Last Week to Nominate for Ellen Hines Smith Award

You have until November 15th to nominate a South Carolina Legal Services attorney for the Ellen Hines Smith Award.

This year the award event is especially exciting because it will take place during the South Carolina Bar Foundation’s Annual Gala on March 11, 2010.

I can’t wait to learn who receives the award!

-RFW

earlier post

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Ellen Hines Smith Award Nominations OPEN!

The Ellen Hines Smith Award Nominations are now open! Click Ellen Hines Smith Nomination Form for the nomination form with instructions.

Nominations will remain open until November 15^th.

The Award winner will be decided by a joint awards committee of the SC Bar Foundation and SC ATJ Commission. The Award will be jointly presented at SC Bar Foundation Gala on March 11, 2010, so be sure to SAVE THE DATE.

Filed under: 1, Law, Legal, Right to Counsel, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Bar Foundation, South Carolina Legal Services, access to justice, access to justice blog, attorney, blog, public interest attorney , Award, Ellen Hines Smith, Ellen Hines Smith Award Nominations, March 11 2010, SAVE THE DATE, SC access to justice commission, SC ATJ Commission, SC Bar Foundation, SC Bar Foundation Gala, SCLS, South Carolina Legal Services

October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month

In case you haven’t heard, October is DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.

Show your support of victims of Domestic Violence but wearing a purple ribbon.

Additionally, if you are or know someone who is a victim of domestic violence and needs assistance, even beginning to figure out where to start, here are 2 national resources:

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 1.800.787.3224 (TTY) (en la Línea Nacional sobre la Violencia Doméstica al 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) o al 1-800-787-3224 para sordos
• The National Domestic Violence Pro Bono Program Directory

Additional resources in South Carolina:

• South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault
• The South Carolina Attorney General’s Initiative Against Criminal Domestic Violence
• CASA/Family Systems (Hotline 1-800-298-7228)
  
• Citizens Against Spouse Abuse
• Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse
• Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons
• Family Resource Center (Hotline 1-800-585-4455)
  
• Foothills Alliance
• Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center (Hotline 864-467-3633)
  
• Hope Haven of the Lowcountry: Children’s Advocacy and Rape Crisis Center (Hotline1-800-637-7273)
• Laurens County Safe Home
• Meg’s House (Hotline 1-800-447-7992)
• My Sister’s House
• Palmetto Citizens Against Sexual Assault (Hotline 1-888-790-8532)
• Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault
• People Against Rape
• Rape Crisis Center
• Rape Crisis Council of Pickens County (Hotline1-800-302-9719)
• Safe Harbor
• SAFE Homes – Rape Crisis Coalition
• Safe Passage Inc.
• Sexual Trauma and Counseling Center
• Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands
• Sistercare
• YWCA of the Upper Lowlands (Hotline 803-775-2763)

-RFW

Filed under: 1, Law, Legal, Right to Counsel, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Legal Services, access to justice, access to justice blog, advocacy, attorney, blog, children, divorce, domestic violence, indigent, pro bono, public interest attorney , CASA/Family Systems, Citizens Against Spouse Abuse, Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse, CODA, Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons, domestic violence awareness month, Family Resource Center, Foothills Alliance, Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center, Hope Haven of the Lowcountry: Children's Advocacy and Rape Crisis Center, la Linea Nacional sobre la Violencia Domestica, Laurens County Safe Home, Meg's House, My Sister's House, Palmetto Citizens Against Sexual Assault, Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault, People Against Rape, Rape Crisis Center, Rape Crisis Council of Pickens County, Safe Harbor, SAFE Homes - Rape Crisis Coalition, Safe Passage Inc., SC Attorney General's Initiative Against Criminal Domestic Violence, SCCADVASA, Sexual Trauma and Counseling Center, Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands, SisterCare, South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, The National Domestic Violence Pro Bono Program Directory, YWCA of the Upper Lowlands

SC awarded AoA Grant to Assist Seniors Access Legal Services

Just a little while ago, I was on a conference call with representatives from California, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah and Vermont as we discussed 2009 Model Approach Grants awarded to our respective states. The press release is below:

AoA-Grants.Announcement-09_18_09

Exciting news for SC and access to justice for senior South Carolinians!

-RFW

Filed under: 1, Ask-A-Lawyer, Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services, Charleston School of Law, LEP, Law, Legal, Legal Clinic, Legal Documents, Legal Drafting, Legalese, Limited English Proficiency, SC Bar, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program, South Carolina Courts, South Carolina Legal Services, access to justice, access to justice blog, advocacy, attorney, blog, disability, elderly, indigent, law students, legal aid, poverty, pro bono, self-represented litigant , South Carolina, SC, Administration on Aging, AoA, Seniors, Access Legal Services, 2009 Model Approach Grants

COMING SOON to a town near you: Celebrate Pro Bono

LOUD & CLEAR: PRO BONO ROCKS

At the end of October, across the nation, attorneys will join together to provide Pro Bono services as part of the American Bar Association’s CELEBRATE PRO BONO WEEK (October 25-31, 2009).

