts, case profiles and op-eds. Come learn how to use the media to build your organization's reputation and profile.
Tech Usage In Legal Aid: Gaining Insights From Data, Trends, And Baselines
- David Bonebrake, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Glenn Rawdon, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Jane Ribadeneyra, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
Since 2013, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has used data collected through its annual application process to publish an overview of technology usage in the legal aid community -- https://www.lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/grantee-data/grantee-technology. This session will take a deep-dive into what this data means for both LSC-and non-LSC-funded organizations. It will also compare LSC's grantee data with other benchmarks, such as technology in the broader legal and nonprofit sectors and LSC's Tech Baselines. The panel will explore how emerging trends in several key areas --including case management systems, disaster recovery and backup, and cloud-based call centers -- will impact how legal aid uses technology in the future.
Technology Innovations: New Resources For Legal Aid Providers
- Andrew Arruda, Ross Intelligence, San Francisco, CA
- Molly French, Colorado Legal Services, Denver, CO
- Marty Smith, MetaJure, Inc., Seattle, WA
Understanding how technology can improve access is crucial for today's legal aid providers. Joining forces with legal tech companies, the ABA Center for Innovation is bringing free technology consulting and products to legal services offices. Learn how social entrepreneurship can provide cutting edge technologies to expand legal services nationwide.
The Challenges & Opportunities Of Representing Immigrant Children
- Nirupa Narayan, KIND, Washington, DC
- Monique Sherman, Cooley LLP, Palo Alto, CA
This session will explore how to best utilize pro bono volunteers in projects representing immigrant children. While there is a tremendous need for representation for this population, there are also particular challenges to this type of work, which volunteers must be trained for and prepared to handle.
The Criminalization of Poverty: Homelessness, Bail Reform and Employment
- Tristia Bauman, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, Washington, DC
- Geoff Biegler, Fish & Richardson, San Diego, CA
- Samantha Howell, Esq., NASW-NYS, Albany, NY
A recent increase in policies and practices designed to banish poor people from public spaces and criminalize poverty threatens our nation’s vulnerable populations. This session will discuss state laws criminalizing poverty, as well as litigation, policies, organizing and media strategies that have worked to combat these harmful laws and practices.
The Disaster is Gone -- so Are My Volunteers! Strategies for Pro Bono Engagement During the Response and Recovery Process.
- Pablo Javier Almaguer, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Inc, Edinburg, TX
- Jeffrey R. Baker, Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, CA
- Michael Hofrichter, Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, Houston, TX
- Elizabeth A. Hom, The State Bar of California, San Francisco, CA
- Karen Korr, San Diego County Bar Association, San Diego, CA
- Moderator: Andrew VanSingel, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Chicago, IL
2017 was the costliest year on record for disasters at $306 billion. The response of the legal aid and pro bono community was monumental; however, as the long-term legal needs of disaster survivors begin to surface, volunteer engagement begins to decline. This panel will discuss strategies for pro bono engagement before, during, and long after the disaster, by utilizing technology, law students, the media, and existing resources.
Understanding Your Community For Targeted Outreach
- Renee L. Danser, Esq., Self-Represented Litigation Network, Washington, DC
- Danielle Hirsch, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Chicago, IL
Understanding the dynamics community members face to access justice is important in creating effective delivery models. In this session, panelists will showcase the work the Illinois courts are doing using Geospatial technology to understand existing and future barriers to access to justice in order to inform long-range service delivery planning.
Using Behavioral/Social Sciences As A Next Step In Improving Legal Services
- Sophie Bryan, Philadelphia VIP, Philadelphia, PA
- Adam Murray, Inner City Law Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Patricia Nix-Hodes, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Chicago, IL
- Joseph Sullivan, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Philadelphia, PA
As the need to address fundamental issues continues to grow, is increasing tried-and- true pro bono models the best way to expand services? Or can legal services leverage resources through greater engagement with civic actors (universities and city governments)? Can broader behavioral and social interventions be a key next step to creating solutions that work?
