die stimme de stem la voce avoz la voix la voz Fall 2006

N EWS FROM L EGAL A ID J USTICE C ENTER theVoice

ROCK HOUSE RESTORED!

When the Legal Aid Justice Center purchased the property at 1000 Preston Avenue to house our Charlottesville office, it was faced with a critical decision. Beside the main build- ing on the property sat a deteriorating old house made of stone. The roof of the house was leaking, the paint was peeling, and the floorboards were rotting.

“Initial estimates to restore the property were nearly $500,000,” said Executive Director Alex Gulotta. “Many people said, ‘The house is a liability—tear it down.’”

The demolition of the house seemed inevitable. Fortunately, a small group of dedicated volunteers formed to research the history of the house to determine its value. The newly formed Rock House Steering Committee, including Daniel Bluestone, director of the Historic Preservation Program at the , uncovered the truth. This house was no liability— it was a significant part of Charlottesville history.

The Rock House was built by Charles B. Holt, who engraved Julian Bond delivers the reception address for the C.B. Holt Rock House. his name in its concrete steps in 1926—the founding year of Jefferson High School and Washington Park—to commemo- Committee celebrated the restoration of the C.B. Holt Rock rate the completion of his house. Holt, a carpenter and House at a ceremony attended by more than 200 commu- umbrella repairman, was an African American son of a slave. nity members. Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP and He was born in 1872, less than a decade after emancipation University of Virginia professor of history, gave the and a few years before the enactment of the Jim Crow laws dedication address honoring the C.B. Holt Rock House. that disenfranchised blacks and segregated the South. The day was remarkable. View the full text of Julian Bond’s Building the house required vision, sacrifice, and hard speech at www.justice4all.org. work—a remarkable personal achievement. “I believe the spirit of Charles Holt was here to help us pull Today the Rock House stands restored. On April 18, the this together,” said Rock House Committee member Legal Aid Justice Center and the Rock House Steering Margaret Dunn. Continued on page 3

1 Rock House Restored ... 2 What’s New with JustChildren ... 4 Legal Aid Launches Impact Initiative ... 4 Petersburg Landlord Reimburses Excessive Charges ... 5 New Initiatives Enhance Effectiveness ... 6 2005 Annual Campaign Donors ... 8 More than 500 Attend Elder Law Events ... 9 Carrington Gardens Lawsuit Settles for $240,000 ... 9 Kathleen Caldwell Joins Civil Advocacy ... 10 Virginia Justice Center’s 2005 Accomplishments ... 11 Three Fellows Add More Talent to LAJC theVoice

Board of Directors MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Eva Anthony Herbert L. Beskin We have had a fantastic start to 2006! The generosity of the Lawrence Diehl community and our donors is allowing us to help even more Llezelle A. Dugger of Virginia’s most vulnerable families. Our Charlottesville Peter Eliades office is bursting at the seams as we continue to add new Kimberly C. Emery staff and exciting programs. We recently rehired Kathleen Bryan A. Fratkin Caldwell for our Civil Advocacy Program, and three new law Linda Freeman fellows will be joining us this fall. D. Brock Green Tracey Hopper The renovation of the C.B. Holt Rock House was completed Joy Johnson this April. The Rock House is the new home of a pro bono George B. McCallum III partnership between the law firm of Hunton & Williams and Albert Mumphry the University of Virginia School of Law. The April 18th dedi- John M. Oakey, Jr. Alex Gulotta cation of the Rock House featured a speech by Julian Bond. Frazier Solsberry Executive Director What an honor! It was a wonderful event. Thomas Stark IV Lynn Wiber Thanks to all of you for continuing to make the Legal Aid Justice Center a success! Elizabeth H. Woodard WHAT’S NEW WITH JUSTCHILDREN? Advisory Council Scoring legislative victories, advocating for our work is helping client communities Ed Bain, Jr. clients, adding staff—it’s been a busy year become more vocal, effective advocates for Herbert L. Beskin for JustChildren. We continue to explore a their children. At the last two meetings of the Elizabeth Birdsall Tammy Boudreau variety of strategies to expand opportunities State Board of the Department of Juvenile Kathleen Caldwell for Virginia’s most vulnerable children, rang- Justice, for example, parents testified about John Conover ing from vigorously protecting the rights of the troubling conditions at the girls’ correc- Rebecca Craig individual children, to leading coalitions of tional center at Bon Air, prompting the Board Susan Curry advocates pressing for change in the to investigate and call for improvements. And Mary Ann Elwood General Assembly. Recent successes include in June, we brought Central Virginia parents to a national meeting on school reform Kimberly C. Emery Education Reform: Last summer we estab- D. Brock Green where they met and learned from community lished a statewide grassroots initiative, the Alex R. Gulotta activists from around the country. Alliance for Virginia’s Students (www.vastu- Shannon Horton dents.org). With the support of our partners, New Funding: This spring the Legal Services Janis Jaquith the Alliance recently scored two meaningful Corporation of Virginia awarded us a special Edward Lowry successes. Thanks largely to our advocacy, the grant to become the statewide support cen- Dianne Martin General Assembly included in its budget the ter for education law and advocacy. With Marian Matthews first per-pupil funding increase, totaling $6.6 the new grant, we will provide training and Virginia Needham Rick Richmond million, for the Commonwealth’s preschool technical assistance to legal aid lawyers Sonjia Smith program for at-risk four-year-olds. And we across the Commonwealth, co-counsel on Frazier Solsberry prompted the Virginia Board of Education to significant cases, and maintain an ongoing Karen Torgersen establish improved graduation rates as a pri- presence with the Board of Education and Cole Wilson ority under the Standards of Accreditation. the General Assembly. Because of this and other new funding, JustChildren will grow to Elizabeth H. Woodard Community Partnerships: A critical aspect of 10 staff members by fall.