Mark your calendars. The South Carolina Access to Justice Commission will be highlighting some of the featured events, programs or pro bono attorneys on the blog.

If  you have a story to share and would like to be a guest blogger, please email me.

-RFW

Filed under: 1, Ask-A-Lawyer, Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services, Charleston School of Law, Law, Law Related Education, Legal, Legal Clinic, Legal Documents, Legal Drafting, Legalese, Right to Counsel, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Bar Foundation, South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program, South Carolina Court Administration, South Carolina Courts, South Carolina Legal Services, South Carolina Supreme Court, USC School of Law, access to justice, access to justice blog, attorney, blog, homeless, indigent, law librarians, law students, legal aid, poverty, pro bono, public interest attorney, self-represented litigant , SC access to justice commission, American Bar Association, Celebrate Pro Bono, October 25-31 2009, Pro Bono Week

PAI: A Great Way to Keep the Lights On

PAI – Private Attorney Involvement

If you are unfamiliar with PAI aka Private Attorney Involvement, a program that incorporates private attorneys into the legal services system of representation on a local basis, then please keep reading.

The following announcement appeared earlier today in the SC Bar’s E-Blast:

Attorneys needed for paid cases
South Carolina Legal Services is required by federal funding to hire private attorneys to take on cases. The rate is $65 per hour. Most of the cases are physical cruelty, divorce and bankruptcy. This is a great opportunity for young attorneys from Richland, Lexington, Sumter, Lee and Kershaw counties to get experience. Contact Brett L. Lamb at (803) 744-4167 or brettlamb@sclegal.org for more information.

This is a wonderful opportunity for new attorneys to gain experience and pay the bills.  If you are a young attorney striking out on your own, or a more experienced attorney looking for an opportunity to slow down your practice while remaining involved, please consider PAI. AND it has the added benefit of assisting people who otherwise would not be able to hire legal representation.

Thanks SC Bar for bringing this important program to light!

-RFW

Filed under: 1, Ask-A-Lawyer, Law, Legal, Right to Counsel, SC Bar, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Legal Services, access to justice, access to justice blog, advocacy, attorney, blog, divorce, domestic violence, legal aid, poverty, public interest attorney , Brett L. Lamb, E-Blast, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, PAI, Private Attorney Involvement, Richland, SC Bar, SC Legal Services, SCLS, South Carolina Legal Services, Sumter

Guess

What do Harvest Hope and SC foreclosures have in common?

If you guessed that South Carolina has seen a marked increase in foreclosures and requests for food have markedly increased, you win!

According to the Columbia Regional Business Report (CRBR):

South Carolina’s foreclosure rate from July to August 2009 was up 1.94%, reported national real estate tracking company RealtyTrac.com. That number is more than 78% higher than it was one year ago.

According to Harvest Hope:

In the first quarter of 2009, Harvest Hope experienced a 142%  increase in the number of families needing assistance.

Earlier today I attended a fundraiser luncheon for Harvest Hope. It made me focus on how the problems faced by so many living in poverty are faces of our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones.

The “featured” speaker at the luncheon was someone who had been working – two jobs. Two good, solid jobs. Then she got ill. Which started the medical bills and absence from work. Which caused her to lose her jobs. Both jobs. The bills kept coming. When it came to paying bills, she used her money for medical bills and medication. Then she lost her home. She stopped eating so much. That made her sicker. Then she found Harvest Hope.

She was able to eat.

The doctors are still trying to figure out what is “wrong” with her. In the meantime, she can eat. Without Harvest Hope and the necessary nutrition it provides, she would be even more sick.

While these societal problems may not be legal, I guarantee that the Legal Aid Telephone Intake Service (LATIS) has been referring people to Harvest Hope.

And once people have nutrition and can think about something other than an empty belly, then they may call LATIS for assistance with a problem with their Landlord. Or maybe for help with their Medicaid benefits. Or help with a way to escape their abusive spouse.

-RFW

Filed under: 1, AIDS/HIV, Ask-A-Lawyer, Health Care, Law, Legal, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Legal Services, Unemployment, access to justice, access to justice blog, advocacy, attorney, blog, children, disability, divorce, domestic violence, elderly, employment, foreclosure, homeless, housing, hunger, indigent, people with disabilities, poverty, poverty guidelines, public interest attorney, subprime mortgage crisis , South Carolina, poverty, LATIS, Legal Aid Telephone Intake Service, foreclosure, hungry, abusive spouse, Harvest Hope, Columbia Business Regional Report, RealtyTrac.com, Landlord, Tenant, Landlord/Tenant, Medicaid benefits

August 2009 E-Newsletter

The August 2009 E-Newsletter is now available online.