Using Community Lawyering To Promote Racial And Economic Justice
- Carrie Vaughn Cromey, Legal Services of North Florida, Inc., Pensacola, FL
- Oscar Londoño, Community Justice Project, Miami, FL
- Natalie N. Maxwell, Florida Legal Services, Inc., Newberry, FL
By incorporating community lawyering into our practices, legal services programs work with communities to address the systemic causes of injustice faced by our clients. In this interactive session, presenters will introduce community lawyering and how they have implemented it in their practices to promote racial and economic justice.
Using Free Videoconferencing Technology To Expand Access To Justice
- Leah Boucek, San Diego Superior Court, San Diego, CA
- John R. Henzl, San Diego County, San Diego, CA
- Melanie Snider, Self Help Assistance and Referral Program (SHARP), Chico, CA
- Anthony Wisz, Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc., Tucson, AZ
With Skype and other free videoconferencing services, legal services and court programs are able to dramatically expand their reach at minimal cost. Learn how 15 courts are collaborating to provide extensive self-help services via videoconferencing and others are enabling lawyers to meet with clients via Skype in court and legal aid settings. What have they learned? Who are they serving? How does it work?
Using State/National Americorps Members To Close The Justice Gap
- Amy Copperman, AmeriCorps Legal Advocates for Massachusetts, Brockton, MA
- Angela Lovitt, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
- Alison Paul, Montana Legal Services Association, Helena, MT
- Mēghan F. Scott, Montana Legal Services Association, Helena, MT
Learn how legal aid programs in Montana and Hawaii use AmeriCorps resources supported by strong community partnerships to work towards closing the justice gap in their states. You might not be able to travel to Montana or Hawaii, but you can attend this session. It will be almost like, vacation!
Using Technology & Savvy Marketing to Mobilize Pro Bono Attorneys
- Patrick Fodell, OneJustice, San Francisco, CA
- Ericka Garcia, The Florida Bar Foundation, Maitland, FL
- Jeanne L. Nishimoto, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Whitney Marie Untiedt, Akerman LLP, Miami, FL
Busy and tech savvy volunteers want online, easy-to-access information about pro bono opportunities, and organizations are increasingly building systems to keep up with this demand. How do these online tools work and how can organizations ensure volunteers will use them? This session will share key considerations for building an online tool for pro bono opportunities, sharing lessons from systems that have been developed in California and Florida. Panelists will also share their insights on the critical importance of marketing and promotion, a successful product launch, and creating a compelling online pro bono pitch.
VetLex - An Innovation For Connecting Veterans To Lawyers
- Holly L. Christian, ABA Veterans Legal Services Initiative, Chicago, IL
- Brian Longo, Unite Us, New York, NY
- Devin A. Winklosky, Jones Day, Pittsburgh, PA
- Zach Zarnow, Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, Chicago, IL
The ABA and Jones Day have partnered to develop and pilot a national legal referral system for veterans called VetLex. VetLex is an innovative and flexible system that links U.S. Veterans, Veteran service organizations, and qualified pro bono or "low-bono" attorneys nationwide to veterans in need of legal help. Join us to learn more about VetLex, to see a demonstration of the technology, and find out how you can get involved.
Walking Our Race Equity Talk Together
- Kimberly Merchant, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Chicago, IL
- Diana Singleton, Washington State Access to Justice Board, Seattle, WA
- Jennifer Werdell, JustLead Washington, Seattle, WA
As more legal advocates and organizations consider what it means to apply a race equity lens to their work, our equity and justice-focused community is increasingly seeking out promising practices and new strategies. In this highly interactive session we will highlight state and national efforts to prioritize race equity, offer examples of how organizations and coalitions are implementing wide-ranging changes to advance racial justice, and discuss ways that legal advocates and community partners can collaborate across organizations and coalitions to forge a way forward.
