Session Materials
- Check out workshop materials in the 2017 EJC DropBox.Use the SCHED tool to navigate the conferencehttps://2017ejc.sched.com/
50 Tech Tips
- David Bonebrake, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA
- Glenn Rawdon, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Jane Ribadeneyra, Legal Services Corporation, Portland, OR
Always a popular session, members of the legal aid technology community present 50 new technology tips! This fast-paced session will provide tips about free and low-cost tools, apps and software to help improve your efficiency and effectiveness in providing legal assistance to the low-income community. Tips will be geared toward specific legal applications and general software tips and tools that address common challenges.
A Collaborative Justice Project Case Study
- Rocky DeYoung, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, Minneapolis, MN
- Eve Runyon, Pro Bono Institute, Washington, DC
- Jim Volling, Faegre Baker Daniels, Minneapolis, MN
Complex problems require large-scale, multi-institutional efforts. This session will introduce attendees to an exciting initiative that is deploying stakeholders from different sectors to collectively develop and implement a measurable plan to reduce and ameliorate a persistent societal problem: successful reentry of released offenders from federal and state prisons.
A New Vocabulary for a New Paradigm: Race, Gender, Language, Inclusion, Identity and More
- Tanya Douglas, Legal Services NYC, New York, NY
- Lillian Moy, Legal Aid Society Northeastern New York, Albany, NY
- Milo Primeaux, Empire Justice Center, Rochester, NY
The concepts and work to achieve equity, racial justice, diversity, language access, immigration reform and inclusion are distinct and yet connected. This workshop will give texture to the language we need to create a new paradigm for meaningful impact, diversity and inclusion. Can we build a language and practice of anti-oppression and inclusion that connects our various struggles while valuing the unique characteristics of each? What are the linkages across diversity, inclusion and equity? Is the language we use really that important? How do they inform and influence one another? What does this mean for our work and our organizations? This session will help advocates explore how best to represent diverse clients in an inclusive manner and culturally sensitive approach
A2J Author Analytics: Using Data to Build Better Automated Forms
- Jessica Frank, Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI), Chicago, IL
- Rochelle Klempner, New York State Courts Access to Justice Program, New York, NY
- John Mayer, Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI), Chicago, IL
- Available Materials
Automated forms work, but why? 3,000,000 people started A2J Guided Interviews, but only generated 1,800,000 documents. Were 1,200,000 people properly screened, or were there problems? Adding analytics tools will allow anonymous tracking of user movements within automated forms to make more efficient, useful tools.
ABA Free Legal Answers: What’s Next
- Tali Albukerk, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL
- Buck Lewis, Baker Donelson, Memphis, TN
- Samantha Sanchez, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
ABA Free Legal Answers launched in August 2016 and is now fully live in more than 20 states, with more to roll out in upcoming months. Panelists will discuss the experience to date as well as plans for continued growth of the site. Hear what participating states have done to recruit attorneys and encourage the client population to use the site for brief questions. Learn strategies to integrate ABA Free Legal Answers into your legal services delivery system, and the benefits of doing so. We will also discuss ways to continue to improve user experiences.
ABC's for Maximizing U Visa Success
- Karen Grisez, Fried Frank, Washington, DC
- Cecelia Friedman Levin, ASISTA, Suffield, CT
- Sheila I Vélez, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
This interactive workshop is for anyone interested in or working with immigrant crime survivors. Which questions best identify potential remedies? Does a victim’s own history affect eligibility? Which emerging issues may affect case outcomes? Explore eligibility requirements for crime survivors, issues frequently arising during representation, and available resources to help.
Access From Anywhere: Remote Delivery of Self-help Services
- Katherine Alteneder, Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN), Washington, DC
Urban and rural courts use technology to help self-represented litigants remotely instead of serving them in-person. This panel will demonstrate why remote delivery is an essential component of the access to justice ecosystem, discussing methods, statutory and rules reform, and the benefits to both litigants and courts of remote delivery.
Addressing Gaps in Legal Services Through Collaborative Legal Incubators
- Amy Duncan, Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans, LA
- Stephanie A. Everett, Lawyers for Equal Justice, Inc., Atlanta, GA
- Fred Rooney, Texas A&M University School of Law, College Station, TX
- Len Zandrow, University of Massachusetts School of Law, Boston, MA
This session will highlight the various models and collaborations that can be formed to develop legal incubator programs that foster viable and sustainable social justice-focused solo practices. Perspectives from a law school (University of Massachusetts School of Law, Justice Bridge), bar association (LIFT Program), and collaborative project involving many organizations (Lawyers for Equal Justice) will be provided.
All About the Benjamins: Pro Bono and Charitable Giving
- Brenna DeVaney, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, Chicago, IL
- Annie Pineda, The Bronx Defenders, Bronx, NY
Should pro bono and charitable giving be linked when public interest organizations and law firms work together? We will examine who pays for civil legal aid and talk through how we might expand charitable giving. Through facilitated "consulting sessions" the audience will reveal everything we need to know about legal services fundraising and corporate giving.
Appellate Pro Bono: A 360-Degree Discussion
- Michelle D. Acosta, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
- Rebecca A. Copeland, Law Office of Rebecca A. Copeland, Honolulu, HI
- Brandon K. Kimura, Hawaii State Judiciary, Honolulu, HI
- Mike S. Truesdale, Law Office of Michael S. Truesdale, Austin, TX
Whether you are just starting an appellate pro bono program or have one already established, learning from one another’s experiences often helps you take your program to the next level. This panel will engage participants in a peer discussion of what works, what may not, and what’s ahead. The workshop will also provide helpful sample forms and templates.
Beyond Plain Language: Building Better Self-help Tools
- Jim Greiner, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
- Margaret Hagan, Stanford Law School’s Center on the Legal Profession, Stanford, CA
- Hallie Jay Pope, Graphic Advocacy Project, Washington, DC
- Erika J. Rickard, Center on the Legal Profession | Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
In this interactive session, we shift beyond the basics of plain language and readability and focus on tools and techniques to make self-help materials that individuals can use effectively. Presenters will explore examples of motivation and self-affirmation theory; formatting, cartoons and illustrations; and user testing and design thinking.