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Continued from page 1 This spring, the Rock House was officially listed on the Virginia Landmarks Registry and National Register of THE C.B. HOLT “ROCK HOUSE” RENOVATION Historic Places. It will be the new home to a pro bono part- AND GARDEN MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS nership between U.Va.’s School of Law and the Richmond law firm of Hunton & Williams. The project, pairing volun- Lead Gifts teer law students and pro bono attorneys from the law Band, Bama Works Fund of the firm, will offer free legal representation to victims of domes- Charlottesville Area Community Foundation tic violence with custody, visitation, and child support cases , Coran Capshaw, , as well as to immigrants seeking political asylum. This part- David Matthews, Leroi Moore, nership substantially increases the free legal services avail- Perry Foundation able to low-income residents in the Charlottesville area. City of Charlottesville John and Renee Grisham Community pride elevated the Rock House from liability to Hunton & Williams national treasure. Generous donors in our community, Mary Ann Elwood including the , the Perry Foundation, the City of Charlottesville, John and Renee Grisham, Hunton $5,000–$9,999 & Williams, Mary Ann Elwood, and others, made the reno- Carter and Karen Beauford vation of the Rock House possible. But the vision of what Virginia National Bank the Rock House can be is only just beginning.

Area members of the Virginia Council of Garden Clubs $2,500–$4,999 have volunteered to plan a garden and historic path for Albemarle Garden Club the Rock House property. This project will give the public Carl and Rebecca Frischkorn an opportunity to walk the grounds of the Rock House and learn about the history of those who lived in it. $1,000–$2,499

In the spring of 2007, we will dedicate the Rock House Area Members of the Virginia McGuire Woods, LLP Council of Garden Clubs Mental Health Services Fund Garden. At this event we will unveil permanent recognition Andy and Kelli Block of the Charlottesville Area of the generous donors to our Rock House Renovation and Mortimer Caplin Community Foundation Garden Project: Giving levels will be recognized at the Charlottesville Garden Club Reuben and Sue Rainey $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000 levels. John Conover and Virginia Richmond & Fishburne Daugherty Rivanna Garden Club For more information on the C.B. Holt Rock House or to con- Alan and Llezelle Dugger Ashlin Smith tribute to its renovation and garden, contact Susan Curry at Kimberly Emery Sonjia Smith 434-977-0553, ext. 101, or [email protected]. Alex and Joan Gulotta Betsy Woodard

In-Kind Alexander-Nicholson John Hanger Doug Campbell Jeff Barratt Woodworking C-ville Weekly Mona Lisa Pasta Daniel Bluestone O’Connor Hardwood Floor Co. Digital Print Solutions Richmond Camera Hale & White, Inc. Silk Purse Properties, LLC William Hale Studio Art Shop Jim Hall Webber Painting, Inc. Douglas Haney More than 200 community members celebrated the completion of the Rock House renovation.