We Cannot Grow Enough Zucchini: Why Hunger In America Demands Lawyers Respond
- David A. Lash, O'Melveny & Myers LLP, Los Angeles, CA
- Abby J. Leibman, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Los Angeles, CA
- Al Wallis, Brown Rudnick Center for the Public Interest, Boston, MA
As social safety nets weaken, it is time for the legal community to assist the anti-hunger movement. Vulnerable communities face tragic hunger issues requiring advocacy and representation to preserve, and expand, access to food. In this session, learn the issues and help craft legal/legislative strategies to help those in need.
We've Got Sunshine in Our Pocket...and Other Ways to Ensure Access to Justice
- Nalani Fujimori Kaina, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
- Alison Paul, Montana Legal Services Association, Helena, MT
- Julia Wilson, OneJustice, San Francisco, CA
Uncertainty. Not knowing what's next. Another funding loss. Sometimes it can be hard to maintain dedicated commitment to legal services and pro bono work. Sharing stories and tips to get through tough times, presenters will get you reenergized and exciting about your work again. Come prepared to laugh, smile...and maybe even dance.
What’s On the Horizon: Latest News from ABA Free Legal Answers
- Tali Albukerk, ABA Free Legal Answers, Chicago, IL
- Hannah Allison, Texas Legal Answers, Austin, TX
- Margaret D. Hagan, Stanford Legal Design Lab, Stanford, CA
- George (Buck) T. Lewis, ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Knoxville, TN
- Samantha Sanchez, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
ABA Free Legal Answers -- a national portal for income-eligible individuals to pose civil legal questions to volunteer attorneys -- is currently available in a majority of jurisdictions. Find out the latest in website developments and plans, including disaster response, new research partners, advances in functionality and potential implementation of online dispute resolution and legal wellness checkups.
Who Me, Biased? - Recognizing & Responding to Bias & and Microaggression in the Legal Profession
- Latonia Haney Keith, Concordia University School of Law, Boise, ID
- Lillian Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY, Albany, NY
As our profession is grounded in principles of integrity and objectivity, it can be challenging to accept that implicit bias plays a role in legal practice. But humans are hardwired to be biased; it is just part of who we are. Such bias though can lead to explicit discrimination and prejudice or microaggression (such as micro-insults, micro-invalidations and micro-assaults) based on, for example, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, weight or ability. This interactive session will teach lawyers how to recognize and respond to implicit bias and microagression and implement techniques to mitigate, override, interrupt and confront bias in their legal practice.
Win-Win: Opportunities For Pro Bono Volunteers In Elder Justice
- Anna Burns, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Los Angeles, CA
- Diego Cartagena, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Los Angeles, CA
- Adam Robert Teitelbaum, Gibson Dunn, Los Angeles, CA
As society feels the impact of the "Silver Tsunami," legal services agencies face an increasing number of older community members seeking legal services, particularly around the issue of elder fraud and abuse. Serving older clients can be complex, particularly given that victims of abuse face unique challenges accessing legal services due to factors including physical and cognitive impairments, as well as trauma often perpetrated by family members. This panel will discuss recruiting and training pro bono volunteers to meet the need while also providing person-centered, trauma-informed legal services. Panelists will share a multi-pronged approach to working with pro bono attorneys, law student, and volunteers on elder justice issues, including direct representation on elder fraud litigation, staffing a self-help elder abuse restraining order clinic, delivering Know Your Rights Presentations, and staffing Advance Planning Clinics.
Working The Room For Justice: Building Successful Relationships in Pro Bono and Legal Aid
- Debra Baker, Growth Play, Chicago, IL
- Julie LaEace, Kirkland & Ellis, Chicago, IL
- Phong Wong, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Networking is a critical function for both the legal aid and pro bono professional. Placing new cases, developing new projects, and fundraising all rely on meeting and connecting with new people. From there, work goes into building and maintaining successful relationships. This session will explore the basics of effective networking and relationship building with partners in the legal aid and pro bono community.