Big Ideas: The Future of Pro Bono
- Kevin Curnin, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, New York, NY
- Sharon Goldsmith, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
- Mark O'Brien, Pro Bono Net, New York, NY
- Eve Runyon, Pro Bono Institute, Washington, DC
- Steve Scudder, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL
- Joe Sullivan, Pepper Hamilton, Philadelphia, PA
- Witold "Vic" Walczak, ACLU of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
This session will envision how pro bono legal services delivery systems might develop over the next five, ten or more years. Attendees will start by examining where pro bono is today as a component of fully engaged legal services models and then, in facilitated small group discussions, will consider innovative approaches in technology, policies and regulations, client-centered approaches, community engagement, program operations and more.
Breaking Barriers to Serving LEP Clients in Pro Bono
- Ana Maria Garcia, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
- Lorin Kline, Legal Aid Association of California, Oakland, CA
- Jeanne Nishimoto, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Despite the growing legal needs of LEP individuals, many organizations lack the training and resources to provide extended legal assistance to non-English speaking clients. In this workshop, participants will learn strategies for meeting the needs of limited English proficient clients by utilizing trained volunteer interpreters. Panelists will discuss challenges faced by organizations, best practices in providing meaningful language access, and the use of technology to provide greater access to justice for traditionally underserved communities.
Bringing Evidence to Bear on Practice
- Christopher L. Griffin, Jr., Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
- Rachel J. Perry, Strategic Data Analytics, Cleveland, OH
- Camille Ward, Voices for Civil Justice, Washington, DC
In small groups and in larger roundtable discussion, participants will develop a realistic research agenda and communications strategy for transforming legal practice through evidence-based principles. By the end of the session participants will be able to: connect with field partners interested in evidence-based practices; apply gold standard research methodologies from non-legal fields to the practice of law; strengthen organizational goals with data collection, analysis, and evaluation; and communicate research-based recommendations internally and externally.
Building a Successful Private Fundraising Campaign
- Meredith McBurney, ABA Resource Center for ATJ Initiatives, Denver, CO
- Joe Tafelski, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), Toledo, OH
Are you starting a private fundraising campaign, or looking to reinvigorate one that has lost momentum? This session is for you. Learn how to develop a strategic fundraising plan; determine which sources to pursue and when; get the staff and volunteer resources you need; and identify first steps for implementation.
Building Relationships with Reporters and Lawmakers to Bolster Local Press
- Dan Glazier, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO
- Melanie Shakarian, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
This panel discussion will focus on ways legal aid providers can attract local press coverage, recruit lawmakers for press events, and foster ongoing engagement from both legislators and journalists. Topics will include: events most likely to attract press interrest, and how to get coverage; moving beyond event coverage to ongoing engagement; recruiting lawmakers for press events or other forms of engagement; understanding the Congressional calendar and its importance in scheduling events; and proper protocol when dealing with legislators.
Building the Culture and Practice of Strategic Advocacy in Civil Legal Aid
- Catherine Carr, NLADA Strategic Advocacy Initiative, Philadelphia, PA
- Jon Laramore, Indiana Legal Services, Indianapolis, IN
- Ed Marks, New Mexico Legal Aid, Albuquerque, NM
- Radhika Singh Miller, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Washington, DC
- Maria Thomas-Jones, Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, Fort Worth, TX
- David Udell, National Center for Access to Justice, New York, NY
As advocates face renewed threats both to legal aid funding and to other critical programs that serve low-income communities, it is particularly important to think strategically about how to best use resources and deliberately plan advocacy to effectively address the problems clients face. Too often programs get stuck doing the same work they’ve always done or not thinking in new and creative ways about how to focus their work. This session will provide information and examples of how managers can provide leadership to move their work in new directions to achieve broad based and lasting results for clients, and will introduce NLADA’s Strategic Advocacy Initiative
Check it Out: Partnering with Libraries to Maximize Resources
- Joan Bellistri, Anne Arundel County Public Law Library, Annapolis, MD
- Jenny Silbiger, Hawaii State Judiciary, Honolulu, HI
- Sara Witman, Gordon Feinblatt, Baltimore, MD
Partnering with libraries expands outreach, increases awareness of your programs, as well as provides support you might not have known was there, including legal research, document delivery, and more. This session will describe library resources available at your fingertips (often at low/no-cost), to assist in access to justice programming
Closing the Justice Gap with Remote Service Delivery
- Mike Grunenwald, Pro Bono Net, Dayton, OH
- Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, Richland, WA
- Lillian Moy, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY
Remote service delivery uses technology to bring legal services to underserved populations. This session will highlight two initiatives: Closing the Gap, a virtual legal assistance platform that combines video conferencing and interactive interviews, and LHI Connect, which facilitates remote review of LawHelp Interactive’s free online forms in unbundled services
Collaborate to Advocate: How Lawyers and Communities Can Work to End Poverty
- Theodore W. Small, Jr., Law Office of Theodore W. Small, P.A., DeLand, FL
- Swapna Yeluri, Homeless Persons Representation Project, Baltimore, MD
- Jeff Yungman, One80 Place Homeless Justice Project, Charleston, SC
This session will highlight model programs and strategies from the ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty’s initiative to identify, promote, and implement best practices for eliminating legal and justice system-related policies, practices, and procedures that unfairly perpetuate or worsen the harmful effects of poverty on low-income people and communities. Presenters will reflect the intersection of race and poverty as well as the disparate treatment and impact of the law and justice systems on communities of color and populations that face other barriers and obstacles to justice such as disability, limited English proficiency, immigrant status, and other factors.