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LEGAL AID JUSTICE CENTER PETERSBURG LANDLORD LAUNCHES IMPACT INITIATIVE REIMBURSES 15 The Legal Aid Justice Center and its pred- We have already received TENANTS FOR ecessor, the Charlottesville-Albemarle $118,000 per year in commit- Legal Aid Society, have asserted the right ments toward the goal of EXCESSIVE CHARGES of low-income individuals throughout $200,000 per year in LAJC Petersburg and Richmond recently set- Central Virginia to access justice for all for committed funding for the tled a case for numerous clients in several nearly 40 years. We intend to step up our next five years. local mobile home parks who had been over- efforts over the next five years to break $125,000 ($25,000 per year) charged for water. down some of the most intransigent bar- John and Renee Grisham riers to keeping this promise. Last fall Cristina Rebeil of the LAJC office in Richmond was contacted by a small group of The Impact Initiative is a new project that $100,000 ($20,000 per year) primarily Spanish-speaking tenants who lived will permanently increase our capacity to Jim and Becky Craig in a mobile home park on the edge of the serve low-income individuals in Virginia. Sonjia Smith city of Petersburg. The tenants had a variety Our statewide reach uniquely positions us of complaints about their tenancy including to identify repeating patterns of exploita- $75,000 ($15,000 per year) excessive charges by the landlord. Cristina tion—in areas like predatory lending for Lynne Conboy referred the case to Steve Dickinson in the example—patterns and trends that have LAJC Petersburg office and together they far-reaching implications for all of $50,000 ($10,000 per year) agreed to investigate the tenants’ claims. Virginia’s poor. Ted and Sheila Weschler The investigation revealed that the landlord In simple terms, the goal of the Impact $25,000 ($5,000 per year) was essentially charging tenants double what Initiative is to ensure that justice for one Mary Ann Elwood is allowed by Virginia law for water and sewer is truly justice for all. This five-year, million- Harold and Mary Donn Jordan services. With their clients’ permission, Steve dollar strategic plan also will greatly Jan Karon and Cristina organized a series of neighbor- enhance our self-sufficiency, a major Praxis Foundation hood meetings to inform all tenants of their challenge in an increasingly unstable Roberta Williamson rights and options in this matter. Meetings funding environment. To be most effec- were conducted in both English and Spanish. tive, the Impact Initiative features three $10,000 ($2,000 per year) Eventually it was determined that the viola- distinct elements: establishing a perma- Elizabeth Birdsall tions spread across three local trailer parks nent full-time litigation director, increas- and the number of clients grew to 15. ing our capacity to underwrite the $5,000 ($1,000 per year) expenses of litigation, and improving After a demand letter was sent to the landlord, David and Marian Fife our technical capabilities so we can effi- the landlord’s counsel called and conceded ciently collect and share advocacy infor- that the water bills had been miscalculated. mation program-wide. Total Commitments The next month the water bills for all tenants were adjusted to reflect the proper charges. With a goal of $1 million over the next $585,000 ($118,000 per year) The landlord also offered to refund all named five years, the Impact Initiative will allow clients the excessive charges and make avail- us to move above and beyond our cur- For more information or to donate to able funds to other tenants who might be rent capacity to pursue the highest qual- the Impact Initiative, contact Susan entitled to refunds. Refund amounts ranged ity advocacy initiatives for Virginia’s Curry at 434-977-0553, ext. 101, from $75 to more than $2,000 per client. most vulnerable families. or [email protected].

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NEW INITIATIVES ENHANCE LEGAL AID’S EFFECTIVENESS

Legal Aid Car Talk Reaching Families through U.Va. Medical Center Buying a car can and should be a positive experience. But Thanks to a new joint venture of the Legal Aid Justice for many years Legal Aid Justice Center attorneys have seen Center, the Center for Public Service at U.Va. Law School, a pattern of low-income buyers callously taken advantage and the U.Va. Medical Center, low-income families with of by unscrupulous car dealers who (legally) sell substan- children now have a new way to obtain access to legal dard cars financed at interest rates as high as 39 percent. assistance. Several times each week, representatives of the Car purchases gone bad are among the leading reasons Legal Aid Justice Center and the Center for Public Service, that low-income people file for bankruptcy. accompanied by U.Va. law students, hold intake clinics or participate in patient rounds at the hospital. “Once you make a bad deal, typically you’re stuck with a bad deal,” says Executive Director Alex Gulotta. “You’re sunk.” Response to the clinics has been “tremendous,” said Liz Moore, a paralegal at the Legal Aid Justice Center. “Based Due to dealer-friendly laws in Virginia, we can only occa- on the number of families that have already been referred, sionally help clients after these unscrupulous sales have it seems that there is a great demand for this service. The taken place. So Legal Aid determined that the best families have myriad problems that touch all of the areas approach is to educate consumers before they are lured we work in, such as Medicaid, food stamps, bankruptcy, into a bad deal that could ruin them financially. With a family law, housing, utilities, Supplemental Security Income, special grant from Virginia National Bank, we created etc., and many have multiple problems requiring legal help. “Legal Aid Car Talk.” Our thanks go out to Dr. Diane Pappas and Dean Kimberly Beyond the savvy required to determine whether a car is in Emery for pioneering this valuable project.” good mechanical condition and if the selling price is fair, Fliers advertising the service are posted at the hospital, but most people do not have the means to pay cash and must often those who come to the clinic have been referred by borrow money to buy a car. Legal Aid Car Talk teaches buy- social workers, physicians, nurses, and other hospital staff ers about both finding a good car for a fair price and enter- members who recognize their patients’ families are dealing ing into a financing situation that is the best available to with issues that might require legal expertise. We received a them and that will result in payments they can handle. pilot grant from the Charlottesville Area Community While Legal Aid Car Talk currently operates in the Foundation to support the launch of this project. We are Charlottesville office, we hope to have the resources to currently fundraising to make this successful pilot a perma- expand this program to our Richmond and Petersburg nent part of our Civil Advocacy Program. offices in the future. Materials, including a Used Car Buyer’s Handbook, are available by request. For more information contact John Conover at 434-977-0553, ext.103 or [email protected].

