The Legal Project, Inc. Pro Bono Corner Wendy Durand, Executive Director

The Legal Project Enters the 21^st Century

On February 1^st, The Legal Project debuted its new website. This free website was made possible through a company called Freeservers and hours of development by Legal Project staff. There are subpages on all of our programs: legal clinics, Legally Speaking, the Domestic Violence Legal Connection; how to donate, attorney trainings and pro bono opportunities, legal clinic calendars and links to domestic violence information and legal sources. Additionally, the home page includes copies of the monthly column of the CDWBA newsletter!

The site will continue to be updated and refined and we will be requesting links to other sites and adding our program to different search engines.

Visit us: http://www.legalproject.org

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The Domestic Violence Training Series

Beginning on March 3^rd with a training program on Family Offense Basics, The Legal Project’s domestic violence training series is off and running. The focus will be: 1) increasing skills to most effectively represent clients and 2) how to increase domestic violence victim’s safety and ability to remain independent from her abuser through the legal system.

Mark your calendars for upcoming trainings and earn FREE CLE by agreeing to take on a pro bono matter:

May 12^th Custody & Visitation

(Presentation & Roundtable Discussion)

June 2^nd Use of Expert Testimony

(Presentation and Simulation)

June 27^th, 28^th Advanced Techniques

(two evening interactive lecture & trial)

Sept (date TBD) Immigration and Domestic Violence

Many thanks to WBASNY for making FREE CLE possible for pro bono volunteers.

New York Bar Foundation Awards Grant to Domestic Violence Program

The Legal Project is proud to announce that the New York Bar Foundation has awarded it a grant to help underwrite The Domestic Violence Legal Connection’s expansion.

Initiated in May of 1998, the program serves as a “legal connection” between victims of domestic violence and attorneys willing to provide pro bono and reduced rate legal representation. It recruits area attorneys, provides training, and then links them with victims of domestic violence.

This year the legal project has expanded beyond Family Court and into legal work that will help ensure not only the victim’s safety, but also the survivor’s independence. Through the work of our Legal Director, Jaya Connors, and the efforts of our Coordinator of Training and Recruitment, Diane Metz, we will continue to expand our representation to include employment, landlord/tenant, child support, and other matters.

If your practice area is outside of family court and you would like to do pro bono work in your practice area on behalf of a victim of domestic violence, call Diane Metz @ 435-1770.

We are thrilled that our program, just nearly two years old, is able to continue to offer these important legal services to victims of domestic violence victims with the help of the New York Bar Foundation.

Thank you New York Bar Foundation

for your continued support!

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Welcome to New Honorary Board Members

Our warmest welcome to:

Lorraine F. Charboneau

Vice President, Community Development Manager, Fleet Bank

Rosemarie V. Rosen

Assistant Deputy Comptroller of Municipal Affairs, NYS Office of the State Comptroller

Lorraine Power Tharp, Esq.

Partner, McNamee, Lochner, Titus & Williams, P.C.

THANKS!

to the following attorneys and coordinators for their participation in February’s legal Clinics:

YWCA of Schenectady

Pamela McDevitt, Attorney Coordinator

Penni Troy, YWCA Staff Coordinator

Camille Siano Enders

Christine Galvin
Barbara King
Maggie Tabak
Renee Tremblay

Margaret Vella
Colleen Rooney, paralegal

Unity House Street Ministry

Nancy Harding, Attorney Coordinator
Julie Friedman
Mary Beth Hynes

Jill Nagy
Terri Conrad Regan

Urban League

Carol Snead Johnson, Coordinator

Gayle Hartz

Lisa Gordon
Michael Weisburg

Paul Whitaker

Margaret Vella

Albany County Mental Health

Kristen King, Attorney Coordinator

Karen Ziegler, ACMH Staff Coordinator
Jennifer Corona
Laurel Kelley

Tim Lavery
Sharon Rogler
Vicky Walter

The Women’s Building

Diane Metz, Coordinator
Liz Bryant, Women’s Bldg Staff Coordinator
Gayle Hartz
Ron Orlando
Stephen Prudente

Deb Sheehan
Jill Swingruber

Theresa Suozzi

Special thanks to Camille Siano Enders, Program Chair of The Legal Project’s Board of Directors

Thinking About Volunteering?

Call Diane Metz

435-1770

THANK YOU

Domestic Violence Legal Connection

Attorneys for taking a new case:

Glen Brownell

Lee Greenstein

Jo Katz

Peter Scagnelli

Maggie Tabak

Anita Thayer

LEGAL CLINIC SCHEDULES

Apr 5 YWCA of Schenectady

APR 12 Unity House Street Ministry (Troy)

APR 13 The Urban League (Albany)

APR 19 Albany County Mental Health Center

APR 27 The Women’s Building (Albany)

Telephone: 435-1770

Fax 435-1773

e-mail: info@legalproject.org

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