Collaborate! Create an Effective, Culturally Sensitive Hotline for Immigrants
- Mindy Rush Chipman, Justice for our Neighbors-Nebraska, Omaha, NE
- Laurie Heer Dale, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
- Jacob Stodola, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
Immigrant populations in the U.S. are rising. Adequately responding to the demand for legal services requires collaboration. This session highlights a collaborative effort: a unique, cost effective, culturally sensitive intake and referral hotline that meets the unique needs and challenges faced by immigrants struggling to achieve access to justice
Collaborative Clinics: Transformative Partnerships to Promote Access to Expungement Services
- Jamie Gullen, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Katherine McGee, Duane Morris, Philadelphia, PA
- David Trevaskis, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Philadelphia, PA
There is no criminal record too old or too minor to pose a significant barrier to access to opportunities, including employment, housing, education, and family stability. Expunging/sealing records is a life-changing service that can open the door to opportunity for people living in poverty. To keep up with the overwhelming demand for expungement services and to ensure services are reaching the communities that need it most, a new service model is needed. A community-based expungement clinic model built on pro bono help from law students and pro bono lawyers, as well as the expertise of legal services staff, is a powerful avenue for greatly increasing access to justice for people with criminal records.
Collateral Consequences: Representing Criminal Defendants in the Civil Forum
- Stacy Charland, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Harlem, NY
- Matt Knecht, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Harlem, NY
- Vichal Kumar, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Harlem, NY
- Emily Ponder, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Harlem, NY
This panel will discuss the challenges of representing clients charged with crimes in collateral civil proceeding. With the inequities of the criminal justice system as a backdrop, the panel aims to provide advocates with tools to understand and effectively mitigate collateral civil consequences of arrest and conviction.
Court-led Access to Justice Initiatives for Vulnerable Populations
- Karen C. Buck, SeniorLAW Center, Philadelphia, PA
- Denise Colón-Greenaway, NYC Civil Court, New York, NY
- Honorable Paula Francisco Ott, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA
This session will demonstrate how courts have taken leadership in creating initiatives promoting access to justice for vulnerable populations. The session will highlight the work of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s Advisory Council on Elder Justice, and its multi-disciplinary partnerships with legal aid, law enforcement, legislators, private bar and advocates to increase access to justice for elders. It will also feature the NYC Housing Court Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Program, a court-based program that provides judges with trained GALs for appointment when a mentally or physically impaired litigant is "incapable of prosecuting or defending his rights."
Cy Pres: What’s Happening and What Should You Be Doing?
- Bob Glaves, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL
- Stephanie Libhart, Pennsylvania IOLTA Board, Harrisburg, PA
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 hear the latest on what’s happening with cy pres funding around the country, learn practical tips from states who 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 Better Tools to Self-Represented Litigants: Tips for Websites and Document Assembly
- Sam Halpert, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA
- Rochelle Klempner, New York State Courts Access to Justice Program, New York, NY
- Angela Tripp, Michigan Legal Help Program, Ann Arbor, MI
For over ten years, web usability experts such as the Nielsen Norman Group have been critical of the use of PDF files as a way to deliver information online. In this same time period, the growth of document assembly technology has revolutionized the way that we help people draft legal forms. This panel will explore ways to increase the utility of public-facing websites and document assembly interviews - regardless of your underlying platforms. These strategies also minimize the burden of maintenance, and provide richer data which programs can use to understand and improve their services and recount their successes.
Dirty Little Secrets: Confronting Them Together
- Sharon Goldsmith, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Inc, Baltimore, MD
- Kelly Henrici, Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project, Dayton, OH
- Samantha Howell, Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, New York, NY
- Tom Walsh, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Minneapolis, MN
We all have programmatic problems on which we are too uncomfortable to ask our colleagues for help. This cuts us off from each other’s wisdom, crippling our ability to address these issues. Let’s tackle our issues together in a safe and supportive environment! Through an interactive discussion and small group work, we will identify participants’ Top 6 "secret" issues and collaborate on strategies and best practices to address them.
Educating Legislators About Legal Aid
- Carol Bergman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Colleen Cotter, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
- Jim Sandman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Vicky Selkowe, Legal Action of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
- Betty Balli Torres, Texas Access to Justice Foundation, Austin, TX
This sessions will provide a forum to discuss how to explain legal aid as constituent services to legislators and their staff and give executive directors the skills to educate legislators.
Emerging Technology: Envisioning Broad Benefits to Legal Aid
- IV Ashton, LegalServer and Houston.AI, Chicago, IL
- Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net, San Francisco, CA
- David Neumeyer, Virginia Legal Aid Society, Lynchburg, VA
- Roger Skalbeck, University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VA
This session will explore technologies emerging in the private sector and what they mean for nonprofit legal aid programs, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, chat bots, new tools for remote services, the use of speech and data APIs and more. The discussion will be accessible to non-techies and techies alike.
EPIC FAIL: Why Hasn't the Expansion of Law Firm Pro Bono Narrowed the Justice Gap?
- Kevin Curnin, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, New York, NY
- Steven H. Schulman, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Washington, DC
- Angela Vigil, Baker & McKenzie, Miami, FL
Since 1994, law firm pro bono hours have expanded nearly five-fold, and more than 150 lawyers manage law firm pro bono. Legal services organization devote substantial resources to recruiting volunteers. Yet the Justice Gap stubbornly remains: 80% of U.S. civil legal needs go unmet. What do we need to change?
Everybody’s Doing It: Let’s Talk About Ways to Improve the Delivery of Brief Services
- Allen Schwartz, CARPLS, Chicago, IL
- Patricia A. Wrona, CARPLS, Chicago, IL
It’s no secret that only a small percentage of legal aid clients receive extended legal representation. In reality, most legal problems are resolved using some form of brief services (legal advice, document review and drafting and limited 3rd party communications). The average brief service rate for LSC funded programs is nearly 80%. This session will analyze the service that most legal aid clients will receive, and suggest strategies for solving legal problems quicker & more effectively using brief service.