SCATJC August 2009 E-Newsletter

-RFW

Filed under: Court, Law, Legal, SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center, SC Bar, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Bar Foundation, South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program, South Carolina Court Administration, South Carolina Courts, South Carolina Legal Services, South Carolina Supreme Court, access to justice, access to justice blog, blog, court innovation, legal aid, self-represented litigant , August 2009 E-Newsletter, SC access to justice commission, SCATJC

M-States & SRLs: Montana & Massachusetts

DIY by any other name

In Massachusetts they call it Limited Assisted Representation or LAR.

In Montana they call it DIY Legal Assistance.

I call it good job.

From early on at the SC Access to Justice Commission, I’ve been exposed to pros and cons of having people represent themselves in court. For the most part both sides have presented thoughtful, articulate and well-reasoned arguments for their side.  And both sides have their share of passion; both positive and negative.

Some Commissioners and I have been accused of trying to take away business from hard-working attorneys because the Commission is working on self-represented initiatives.

On the other hand, the Commission received information during the public hearings that many people were already representing themselves – without success.

Regardless of which side you favor, the reality is that more people are showing up in court without legal representation.

For many, it’s because they simply cannot afford to hire an attorney or they cannot find an attorney willing to represent them.

For others, it’s simply their choice – for reasons unknown. 

• Maybe they can afford an attorney but prefer to spend the money on a vacation or a new pair of shoes.
• Maybe they believe they are as smart as any attorney, so why should they pay.
• Maybe they had a prior bad experience when they hired an attorney and want to avoid that at all costs.
• Maybe the issue is straightforward and they can represent themselves.
• Maybe their neighbor told them that they had a positive SRL experience.

We may never know why.

But we can prepare our court system.

• We can train judges and court personnel.
• We can set reasonable expectations.
• We can develop forms and videos to familiarize the public with the court system.
• We can ensure that new form development reflects PLAIN LANGUAGE principles.
• We can work with attorneys to develop innovative and affordable services as well as discuss effective ways to work with a self-represented litigant.

In the meantime, we can look at innovations and practice by other states. Other states such as Massachusetts and Montana.

-RFW

Filed under: 1, Court, IOLTA, Law, Legal, Legal Clinic, Legal Documents, Legal Drafting, Legalese, Limited English Proficiency, Plain English, Plain Language, Readability, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Court Administration, South Carolina Courts, South Carolina Legal Services, access to justice, access to justice blog, advocacy, attorney, blog, court innovation, divorce, indigent, law librarians, law students, legal aid, poverty, public interest attorney, self-represented litigant , Montana, self-represented litigants, SRLs, SC access to justice commission, Unbundled Legal Services, Massachusetts, M States, Limited Assisted Representation, LAR, DIY Legal Assistance

Legal Services = Basic Needs

Extra! Extra! Read All About it!

Earlier today the United Way of the Midlands released their Community-Needs Assessment Report online at http://uway.org/facing_facts/.

While the report is specific to Richland and Lexington Counties, the issues highlighted in the report may be universal for people living in poverty. According to the report:

Many households in our community daily struggle to pay for housing, utilities, food, clothing and legal help.

While many of us recognize shelter and food as basic necessities, we may not associate legal help as one. And, that’s the legal community’s fault for not publicizing this fact.

For people living in poverty, legal services is often their lifeline. As I note often, as a general rule (there are always exceptions), people do not seek legal assistance when all is going well.

• In the criminal justice arena someone is either the victim of a crime or is accused of perpetrating the crime.
• In civil legal services, it’s very similar. Someone has been wronged or someone receives a complaint for wrongdoing. This can be contractual – landlord/tenant, debt repayment/collections, utilities, etc. It can be in other forms – divorce, child support, child custody, government benefits, etc.

For those of us working in civil legal services, this is second-nature.

And we’re glad that others now recognize it.

Thanks to United Way of the Midlands for collecting this data and publishing the report!

-RFW

Filed under: 1, Court, Law, Legal, South Carolina, South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, South Carolina Legal Services, Unemployment, access to justice, access to justice blog, advocacy, attorney, blog, housing, hunger, indigent, legal aid, poverty, poverty guidelines , legal services, South Carolina, poverty, civil legal services, United Way of the Midlands, housing, Lexington County, Richland County, Poverty Report, http://uway.org, basic necessities, utilities, food, clothing, Facing Facts