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LEGAL AID JUSTICE CENTER THANKS THE 2005 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN DONORS

Challenger’s Circle Donors $10,000 + James & Vicki Freilich Evan Guillemin & Ricki Stern Jim & Becky Craig Inez Duff Bishop Charitable Trust Alex & Joan Gulotta John & Renee Grisham Prince Michel Winery & Vineyard Robert & Marilyn Harman Select Equity Group Richmond & Fishburne Heiner Family Foundation Sonjia Smith Jim Hingeley Amor & Margaret Towles $1,000–$1,499 Matthew & Dorothy Holden Roberta Williamson Elizabeth A. Arledge The Huntly Foundation Barcalow & Hart Karyl & Irving Kayton $5,000–$9,999 Herb Beskin & Sumner Brown John L. Lanham Carter & Karen Beauford Elizabeth Birdsall Douglas & Deborah Little Margaret S. & Philip D. Block, Jr. Mary Scott & John H. Birdsall George & Annabel Loper Family Foundation Henry & Diane Bisgaier Edward & Carolyn Lowry Lynne Duke Conboy Andy & Kelli Block Martin & Raynor David & Marian Fife Chris & Margaret Block David & Cyndy Martin Harold & Mary Donn Jordan Judith & Philip D. Block III Jane Matthews LexisNexis® Jack Bocock & Nora Brookfield McLean Faulconer Inc. Mitford Children’s Foundation Richard & Kathleen Bonnie Michie, Hamlett, Lowry, Praxis Foundation Jack & Wendy Brown Rasmussen & Tweel Frederic W. Scott, Jr. Bill Chapman & Shannon Worrell Robert & Karen O’Neil Ted & Sheila Weschler The Consignment House Susan & L.F. Payne Claire Curry & Evelyn Stevens Rick & Pat Richmond $2,500–$4,999 Ralph & Charlotte Dammann Mildred Robinson Edgar Bronfman & Jan Aronson Sarah & Victor M. Dandridge, Jr. Dennis & Ann Rooker John Conover & Virginia Daugherty Mike & Cynnie Davis Paul Saunier Shelia Marie Davis Dan Doernberg & Rachel Unkefer Scott & Kroner Carol & James Lister Dreaming Hand Foundation Elizabeth & Robert Scott Elinor Marshall Douglas & Sarah DuPont The Honorable Janene Shannon Sarah Eisenhart Frazier Solsberry & Kathleen May $1,500–$2,499 Mary Ann Elwood St. Paul’s Memorial Church Kay & Ed Bain, Jr. Feil, Pettit & Williams Robert S. Stevens Tammy Boudreau & Henry Saint Dahl J. Michael Fitzgerald Tremblay & Smith Kathleen Caldwell Mark & Barbara Fried Betsy Woodard Mortimer Caplin Jeff Gleason & Pat Connor Sam & Ginny Yount Robert & Rose Capon Brock & Julia Green John & Peggy Zunka

$999 & Under A.N. Culbertson & Company, Inc. John Andelin, Jr. & Craig Barton & Marthe Rowen Diane Berkeley William & Eleanor Abbot Virginia Geoffrey Michal Barzuza & Dotan Oliar Beth Berne Jennifer Ackerman Mr. & Mrs. Mark Andres Sally A. Bastian Raymond C. Bice, Jr. Robert & Nancy Adams Mr. & Mrs. Breck Arrington Patrick & Jane Belisle Betty Black Ryan Almstead Richard & Linda Balnave Susan G. Bender Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Blizzard Cathy Ames James Barns, Jr. Tom & Mary Bergin Gene & Carol Block Charles P. Ancona Louisa & Harold Barrett C.M. Berndt Blue Ridge Title Company