Expanding Cultural and Legal Competency Beyond the Basics: Serving Transgender Clients
- Lisa Cisneros, California Rural Legal Assistance, Watsonville, CA
- Noah Lewis, Transcend Legal, New York, NY
- Ming Wong, National Center for Lesbian Rights, San Francisco, CA
Recently expanded legal protections for transgender people face an uncertain future. Transgender people need culturally competent, informed and supported legal advocates. This session will focus on the cultural competencies necessary in serving transgender clients, the national landscape of organizations dedicated to working with and for the transgender community and the impact legal advocates have on the national conversation.
Experience the Effectiveness of the Collaborative Process to Resolve Conflict
- Devin Hallett Snyder, Hallett Snyder Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Paula Hopkins, Pitt Legal Services Incubator, Pittsburgh, PA
- Karen J. Levitt, Levitt Law Group, Chelmsford, MA
Set aside everything you know about advocating for your client’s interests in an adversarial way. The collaborative law process works toward an out-of-court resolution that meets the identified goals and interests of the parties. In this workshop, the process is explained, including a step-by-step walk through of the negotiation. The workshop culminates with the attendees practicing what they have learned in a role-playing exercise.
Financial Exploitation Protective Orders for Vulnerable Adults: Stopping Abuse, Healing Families
- Cathy McConnell, West Virginia Senior Legal Aid, Morgantown, WV
- Jennifer Narog Taylor, Legal Aid of West Virginia, Charleston, WV
- Joyce Yedlosky, West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Fairmont, WV
How can we stop financial exploitation perpetrated against a senior or vulnerable adult by a trusted exploiter but still preserve the victim's autonomy to maintain the relationship if she chooses? West Virginia partners created a Financial Exploitation Protective Order, a new a tool to stop the financial bleeding that that can be obtained without legal representation. Criminal prosecution or a civil lawsuit may be out of reach for a senior who is victimized by beloved family or friend, especially where there is undue influence. This order helps fill the gap.
Getting to Yes: Top 10 Reasons Law Firm Partners Will or Won't Do Pro Bono
- Brenna K DeVaney, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom, Chicago, IL
- Jennifer L. Kroman, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, New York, NY
- Louis Sartori, The Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
Hear the insider perspectives on what makes law firm partners say yes to pro bono work. Panelists will discuss the results of a qualitative study of the Top 10 reasons law firm partners are motivated to do pro bono and obstacles that keep partners from volunteering. This session will involve participants in a guided, collaborative brainstorm to develop mechanisms to get partners from thinking about pro bono to doing pro bono.
Holistic Legal Services: Models and Uses
- Jonathon Budd, KidsVoice, Pittsburgh, PA
- Katie Danielson, The Bar Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Carolyn Gold, The Bar Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Heather Wilkes, KidsVoice, Pittsburgh, PA
Learn how lawyers successfully partner with social workers working within legal services organizations and those based at other social service non-profits to address underlying social service needs that are contributing to or exacerbating clients presenting legal issues. Examples in housing, benefits advocacy and dependency cases will be shared, as well as best practices for replication.
Hot Topics in Civil Right to Counsel: Pilots, Research Results, Legislation
- Lise Adams, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, Washington, DC
- Mike Grunenwald, Pro Bono Net, Washington, DC
- Mairi McKeever, Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Assocation of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- John Pollock, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, Baltimore, MD
The civil right to counsel movement has gained national momentum, leading to a massive uptick in legislation, litigation, and research. We'll provide updates on projects in California, San Francisco and D.C. as well as groundbreaking litigation and legislation involving housing, domestic violence, child custody, and debtor's prison.
Hot Topics in Legal Aid
- Hon. Lora Livingston, American Bar Association, 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) Bank of America distributions; 6) developments at the ABA; 7) non-LSC federal funding update; and 8) other matters of interest.
How to Build Statewide Web-based Legal Services Networks
- Jessica Alas, Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston, TX
- Abhijeet Chavan, Urban Insight, Inc., Los Angeles, CA
- Ericka Garcia, The Florida Bar Foundation, Maitland, FL
- Mary Zimmerman, Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc., Boise, ID
We will present case studies of how three states are building statewide web-based networks to efficiently connect low income clients with suitable service providers and pro bono attorneys. The Idaho Pro Bono Opportunities, Texas Crime Victim Legal Assistance Network and Florida Pro Bono Matters initiatives projects may serve as a model for other states.
Imagine a Legal Services Incubator or Residency Program in Your Community
- Ryan Hamilton, Fair Shakes Environmental Legal Services, Pittsburgh, PA
- Paula Hopkins, Pitt Legal Services Incubator, Pittsburgh, PA
- Tom Ross, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
This session will focus on the process of launching a legal incubator or residency program- visions, obstacles, solutions, etc. Attendees will spend the bulk of the session time in guided working groups- not listening to "talking heads." We will conclude by sharing results of those sessions with the larger group.
Innovating in Practice: Creating, Developing and Updating Pro Bono Projects that Serve Rural or Isolated Communities
- Camille Pannu, UC Davis School of Law, Davis, CA
- Lauren Roberts, One Justice, San Francisco, CA
- Renée Schomp, One Justice, San Francisco, CA
Lawyers are rarely taught the tools or provided the freedom needed to effectively evaluate, innovate, and improve our existing projects. In this session, participants will use a structured, creative problem-solving process to learn how to re-design pro bono service models to better serve rural and diverse client communities. Participants will have an opportunity to work in small groups to apply the tools they learn to their own projects.
JRAP: A Partner Approach to Reducing Barriers for Youth Impacted by Criminal Records
- Jamie Gullen, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Kymian Ray, SESSION MODERATOR, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
- Chuck Rohrer, Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Tiffany Sizemore, Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Laura Tuggle, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, New Orleans, LA
Far too often, the criminal justice system continues to punish an individual long after they have finished serving their sentence. In this session presenters will discuss how community partnerships can be leveraged to help individuals expunge their records so that they can access housing, employment, school, and credit opportunities.
