The
Legal Project
Pro
Bono Corner
Lisa A. Frisch, Executive Director
As
we move forward in 2006 and review what community needs became apparent
in the past year, it is clear that we need increased assistance from
volunteer attorneys here in the Capital District to help us meet those
needs. Poverty is growing here and elsewhere in the state and country
and the numbers of the working poor continues to rise as so many resources
dwindle. The need for legal services is growing-and you can help.
There are a number
of pro bono opportunities that The Legal Project has to offer. All of
our pro bono programs offer malpractice insurance, CLE based training
or technical assistance; administrative support or office space as needed;
mentoring; and litigation fees if necessary.
Our Domestic
Violence Legal Connection is a critical program, and we rely on
the more than 70 attorneys on this panel to help us respond to the more
than 600 Family Offense matters we assist with annually. If you are
interested in becoming involved in this rewarding program, we have a
one day training opportunity planned for Friday, March 31, 2006, with
8.0 free CLE credits in exchange for taking one pro bono case for us
and one for Legal Aid during the course of the year. We conduct this
training as part of the Domestic Violence Legal Training Coalition,
which includes presenters from The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern
New York, Albany Law School, the Empire Justice Center and Unity House.
The March training will be held at The Century House in Latham and lunch
and refreshments will be generously provided by the law firm of Martin,
Harding and Mazotti.
We are also in need
of attorneys to volunteer for our Affordable Housing Attorney Assistance
Project (AHAA), which provides an attorney at no cost or at a reduced
fee to first-time, low income homebuyers working with one of the Capital
District's affordable housing programs. We are in particular need of
attorneys willing to provide this assistance to those in the Schenectady
area as we recently received a $25,000 grant from the Schenectady
Foundation to enhance our affordable housing efforts there. We also
will be providing a training (with free CLE credits) for this program
on May 16 and 18, 2006, with more information forthcoming. Please contact
Susan Pattenaude at 435-1770 if you are interested in either of these
upcoming training sessions or need more information.
Another need is
for attorneys for our Small Business Legal Network, which provides
free legal consultations to women, minority and low income small business
owners, in conjunction with the Community Loan Fund. These consultations
can include a wide range of legal issues including Starting a Business,
Contracts, Copyrights, Licenses, Trademarks, Insurance, and Liability
and to date, we conduct these evening clinics bi-monthly at The Legal
Project offices.
We also are looking
for more attorneys to help us assist those low income individuals with
HIV/AIDS under an AIDS Institute of the Department of Health
contract with Legal Aid. This important program provides free help with
a will, living will, health care proxy or other related end of life
issues. Finally, we are in great need of volunteers for our evening
Legal Clinics, which provide free consultations to clients who
register and submit their legal question prior to the clinic, and who
is matched with an attorney with that particular expertise. These clinics
are held monthly out in the community, as listed in this column. They
take relatively little time yet they make a tremendous impact on the
betterment of people's lives in this community. Please consider volunteering
with us, we need you to meet the needs of this community and to help
us make a real difference in the lives of so many here in the Capital
District!
For more information
on any of our pro bono opportunities for attorneys, please contact Ellen
Schell, Legal Director at 435-1770.
Thanks for taking
cases in February!
Legally Speaking
Pamela Robich
Domestic Violence
Legal Connection
Ian Arcus
Margaret Donnelly
Galina German
Veronica Kosich
Jerry Luhn
Justine Spada
Anita Thayer
Margaret Vella
Legal Clinic
Volunteers
YWCA
Tammy Arquette
Dana Boniewski
Arthur Casey
Patricia Rodriguez
Philip Schuyler
Robin Ferro - Coordinator
Janet Axelrod
Gayle Hartz
Barbara King
Ron Orlando
Unity House
Abe Bolgatz - Coordinator
Nancy Harding
Thomas Kenney
Jill Nagy
South End
Jessica Lennon - Coordinator
Katherine Levitan
John McBride
Meredith Savitt
Margaret Vella
Equinox
Stephanie Hollner - Coordinator
David Levy
Heena Shaikh
Joann Sternheimer
Saratoga
Jessica Lennon - Coordinator
Linda Taverni
Mechanicville
Anne Reynolds Copps
SAVE THE DATE
FOR THE LEGAL PROJECT'S ANNUAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION RECEPTION!
On Monday, April
10, 2006, we will hold our annual Volunteer Recognition Reception
(aka "the Wine and Cheese party") at The Legal Project from
5:30 to 7:30 pm. We have been having this open house event for some
years now as it is a great opportunity for us to thank our volunteer
attorneys, clinic coordinators, and the interns and volunteers that
toil away the hours in our office, as well as acknowledge our donors,
staff, board members, supporters and community partners. This has
been what we politely refer to as a "challenging" year,
so we especially want to thank all of you who were there to support
us through the difficult times. We now want to celebrate being here
in this wonderful, supportive community!
It's nice to
have an event where you don't need to dress up, take out your the
checkbook or listen to speeches-what we do is chat and eat and laugh
and enjoy each other's company for as short or long a time as you
have to give. It's wonderful to get to meet people that you may have
only spoken with on the phone and you get to see our beautiful offices
at 6 Executive Park Drive, if you haven't yet had the pleasure. Invitations
will go out shortly but in the event that one doesn't come your way,
please consider this your invitation to come. We only ask for an rsvp
so we know how much wine and goodies we need to have on hand. Please
call Lisa with your rsvp or if you want more information at 435-1770
or at lfrisch@legalproject.org.
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