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Karen & Warren Boeschenstein Michael & Silvia Gage Ludwig Kuttner & Beatrix Ost George Rodeheaver Madelyn & Joseph Bonsignore Claire Guthrie Gastanaga Michele Lamka Steven & Kate Rosenfield Larry Bouchard & M. Chinta Gaston Norman Lamson Jessamy Rouson Margaret Galloway Gregory S. Gelburd Corinne LeBovit Michael C. Russ Patricia M. Brady Lorna Gerome-Crowder Lem & Karen Lilleleht George Rutherglen & Richard & Bonnie Brewer Catherine Gilliam Graham & Rachel Lilly Jessica Feldman Andrea Bridgeman George & Page Gilliam Peppy G. Linden Bob & Marty Sayler Margaret Ellen Browning Edward J. Gilmartin & John V. Little Gregory & Francisca Schell David & Delores Brush Grace Lynch Anna Magee Cynthia G. Schneider Henry & Maxine Burton Victor M. Glasberg Dana & Susan Cabell Mains Betty & John E. Scott, Jr. Bruce & Terri Cabell Dr. & Mrs. Charles H. Gleason The Honorable David B. Marshall Katherine Hope Scott Jonathan & Alice Cannon Donna G. Goings Gail & John Marshall John & Rachel Setear Mary Hill Caperton Carol H. Goldstein Lewis Martin III Shearman & Sterling, LLP Dr. & Mrs. Freeman Cary Cheryl Gomez Valerie A. Matthews Elizabeth Sidamon-Eristoff Eneldo Castillo-Posadas Sylvia S. Gordon Michele Mattioli Jim & Monique Simmonds Elizabeth G. Cauthen Vesta Lee Gordon Deborah McDowell Anne & Edward Slaughter Christopher Chase & Diana Gray Larry & Kathryn McElwain Margo Smith Mary Lorino Mr. & Mrs. William S. Gray Thomas & Kathleen McGowan Diane & Mike Solatka Ed & Suzanne Chitwood Charles Greenfield Anne Kane McGuire Peter & Lisa Spaar Angela Ciolfi & Jeffery Barratt A. Dandridge Gregg Peter McIntosh & Erin Garvey Janet W. Stack Stephen & Carol Clarke Marc Hahn Chris & Isabel McLean Barbara & Paul Stenard Tom Cogill Martien Halvorson-Taylor Daniel & Jan Meador John & Grace Stillwell Joe & Chris Condo Leroy & Patricia Hamlett Rebekah Menning Betty Strider Vinka Craver John Hanger & Cheryl Brunk Eugene & Suzanne Meyung Eleanore B. Sturgill Elizabeth Crawford Hantzmon, Wiebel & Company Tom Michie Jay & Betsy Swett Ruth Cross Barbara Haskins Mr. & Mrs. Leigh Middleditch, Jr. Albie Tabackman & Joan Fenton Alan & Sharon Culbertson Mrs. V.W.T. Harbaugh Marilyn Minrath Betty A. Thompson Susan Elwood Cunningham Allen Hard & Marjorie Siegel Ray Mishler & Pat Smith McIIwaine & Elsie Thompson Benjamin & Lynn Curry Jack & Joanne Harris Dan & Harriet Mohler Elly & Bill Tucker David L. Dallas, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John W. Harrison Rodrigo & Melissa Montanez Albert R. Turnbull Nancy & Fred Damon Will & Mittie Harvey Liz & Kenneth Moore Andrew Turner Darrold & Carol Dandy Jim Heilman Donald & Lisa Morin Nancy & Peter Tuz John Davies George H. Hettrick B. Wistar Morris III & Karen Moran Twentieth Century Fund Creston & Molly Davis E.D. & Mary Hirsch Jack Morton & Mary Ellen White Robert & Sharon W. Utz Christine Dawson James & Mary Holden Marcia W. Murchison Alan & Cyndra Van Clief Eduard E. & Francesca de Lange Jack & Nancy Horn James & Bunny Murray, Sr. Mitch & Betty Van Yahres Robert T. Denomme John & Hillary Horn Mr. & Mrs. Matthew B. Murray Alejandro Vazquez Thomas & Maggie Devita Fred & Betty Hudson Richard & Virginia Needham Venable School A.E. Dick & Mary Howard Dr. & Mrs. William Hunt F. Page Nelson Rip & Therese Verkerke Rebecca Dillingham David Izakowitz & Alison Booth New Dominion Book Shop Mr. & Mrs. Harold T. Via Jane De Simone Dittmar Leo Janks Mary P. Newton Walter & Ruth Wadlington Al Dougherty & Miriam Bender Richard L. Jennings & Dorothy & Steven Nixa Phyllis Warnock G. Lawson & Suzanne Drinkard Sherry Frost Lindsay C. Nolting David & Bitsy Waters Doug Drysdale & Elaine Hadden Graham & Janet Johnson Caroline B. Nunley J. Gregory Webb Earl & Louise Dudley Ed & Margaret Jones John M. Oakey Mary Lee Webb James & Julia Dunstan Judith Jordan Oler & Associates, PC Robert & Mary Beth Webb William L. Duren, Jr. Father Gregory Kandt Richard Olin & Dianne Martin Charles L. Weber, Jr. James & Ann Eddins Jocelyn Kelley Kent Olson & Marsha Trimble Robert Whaley Dr. & Mrs. Kemal H. Elbirlik Joan Kellogg Greg & Trish Orr Thomas & Maria White Jordan Feirman Forrest & Joyce Kerns Toby Packer Charles Whitebread Ernestine J. Foresman Mr. & Mrs. Gary D. Kessler Eric Perelman Dr. Morton C. Wilhelm Diana Foster & Tom Jones Art & Sue Keyser Charles & Joy Perry Blair K. Williamson Jane & Eugene Foster Mary Kirwan Dale W. Pittman Stirling & Jane Williamson Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey C. Fracher Edmund W. & Gail Kitch Karen & Michael Powell Eleanor W. Winsor Clermont Fraser Michael Klarman & Marc Purintun Ann & Brantly Womack Jeffrey & Linda Frederick Lisa Landsverk Pussywillow Land Trust Jay Worrall Steven Freilich & Sherry P. Kraft & Bill Lucy Martin B. Quarles Barbara Yalden-Thompson Daphne Greenberg Christopher & Catherine Kramer Betsy Respess Mrs. Carter C. Ziegler Timothy Andrew Freilich Robert & Elaine Kroner Russell Riley & Monique Richard J. Funk Howard & Liz Kutchai Vanlandingham Thanks from all of us at the Legal Aid Justice Center!