Justice for All Project Developments
- Tom Clarke, National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, VA
- Mary McClymont, Public Welfare Foundation, Washington, DC
- Jenny Silbiger, Hawaii State Judiciary, Honolulu, HI
- John Tull, John A. Tull & Associates, Nederland, CO
- Hon. Laurie Zelon, California Court of Appeals, Los Angeles, CA
In 2015, the U.S. Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators passed a groundbreaking resolution on "Meaningful Access to Justice for All." The Public Welfare Foundation followed up on this resolution by awarding grants to seven jurisdictions to take up the Chief Justices' challenge to develop "a strategic plan with realistic and measurable outcomes" to meet the "aspirational goal of 100 percent access to effective assistance for essential civil legal needs." The speakers will discuss the progress being made to deliver "a continuum of meaningful and appropriate services" to all who need legal help to protect their families, their homes and their livelihoods in the civil justice system.
Learning to Love and Use Your Data
- Claudia Johnson, Pro Bono Net, Richland, WA
- Tara Saylor, Q2 Consulting, Tulsa, OK
Legal non profits have limited resources to do data analytics or learn how to do data analytics using modern tools, to evaluate the their online services and tools. With increased pressure from funders to prove that the services they develop are effective, and with increasing sources of data and information--it is for lawyers to figure out to make use of that data to improve the effectiveness of online resources. As consumers move more and more to doing digital transactions in all aspects of their lives--legal aid groups will need to continue to build and invest on online service tools that benefit their clients, applicants, and their improve their service models.
Legal Aid In Rural Communities
- Aja Brooks, New Mexico Legal Aid, Albuquerque, NM
- Jennifer Gaughan, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
This session will address the fact that providing legal aid in rural and tribal communities requires a different conversation regarding diversity, equity and equality. This workshop is designed as a listening session or roundtable, to surface issues that the legal aid and equal justice community as a whole must address, but that may be only experienced by programs providing direct services or intensive advocacy in rural and tribal communities.
Legal Services and Federal Programs: The Role of Civil Legal Aid in Advancing Federal Goals
- Larissa Bungo, Federal Trade Commission, Cleveland, OH
- Mary Griffin, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington, DC
- R. Tamar Hagler, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, Washington, DC
- Dan Maier, Internal Revenue Service, Washington, DC
- Kathrina Peterson, U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC
This session features representatives from federal offices that leverage contributions by civil legal aid providers to advance their goals. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, Office for Victims of Crime, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission and Internal Revenue Service, who will discuss current priorities, emerging concerns and the role of civil legal aid in their ongoing work.
Legal Services for Low-Income Social Entrepreneurs
- Jaclyn Clifford, Trellis Legal, Pittsburgh, PA
- Stephanie Dangel, University of Pittsburgh, School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Rondell Jordan, Pitt Law School and Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School of Public Policy
- Michael Madison, University of Pittsburgh Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Nicole Muise-Kielkucki, Idea Foundry, Pittsburgh, PA
Social entrepreneurs use business principles to tackle social problems, such as TOMS Shoes, which developed a "one for one concept" business model that delivered a pair of free, new shoes to a child in need for every sale of their retail product. Similarly, lawyers can positively change lives and communities, while simultaneously sustaining businesses for themselves, their clients and their communities. Join Pitt Law School's Innovation Practice Institute for an interactive conversation about how we use leadership development, experiential courses, public seminars, internships and fellowships to train our law students.
Legal Urgent Care: Walk In--Walk Out: 40 Clients Served in Under 4 Hours!
- Lisa Borden, Baker Donelson, Birmingham, AL
- Katrina Brown, Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program, Birmingham, AL
- Heather Bussey, Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program, Birmingham, AL
- Graham Hewitt, Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers Project, Birmingham, AL
- Nancy Yarbrough, Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers Project, Birmingham, AL
Learn how to serve dozens of low-income clients an hour by leveraging technology, poverty law expertise, and the courts though this innovative Help Desk model where pro bono attorneys volunteer for two hours or less and do everything from applying legal bandages to full surgery, sometimes even going to court. Learn how to transform your Help Desks from sleepy counsel and advice legal clinics to full-service emergency rooms where clients get the help they need quickly and effectively.
Legal Wellness Checkups: Delivering Preventive Law Through Cutting Edge Technology
- Kirsten Jacobson, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
- Ann Pruitt, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Nashville, TN
Through collaboration with legal providers, social services, and technology innovators, TALS implemented an automated legal wellness checkup to provide preventive, holistic services to low-income communities. This session navigates the benefits, barriers, design, and implementation process of artificial intelligence and logic-based legal wellness checkups.
Lessons Learned in Developing Universal Bite-Sized Online Pro Bono Training
- Sharon Bashan, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, Glendale, CA
- Jessica Therkelson, One Justice, Los Angeles, CA
- Phong Wong, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Effective training is a hallmark of successful pro bono programs. This session will offer a series of reflections and practical planning tools drawn from the collective experience and learning of the three partner organizations collaborating on the California Pro Bono Training Institute. Attendees of this interactive session will learn to incorporate adult learning styles, address common barriers, and solve problems to develop highly effective online training.
LGBTQ Equality and Reproductive Rights Current Status and New Challenges
- James D. Esseks, ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & HIV Project, New York, NY
- Louise Melling, American Civil Liberties Union, New York, NY
- Catherine Weiss, Lowenstein Sandler / Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest, Roseland, NJ
This panel will review the most significant current challenges to securing LGBTQ equality and defending reproductive rights, including how these issues may play out in the new political environment. With participation from attendees, the panel will also address how these issues may arise in legal services and public defense practices.
