There's a Place for You Here!
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of the Boston Bar Association Annual Report 2010 No matter where you are… there’s a place for you here! there’s a place for you here no matter where you are… Dear Friends and Colleagues: Richard McCarthy e live in a time of uncertain funding for organizations like bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court, under the Board Chair Wthe Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) that deliver pro bono supervision of experienced VLP staff attorneys. As a result, legal services. But these challenges do not dim the ardor of students learn to handle, and resolve, real world legal problems, the many volunteer attorneys who give of themselves to enable and VLP multiplies the number of clients it can serve. VLP to succeed in its mission. To encourage volunteers while providing essential services This year the Annual Report focuses on the volunteer to deserving clients, VLP staff attorneys manage lawyer for the attorneys who make VLP tick. While clients in need are VLP’s day programs in various courts, including the Housing Court and raison d’etre, there would be no VLP without volunteer attorneys Probate Court. VLP staff set up mobile offices in the courts to who give of themselves. process potential clients, determine eligibility and suitability, and VLP attorneys VLP attorneys are a cross section of the legal profession, assign clients to volunteer attorneys. Under the Limited Assis- are a cross united by their desire to serve. Law students from the area tance Representation rules the volunteer attorney’s representa- section of the law schools, newly minted attorneys, single practitioners, tion need be no more than one day. But it is a rare attorney legal profession, government attorneys, in-house corporate counsel, attorneys whose commitment is so limited. Many of the attorneys for a day united by their in both small and large firms—all participate. Experienced agree to take responsibility for the client’s case for as long as it desire to serve. securities law attorneys are introduced to the world of Housing takes, to its conclusion. Court and Probate Court, bringing their resources to bear on This year VLP celebrates the local bar’s spirit of volunteer- behalf of needy clients. Attorneys newly admitted to practice ism, and the creative efforts of VLP staff to develop “bite size” join the court community, and gain useful experience, while opportunities to enable busy attorneys to begin with a limited providing invaluable help to their pro bono clients. commitment, and then become hooked on the spirit of volunteer- Volunteer attorneys are not easily described or labeled. ism. VLP has done its part by offering a variety of options VLP’s Senior Partners for Justice utilizes experienced attorneys for the delivery of legal services that are user friendly to both to assist in mentoring and training. attorney and client. VLP works to remove real and perceived At the other end of the spectrum are law students. In one obstacles to volunteering, including inexperience and trepidation. VLP program, over thirty Boston College School of Law and The large numbers of attorneys who respond to this opportunity is University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth School of Law students the best evidence of the Volunteer Lawyers Project’s success. have served as VLP interns representing debtors filing for If you have not already done so, please sign up. From our Executive Director There is a place for you at the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association (VLP). Sheila Hubbard Executive Director Having reached my one year anniversary as Executive Director, I have learned firsthand that there is a place at VLP that can match your experience level, your time availability, and your commitment to pro bono work, all while fulfilling the very important mission of VLP to provide high quality, pro bono legal services to low-income residents of the greater Boston area. Your level of experience —whether law student, recent law school graduate, newly admitted attorney, in the early years of law practice, experienced attorney, Everyone ben- or retired. Your available time —whether you have only a few hours a month or have the ability to take a case from start to finish. Your desire to give back —the satisfaction that comes with knowing you have made a real difference in someone else’s life. Whatever efits when you your need, VLP can provide a valuable and rewarding experience. Everyone benefits when you donate your time, talent, and energies donate your to VLP in service of our clients. time, talent, VLP staff give and get. The staff at VLP are some of the most dedicated and talented individuals with whom I have had the and energies to pleasure to work. The attorneys, paralegals, the managers, the administrative and support staff, and the interns all work together to VLP in service ensure that our clients are served and our volunteers supported. As a volunteer, you can expect to receive training, mentoring, and cases of our clients. that have been pre-screened and evaluated. In return, VLP staff receives a capable pool of attorneys to match our clients’ needs. Volunteers give and get. As a volunteer, you are the reason that VLP is able to deliver legal services to so many low-income clients. In these challenging economic times, the demand for legal representation has only increased. Consequently, the resources to meet this need must come from a variety of places. Your time and donations are a great part of these resources. In return, you get to prevent a family with small children from losing the home they have lived in for decades; you enable a grandparent to obtain guardianship of a grandchild when the parent is no longer able to provide adequate care; you enable a low wage worker to obtain relief from unfair and mounting debt. And if that weren’t enough, there is the added benefit to your professional development of having the opportunity to learn new areas of the law and develop new legal and advocacy skills. Clients give and get. At the center of all we do are the clients that are served. Clients who receive services have entrusted to all of us an important piece of their lives, in the hopes that they will receive the help they are seeking. And in the vast majority of cases, we are able to provide that help. At VLP we give, we get. At VLP you give, you get. There’s a place for you with us. there’s a place for you here >> Law Students >> Senior Partners for Justice offers a Public Service Internship has tapped into the talents of law students by in the Probate & Family Court for law students who want to VLP partnering with various Boston area law schools to provide critical assistance to unrepresented litigants while These law launch student programs in bankruptcy, unemployment gaining invaluable hands-on experience with family and students have insurance, family law and guardianship matters. probate practice. Law student interns from all the Boston area law schools are placed in the Suffolk, Middlesex, and secured economic >> A joint project with Professor Ingrid Hillinger of Boston Norfolk County Probate and Family Courts, working directly relief for many College Law School and Professor Michael G. Hillinger of alongside courthouse staff. “Alums” of the internship and clients during the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Law other law students also provide critical help with the times of has served numerous low-income debtors in obtaining Guardianship Clinics and Family Law Courtroom Lawyer relief through a bankruptcy discharge. The law students transition while for the Day projects. developing their have assisted in the screening, preparation, and filing of Chapter 7 Petitions for bankruptcy, resulting in a “fresh administrative start” for many of our clients. advocacy skills. Mentoring and Senior Partners for Justice >> VLP has also collaborated with Carolyn Goodwin, the In its unique mentoring program, VLP matches experienced Associate Director for the Public Service Office of Career practitioners with attorneys who represent VLP clients in a variety Development and Public Service at Boston University of areas of the law. You may be a lawyer in transition who is School of Law, and Mia Friedman and Susan Prosnitz of beginning your legal career, re-entering law practice after raising the Rappaport Center at Suffolk University Law School, a family or running a business. You may be entering an area of to launch unemployment insurance projects. In these practice that is new to you or have a desire to learn a new area of initiatives, law students, supervised by faculty members, law or develop a new skill set. VLP’s mentoring project can represent clients appealing the denial of unemployment provide invaluable support and guidance. benefits by the Division of Unemployment Assistance. VLP is developing new methods of mentoring including These law students have secured economic relief for many group mentoring, that invites mentees to attend a session clients during times of transition while developing their with an experienced attorney who answers questions and administrative advocacy skills. explains the law or process; shadowing, in which an experienced From the Simple to the Complex attorney allows a mentee to accompany him or her through There are times when the clients of VLP need only limited time all aspects of a case the attorney had taken for representation; and assistance. The required help could be as simple as filling out expert moderated email discussion groups; and guided legal forms or very limited assistance with a discrete matter in observation of courtroom proceedings. court. Often these matters can be handled by newer attorneys. In its unique For mentors and mentees alike, the relationship provides There are other instances when clients need a greater mentoring pro- equally important benefits.