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MORE THAN 500 ATTEND ELDER LAW EVENTS

The Legal Aid Justice Center’s Elder Law attorney and legal When pressure ulcers are present, it can be a signal that an director of the Civil Advocacy Program, Claire E. Curry, and elderly person is not receiving proper treatment. Claire Curry, the Community Partnership for Improved Long-term Care the Community Partnership, and the University of Virginia recently organized two events to raise awareness about School of Medicine spent a year working and gathering data the needs of the elderly in the our area. The events were on pressure ulcer rates from long-term care facilities. Some of attended by more than 500 concerned community mem- the factors that the working group examined included the bers, doctors, nurses, clergy, lawyers, and ombudsmen working and living conditions in long-term care facilities as among others. well as staff and resident attrition rates.

The Community Partnership for Improved Long-term Care “This was a working group that created an unprecedented brings together concerned individuals and groups to work collaboration,” said Curry. “It was not about reinventing for improved quality of care in long-term residential facili- the wheel or pointing fingers of blame, but a true discus- ties in the city of Charlottesville and the counties of sion of what the different facilities do and what measures Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. The are working to prevent pressure ulcers in long-term care Community Partnership meets on a monthly basis. facilities.”

These groups then hosted a conference to help raise aware- Virginia Festival of the Book ness of the treatment and prevention of pressure ulcers, The Community Partnership and the Virginia Festival of the “Pressure Ulcers: Meeting the Challenge of Cost Effective Book worked together to bring world-renowned author Dr. Prevention,” at the Doubletree Hotel in Charlottesville, William H. Thomas to speak and discuss his book What Are Virginia. The event featured experts in the field including Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World. Dr. Jonathan Dr. Courtney Lyder, professor and chair of the University of Evans, a local long-term care expert, also addressed the Virginia School of Nursing's Department of Acute and audience. The enthusiastic crowd of more than 400 partici- Specialty Care; and Dr. George Rodeheaver, professor in the pated in a moderated discussion following the presenta- University of Virginia's Department of Plastic Surgery and tions. The audience included not only the general public, founding member of the Virginia Pressure Ulcer Resource but also staff and residents of long-term care facilities. Team. More than 90 were in attendance. The target audi- ence included directors of long-term facilities, managers, “The effective, hardworking advocates that make up the providers of care from certified nursing assistants to nursing Community Partnership and Virginia Festival of the Book staff, and the families of residents. The event was geared are the reason this event was so successful.” Curry said “I toward people who have the decision-making responsibility have never seen so many residents and staff of long-term within long-term care facilities in order to educate and have care facilities in the same room. We actually had to delay them commit to making a difference with pressure ulcer the event for 15 minutes while we figured out how to get prevention. The event was an overwhelming success in all the wheelchairs in the room! This event has truly opened making Charlottesville and the surrounding areas a leader a very important dialogue between these two groups.” in pressure ulcer prevention in long-term care facilities.