Linking Civil Legal Needs with Social Determinants and Population Health: Strategies and Resources
- Erika Fricke, Allies for Children, Pittsburgh, PA
- Steven McGarrity, Community Legal Aid Services, Inc., Akron, OH
- Tomar Pierson-Brown, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Jerry Spegman, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Lewisburg, PA
This session will orient the audience to the social determinants of health and how they are linked to civil legal needs, with a facilitated discussion of how to understand, measure and advance legal, health, and public health priorities in your community. A national expert from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps will describe the public health landscape for low-income communities, upstream factors that impact health equity, and tools that depict their challenges and strengths. An interprofessional team from University of Pittsburgh Law and Nursing will highlight their medical-legal partnership work on behalf of children, featuring surveys of healthcare organizations, cross-sector training, and policy strategies
LSC's Website Evaluation Project: A Roadmap for Successful Sites Across the Legal Aid Community
- David Bonebrake, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Meghan Plank, EY Intuitive, Philadelphia, PA
- Georgia Spangenberg, EY Intuitive, Philadelphia, PA
In 2015, LSC received funding from the Ford Foundation to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the quality of the national legal aid statewide website network. Presenters will report on the project's efforts to evaluate whether sites were accessible, usable, helpful, and actually used by the intended low-income beneficiaries. They will report on their review of mobile compatibility, plain language, language access, depth of materials, usability, and search engine optimization. Evaluators will share their findings and recommendations and attendees wil hear about an interactive online toolkit, which can serve as a roadmap for justice communities to improve the quality and effectiveness of their websites.
Mapping Access to Justice
- Katherine Alteneder, Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN), Washington, DC
- Alison Davis-Holland, Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN), Washington, DC
GIS is about much more than maps. This session will explore some of the many possibilities contained in the ArcGIS mapping and analytics package, and then walk through the process from idea to analysis and finally output. Through break-out time, participants will have the opportunity to frame and refine a mapping idea. The session will conclude with discussion time of how open mapping could benefit everyone within our network and help build and support a 100% access ecosystem.
Marketing Strategies for Pro Bono Opportunities: Meeting the Challenges of the Changing Legal Landscape
- David D. Daniels, Public Counsel, Los Angeles, CA
- Nancy Drane, DC Access to Justice Commission, Washington, DC
- Susan M. Hoffman, Crowell & Moring, Washington, DC
- Kitty Wach, Miller & Chevalier Chartered, Washington, DC
This session will explore how providers can better market pro bono in view of pressures on attorneys to spend more time on billable work and skill acquisition. We will discuss different strategies including marketing individual representations as a gateway to policy projects, "unbundling" legal services, and identifying skill building benefits.
Medical-Legal Partnership Practice: The Role of Pro Bono and Law Schools
- Michelle Christopher, QC, Student Legal Assistance/ University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
- Kate Eshghi, UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA
- Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Community Legal Aid, Worcester, MA
- Robert Perry, Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS), Calgary, AB
This session will operate as a workshop focused on how medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) bridge staffed legal aid offices, pro bono resources and law schools. Session focus will describe the journey from planning to implementation with health and legal partners, highlight training and case handling practices, including the student perspective, and provide insights from health leadership regarding the role and potential for legal resources in advancing health care mission and activities.
MIE Roundtable for Legal Services Executive Directors and Managers
- Amy Johnson, Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, Little Rock, AR
- Yvonne Mariajimenez, Neighborhood Legal Services of LA County, Pacoima, CA
This forum provides legal services executive directors and managers with an opportunity to share management concerns and receive peer support and assistance in an informal and confidential setting. The roundtable will be facilitated by members of the Management Information Exchange Board of Directors.
MLP Fundamentals: Planning, Implementation and Sustainability
- Theresa Brabson, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Philadelphia, PA
- Kate Eshghi, UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA
- Steven McGarrity, Community Legal Aid Services, Inc., Akron, OH
- Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Community Legal Aid, Worcester, MA
This session will operate as a workshop for medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) at all stages of development, focusing on planning, implementation and sustainability of MLPs across a range of populations and settings. Participants will use the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership's tools and resources to identify steps to plan a new MLP, or re-boot or expand an existing MLP. Panelists will focus on screening, data collection and sustainability.
More Money, More Pro Bono!
- Alex Gulotta, Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal), Oakland, CA
- Sandhya K. Kidd, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Mytrang Nguyen, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham, Community Legal Aid, Inc., Worcester, MA
In 2017, the LSC Pro Bono Innovation Fund seeks to award larger grants focused on transforming the delivery of pro bono. Participants will explore what it means to be transformative in the pro bono context and the challenges organizations face in creating change. Interactive discussion will examine how programs can approach transformation of the pro bono landscape and brainstorm strategies for creating and implementing change.
Moving from Defense to Offense on Legal Aid Debt Collection Cases
- Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, Legal Aid Justice Center, Falls Church, VA
- Alysson Snow, Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc, San Diego, CA
This panel will discuss strategies for turning routine debt collection defense cases (or even advice-only cases) into a damages recovery for your client and attorney’s fees for your program. We will discuss ways to train staff to spot and set up claims arising out of debt collection litigation, and when to consider bringing a class action versus an individual case versus a counterclaim in the state-court debt collection matter. The panel will focus on debt collection arising out of credit card debt, medical debt, and landlord-tenant or post-foreclosure debt. We will also discuss special constitutional issues around the collection of debts owed to government entities (such as court debt, criminal justice system “user fees,” or unpaid personal property taxes) and highlight litigation strategies that have been successful around the country.
Mr. and Ms. Smith Go to Washington and the State Capital Too: Mobilizing Your Legal Community to Advocate for Legal Aid Funding
- Bob Glaves, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL
- Hon. Lora Livingston, American Bar Association, Austin, TX
- Allan Ramsaur, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, TN
- Betty Balli Torres, Texas Access to Justice Foundation, Austin, TX
In the famous words of former House Speaker Tip O’Neill, all politics is local. And your legal community’s voice in speaking out for funding for the Legal Services Corporation and other government funding for legal aid is more important than ever in the current political climate. This session will give you an overview of the issues involved and practical tips you can take home based on successful bipartisan advocacy strategies from three different types of states.
New Research on the Continuum of Legal Services
- John M. Greacen, Greacen Associates, Regina, NM
This workshop will review findings from the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel project in California regarding outcomes and benefits of providing attorneys for low income litigants in cases where the other side is represented. The workshop will also discuss new research on self-help services, court innovations and service delivery.
News You Can Use: Updates on Non-LSC Federal Funding for Civil Legal Aid
- Arielle Altman, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Washington, DC
- Silvia Argueta, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Bob Bullock, U.S. Department of Justice Office for Access to Justice, Washington, DC
- Kathrina Peterson, U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC
- Rhodia Thomas, MidPenn Legal Services, Harrisburg, PA
- Allie Yang-Green, U.S. Department of Justice Office for Access to Justice, Washington, DC
This session will provide an opportunity for advocates to share information, ideas and experiences on obtaining and/or maintaining non-Legal Services Corporation federal funding. Discussion will focus on existing federal funding programs and their likely future. Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss their successes, raise issues of mutual concern and learn from one another about traditional and any potentially new sources of these funds.
Not Your Typical Referral List: Using Technology to Enhance Services Through Quality Referrals
- Christopher Jackson, Center for Elder Rights Advocacy, Lansing, MI
- Keith Morris, Center for Elder Rights Advocacy, Lansing, MI
- Dawn Opel, J.D., Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Does this sound familiar? Your client needs services to resolve their issue, so you give them several phone numbers to appropriate agencies. Do these programs have any openings now? Does the client contact them? It would be helpful if there was a system to allow real-time updates to resource information and to facilitate secure electronic referrals. This workshop will look at the challenges and successes of building a secure, interconnected services and information framework in Michigan.
Person-Centered Care on a Senior Legal Hotline
- Ellen Cheek, Florida Senior Legal Helpline, Tampa, FL
- Michael Walters, Pro Seniors, Inc., Cincinnati, OH
Person-centered care is required for elderly services. The concept stresses individual autonomy. Advocates working with seniors should be aware of these concepts in providing legal advice. This workshop will educate advocates on the concepts of person-centered care, and apply those concepts to legal advice provided on a telephone hotline.
Plumbing for Pro Bono: Creating and Maintaining the Pipeline from Law School
- Stefan Dann, Reed Smith, Pittsburgh, PA
- Rochelle McCain, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Tracey McCants-Lewis, Duquesne University College of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
How can law schools and pro bono programs motivate the next generation of lawyers to do pro bono work? This interactive panel discussion will provide insight from law schools, bar associations, and pro bono programs about how to utilize program partnerships to develop a continued pipeline of lifetime volunteer legal service providers from law schools. Participants will also breakout into small groups to brainstorm how to develop their own law school pipeline program.
Police Accountability and Transparency: Pairing Information Resources with Pro Bono Litigation
- Julie Ciccolini, The Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
- Cynthia Conti-Cook, The Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
- Kate Mogulescu, The Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
- Louis S. Sartori, The Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
- Rishi N. Zutshi, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, New York, NY
Concerns about policing in communities of color have highlighted the need for public interest attorneys to access reliable data and partner with experienced litigators to reform police practices. This panel will present strategies and examples of utilizing FOIL litigation, data collection methods, 1983 actions, amicus briefs as well as impact litigation to support defenders and effect policy change.
Pro Bono 2.0: Harnessing Tech and CRM to Build Sustainable Pro Bono Programs
- Jena C. Gutierrez, Community Legal Aid, Worcester, MA
- Barbara L. Siegel, Volunteer Lawyers Project, Boston, MA
In today's environment legal services organizations have to achieve more with fewer resources. We'll explore how statewide online pro bono tools can help resource-strapped programs partner with the broader legal community; we'll also explain how use of CRM software (Constituent Relationship Management) enhances case management, improves outcome reporting and reduces staff time spent on case administration.
Promoting and Funding Culturally Competent Legal Services to Veterans Through VA Partnerships
- Lara Eilhardt, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC
- Sara Sommarstrom, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, St. Paul, MN
- Joel Teitelbaum, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Presenters will provide practical tools to develop medical-legal partnerships with the VA to serve the legal needs of veterans. We will highlight existing models, training resources, and the federal funding sources that can support these efforts through an interactive presentation designed to respond to audience member questions and challenges.
Promoting Cultural Competency for Legal Aid and Pro Bono Attorneys
- Patti Hageman, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis, MO
- Angela Inzano, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, IL
- Elizabeta Markuci, Volunteers of Legal Service, New York, NY
- Vidhya Ragunathan, Inner City Law Center, Los Angeles, CA
A meaningful attorney-client relationship is built on communication and understanding. Often, there is a gap to bridge between attorneys’ life experiences and those of our clients. This session, based on a collection of cultural competency training programs used in communities across the country, will provide pro bono and legal aid programs with tools and resources to train culturally competent attorneys ready to serve clients more effectively.
Providing Effective Legal Representation to Veterans
- Kent Eiler, New York City Bar Justice Center, New York, NY
- Maureen Siedor, Swords to Plowshares, San Francisco, CA
- Michael Taub, The Homeless Advocacy Project, Philadelphia, PA
Low-income veterans may have unique legal issues by virtue of their veteran status. To best assist this population, those providing legal services to veterans - from nonprofits to volunteers to courts - should be familiar with ways in which low-income veterans' legal issues are distinct from those of non-veterans. Panelists will provide an overview of legal benefits, rights and remedies unique to veterans and invite attendees to engage in visioning ways they can better address these needs through pro bono legal services
Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income-Driven Repayment: Updates on student debt relief for staff and clients
- Ashley Matthews, Equal Justice Works, Washington, DC
- Radhika Singh Miller, National Legal Aid and 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.
Re-imagining Holistic Defense for Women
- Rosie Achorn-Rubenstein, Still She Rises, Tulsa, OK
- Ruth Hamilton, Still She Rises, Tulsa, OK
- Asher Levinthal, Still She Rises, Tulsa, OK
- Robin Steinberg, Still She Rises/Tulsa and The Bronx Defenders, Tulsa, OK
This session will examine the rise of holistic defense tailored to women with children. Presenters will tackle questions like "how does targeted indigent defense change outcomes?" and explore how to evaluate and respond to the specific needs of criminal justice involved mothers.