Pressure Ulcers: Meeting the Challenge of Cost Effective For more information on the Community Partnership for Prevention Improved Long-term Care, contact Claire Curry at The prevention of pressure ulcers is a critical need in long- 434-977-0553, ext.105, or [email protected]. term care of our elderly. A high percentage of them are avoidable with adequate nutrition, staff, and education.

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CARRINGTON GARDENS LAWSUIT SETTLES FOR $240,000 FOR 26 RICHMOND FAMILIES

Many of the 216 units in the complex were unoccupied, with doors and windows kicked in or broken, allowing the winter temperatures to penetrate the buildings. The city also found faulty electrical wiring, uncollected garbage piling up, and squatters in the complex. Declaring the Carrington Gardens complex a health and safety hazard, the city of Richmond condemned the buildings and told families to relocate.

With only eight hours’ notice, residents lost the majority of their belongings and were brought to a hotel. The Legal Aid Justice Center and co-counsel Sidley Austin, representing 22 families, along with Hunton & Williams, representing three families, and Hundley & Johnson, representing one family, filed suit in July. The lawsuit sought compensatory damages for lost belongings and moving expenses. Legal Aid Justice Center attorney Marcel Slag celebrates as he receives $240,000 in settlement checks. In a settlement conference on April 26, all parties agreed on the total of $240,000 to settle the action. Marcel Slag of the In April, the Legal Aid Justice Center and the law firms of Legal Aid Justice Center, Benjamin Nagin and James Reagan of Sidley Austin, Hunton & Williams, and Hundley & Johnson Sidley Austin, Ed Noonan of Hunton & Williams, and Brooks reached a settlement with New York-based Bush Realty, LLC, Hundley of Hundley & Johnson were all instrumental in and New Jersey-based Royal Oak Gardens, LLC. The lawsuit achieving the settlement. was filed in July 2005 after the city of Richmond told Carrington Garden residents in February they had eight hours “This settlement agreement is a victory for the residents of to find a new home. Carrington Gardens and for everyone who is victimized by neglectful landlords,” said Marcel Slag of the Legal Aid Justice On February 10, 2005, the city of Richmond condemned the Center. “It is a testament to the generosity of the private Carrington Gardens, Northridge apartment complex after a attorneys who worked on this case without recovering fees. period of long neglect by owners Bush Realty, LLC, and its Thanks again to the firms of Sidley Austin, Hunton & Williams, management company, Royal Oak Gardens, LLC. The city and Hundley & Johnson.” investigated the buildings after frozen water pipes burst.

KATHLEEN CALDWELL JOINS CIVIL ADVOCACY TEAM

The Legal Aid Justice Center continues to add exciting pro- Mary, where she graduated in the top 10 percent of her grams and experienced attorneys to our organization. In May class; and an LLM degree from the University of Virginia. of 2006, we rehired Kathleen Caldwell as a new member of Kathleen will be developing the consumer law practice and our Civil Advocacy team. Kathleen is a former Legal Aid staff reestablishing private attorney volunteer programs. We are and board member, and a senior attorney with substantial excited that she has returned to the Legal Aid Justice Center legal experience. She holds an undergraduate degree from to champion consumer protection issues and fair treatment Mary Washington College; a law degree from William and for low-income people in Central Virginia.

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More than 4,500 attended a rally in support of comprehensive immigration reform in Richmond on April 9, 2006.

VIRGINIA JUSTICE CENTER’S 2005 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MORE THAN $2 MILLION IN LOST WAGES RECOVERED FOR IMMIGRANT WORKERS

The Virginia Justice Center was founded in Charlottesville in laborers who were being cheated out of their pay on a regu- 1998 to serve farmworkers as a statewide project of the Legal lar basis. Using a multi-pronged approach featuring legal Aid Justice Center. The VJC’s mission is to support low-wage assistance, education and organizing, advocacy, and public immigrant workers in their efforts to find justice and fair awareness building, the VJC’s low-wage immigrant worker treatment in the workplace. In 2001, VJC opened an office in clients have now won judgments and settlements totaling Northern Virginia in response to numerous calls from day more than $2 million.