Reinventing Pro Bono Collaborations
- Kevin A. Carter, Alcoa Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
- Katy McKee, Neighborhood Legal Services Association, Pittsburgh, PA
- Antoinette C. Oliver, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott, Pittsburgh, PA
- Nick Oliver, Alcoa Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Forming collaborative partnerships feels like a joyous party. But what happens when the party ends and partners leave or the pro bono collaborations lose that spark? Participate in our interactive discussion about reinventing pro bono partnerships, what makes collaborations work and how to infuse the life back into the party.
Remote Access to Orders of Protection: Using Technology to Open Doors
- Justice Deborah A. Kaplan, Family Violence Cases, New York, NY
- Audrey Stone, Office of the Statewide Coordinating Judge for Family Violence Cases, New York, NY
Through the state-wide coordinating judge for family violence cases the New York State court system launched a pilot program for electronic filing and preparation of orders of protection remotely. The project allows victims who face hurdles, such as physical limitations, transportation issues and safety concerns to receive emergency relief. New York is the first state to offer this technology state-wide. The program will review the New York project including legal and practical issues.
Scarcity Psychology: A New Perspective for Cultural Competency Trainings
- Sarah Babcock, Lawyers for Equal Justice, Atlanta, GA
- Laura Jo Busian, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Minneapolis, MN
- Samantha Howell, Esq., Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, Albany, NY
Busy attorneys and their pro bono clients have a lot more in common than the attorneys might think. This session will discuss how recent social science research can assist attorneys in developing empathy for their pro bono clients' actions, and will also provide specific strategies for effectively representing these clients.
Seeding the Field: Developing and Training Public Interest Leaders
- Sterling Morriss, Equal Justice Works, Washington, DC
- Kristen Uhler-McKeown, Equal Justice Works, Washington, DC
- Julia Wilson, OneJustice, San Francisco, CA
The future of our profession depends on the leadership of many who are not yet in management. And yet, facing a shortage of resources, many legal aid organizations struggle with the important task of developing their employees into leaders. This session will create an open dialogue about leadership development in the field of public interest law by learning about recent research into the career paths of legal services professionals, identifying common skills gaps faced by many organizations, and sharing best practices for overcoming them and empowering future leaders.
Serving the Legal Needs of Immigrant Children
- Karen Grisez, Fried Frank, Washington, DC
- Simon Y. Sandoval-Moshenberg, Legal Aid Justice Center, Charlottesville, VA
- Professor Sheila Velez-Martinez, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA
- Angela Vigil, Baker & McKenzie, Miami, FL
In this session attendees will hear an update on new developments in the law and legal procedures regarding serving the legal needs of immigrant children. Presenters will discuss LSC regulations allowing those programs to provide representation in these cases, alternative strategies for providing representation, court procedures and the status of right to counsel and related issues.
State Funding Roundtable: Sharing Experiences to Increase Success
- Meredith McBurney, ABA Resource Center for ATJ Initiatives, Denver, CO
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 2017 will report on lessons learned and discuss overall trends to help this significant funding source continue to grow.
Telling Stories: Effective Solicitation of Pro Bono Volunteers
- Barbara Griffin, Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA
- David A. Lash, O’Melveny & Myers, Los Angeles, CA
- Benjamin Weinberg, Denton's, Chicago, IL
What better way to recruit pro bono volunteers than through compelling pro bono impact stories? During this interactive panel presentation, you will learn how crafting effective pro bono impact stories can help you solicit pro bono volunteers. Participants will hear examples of stories that have been used successfully by other programs and will work in small groups to develop compelling stories that illustrate the power of pro bono across varying perspectives.
Turning Data Into Dollars: Applying Pro Bono Outcomes Data to Improve Programming and Fundraising
- Victoria A. Connor, York County Bar Association and the York County Bar Foundation, York, PA
- Ken Smith, The Resource for Great Programs, Inc., Traverse City, MI
- Holly R. Stevens, Children’s Law Center, Washington, DC
Does your program have difficulty collecting data from busy lawyers about their pro bono cases? Outcome measurements present unique challenges for pro bono programs but can be a valuable tool for fundraising and program improvement. This session will reveal best practices for developing and collecting valid, reliable outcomes without imposing excessive administrative costs on your program, and how to use outcomes to generate more funding for your program.
VetLex: Connecting Veterans to Lawyers
- Miguel F. Eaton, Jones Day, Washington, DC
- Admiral Jonathan Greenert, , Annapolis, MD
- Hon. Mark Hornak, U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA
- Devin A. Winklosky, Jones Day, Pittsburgh, PA
When exploring opportunities to serve veterans, Jones Day lawyers heard repeatedly that there is no national legal referral system. Now there is! Meet VetLex -- an innovative and flexible national referral project to connect veterans with lawyers trained and ready to assist them with their specific legal needs. Join us to learn how VetLex works and how you can get involved.
What Funders and Providers Can Do to Increase Diversity and Equity
- Christopher O'Malley, IOLA Fund of the State of New York, New York, NY
- James Sandman, Legal Services Corporation, Washington, DC
- Rhodia Thomas, MidPenn Legal Services, Harrisburg, PA
Sponsored by the African American Project Directors Association, this workshop will address the action steps funders and providers can take to enhance the diversity and cultural competence of our community. What data do funders and providers collect and share? A PDA representative will speak about the Association's work and commitment to enhancing our diversity and cultural competence.
Why Are All the Cool Kids Sitting at that Table?
- Nicole Fidler, Sanctuary for Families, New York, NY
- Annie Pineda, The Bronx Defenders, Bronx, NY
- William C. Silverman, Proskauer Rose, New York, NY
Despite the steady expansion of pro bono legal services, more work must be done to increase pro bono in less popular substantive areas of legal practice. Attendees will engage in an interactive conversation to explore how every sector of the legal profession and delivery system can collaborate to broaden pro bono services in areas like housing, child support, divorce and public benefits.
Workshop materials for 2017 are available here. For workshop materials for 2002 to 2016, please email us.