In the past year, VJC’s advocates

• Delivered written workers’ rights information to more than 1100 day laborers • Held workers’ rights seminars for 390 workers and service providers • Provided brief legal assistance to 211 low-wage immigrant workers • Opened cases for full representation of 115 clients, bringing the total number of cases currently open to 272 • Closed 173 cases following full legal representation, winning judgments and settlements totaling $180,000 for low- wage immigrant workers • Organized a new multi-ethnic, multi-issue coalition to monitor and address anti-immigrant legislation in the Virginia General Assembly • Provided bilingual, targeted referral services to more than 550 callers • Stopped the nine anti-immigrant bills introduced in the 2006 General Assembly that would have most negatively impacted Virginia’s immigrant communities • Played a key role in the formation of the National Capital Immigration Coalition and mobilization of Virginia’s immigrant communities and their allies in support of comprehensive immigration reform (including participation in massive rallies in D.C., a rally of 4,500 in Richmond, and a rally of 350 in Charlottesville) • Moderated three listservs subscribed to by more than 100 key Virginia immigrant community leaders and advocates • Helped organize the largest Latino Lobby Day in Richmond to date

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After founding the VJC’s Northern Virginia said Freilich. “Virginia is dependent on low- LAJC OFFICES office, VJC Managing Attorney Tim Freilich wage immigrant workers to do the toughest, has recently returned to Charlottesville to lowest-paid jobs in the state. We need com- 1000 Preston Avenue rebuild VJC’s farmworker advocacy program prehensive immigration reform that recog- Suite A and to expand VJC’s statewide advocacy nizes and honors their contributions to our Charlottesville, VA 22903 efforts in support of Virginia’s immigrants economy.” (434) 977-0553 and comprehensive immigration reform. Freilich is replaced in Northern Virginia by 1-800-578-8111 “After advocating on behalf of Virginia’s Laura Stack, an experienced attorney and immigrant workers for so many years, it’s immigrant advocate. Stack joins the VJC been inspirational to see the immigrant after several years of advocacy on behalf of 101 West Broad Street communities of Virginia discover their own farmworkers in Maryland and Delaware. Suite 111 power and voice in the last several months,” Richmond, VA 23220 (804) 643-1086

41 Bollingbrook Street THREE FELLOWS ADD MORE TALENT TO LAJC Petersburg, VA 23803 (804) 862-2205 The Legal Aid Justice Center is the recipient of three fully funded public interest law fellow- ships that will bring three bright, young attorneys to bolster our already talented staff. Charisa Smith, Erin Trodden, and Seok H. “Daniel” Choi will join the Legal Aid Justice Center 6066 Leesburg Pike this fall. Suite 520 “I’m not sure that any legal aid program in the country has landed three of these fellowships Falls Church, VA 22041 in one year,” said Executive Director Alex Gulotta. “It is a testament to the work that we are (703) 778-3450 doing that we would attract these extraordinary young attorneys.”

Charisa Smith will work for the JustChildren program in Richmond and will help ensure chil- [email protected] dren released from juvenile detention have access to education and mental health services. www.justice4all.org Smith graduated from the Yale Law School in 2005 and will be supported by the Arthur Liman Program. Her salary will be covered for one year. She is currently clerking for a federal judge in New Jersey.

A 2005 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Erin Trodden will reach out to the hard-working immigrants in the greater Charlottesville area, who are often doing some of the toughest and lowest-paying jobs. Trodden received the Skadden Fellowship and currently clerks for Judge Norman K. Moon in U.S. District Court in Lynchburg. She will be connecting with “settled out” immigrants who are raising families in our area.

Seok H. “Daniel” Choi will join our Northern Virginia office and will put his diverse language skills to an important use. Choi is fluent in both Korean and Spanish and will work to bridge the gap between Spanish-speaking workers and Korean-speaking business owners and man- agers. Choi was graduated from New York University Law School this spring and will be sponsored by a two-year Equal Justice Works fellowship.

“These three fellows are truly a blessing to the Legal Aid Justice Center and Virginia’s most vulnerable families,” said Gulotta.

11 I WANT TO HELP THE LEGAL AID JUSTICE CENTER YES! ENSURE JUSTICE FOR ALL IN VIRGINIA.

CONTACT INFORMATION* IN THE FORM OF Please list your name as you wish to be acknowledged. អ Check (payable to the Legal Aid Justice Center) *We respect the privacy of your personal information. អ Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) Please include billing address at left. Name______Credit Card #______

Address______Expiration Date______City______Signature______State______Zip______Date______Telephone______DESIGNATION Email______អ Undesignated—Please use my gift where the need is អ Please do not acknowledge me publicly; this is an greatest. anonymous donation. អ Civil Advocacy Program (consumer protection, employment, homelessness prevention, elder law, etc.) អ ENCLOSED IS MY TAX–DEDUCTIBLE DONATION OF JustChildren អ $50 អ $250 អ $1,000 អ $5,000 អ Virginia Justice Center for Farm and Immigrant Workers អ $100 អ $500 អ $2,500 អ Other $______អ C.B. Holt “Rock House” Historic Preservation

Our financial statement is available from us or the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Consumer Affairs.

Legal Aid Justice Center Nonprofit Org. 1000 Preston Ave., Suite A U.S. Postage Charlottesville, VA 22902 PAID Charlottesville, VA Permit No. 171