“Opportunities for Pro Bono Service”
Click on any item to view associated materials
Biographies of Speakers
Daniel G. Atkins, Esquire, Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. Kelly Cloud Ensslin, Esquire, Office of the Child Advocate Janine Howard-O’Rangers, Executive Director Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. Jenness E. Parker, Esquire, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, President, Delaware Bar Foundation Lauren Moak Russell, Esquire, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP Susan Simmons, Director of Development and Access to Justice Coordination, Delaware State Bar Association David B. Stratton, Esquire, Pepper Hamilton LLP Peter J. Walsh, Jr., Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
Program Materials *
2012 OCA Pro Bono Honor Roll OCA - Being a Volunteer OCA - 2009 Annual Report DVLS Brochure DVLS Attorney Application Standing Order Federal Civil Panel
* The forms included herein are samples only and may not be appropriate for any particular matter.
1 Bio for Daniel G. Atkins
Since 1990 Dan Atkins has been a disabilities rights and poverty lawyer with the Community Legal Aid Society, Inc (“CLASI”) in Delaware. Dan began his career as a Staff Attorney with responsibilities in both the poverty and disabilities programs, became a Senior Attorney in 1995, and Legal Advocacy Director of CLASI’s Disabilities Law Program (DLP) in 1997. As Legal Advocacy Director, Dan trained and supervised attorneys, and coordinated and oversaw the advocacy efforts of the DLP statewide. Dan has litigated individual cases and/or class actions in every court in the State of Delaware, including the U.S. District Court. Dan has litigated numerous cases enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Social Security Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Medicaid Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Unites States Housing Act, and various provisions of the United States Constitution. In 2015 Dan also became Project Director for CLASI’s Medical- Legal Partnership (“MLP”), in which CLASI partners with health care providers to address patients’ social determinants of health. In July 2015, Dan was promoted to become CLASI’s Executive Director.
Since 1998, Dan has served as an Adjunct Professor at Widener University School of Law, where he teaches classes in Disabilities Law, Poverty Law, and Medical-Legal Collaboration, and founded an MLP to provide students and lawyers with the opportunity to work with people who are poor in Chester, Pa. Dan has published numerous articles in law reviews, public health journals, newspapers, and a chapter of a textbook, on topics related to poverty law, disability law, and MLP.
Dan graduated in 1987 from the University of Michigan, with distinction, and in 1990 from the George Washington University Law School.
Kelly C. Ensslin, MSW, Esq., CWLS
Kelly is a Deputy Child Advocate with the Office of the Child Advocate who has worked in the child welfare field for over 15 years. Kelly began her professional career as a social worker, having graduated with her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. Following graduate school she worked as a social worker and therapist in private foster care/ adoption agencies in Delaware. In 2004, Kelly began law school at Widener University School of Law. She graduated cum laude in 2008 and began working for an elder law firm while also volunteering with OCA as a pro bono attorney. In 2010, Mrs. Ensslin obtained her “dream job” as a Deputy Child Advocate with that office. In 2013, the National Association of Counsel for Children awarded Kelly Certification as a Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS).
Currently Kelly represents approximately 30 children in foster care while also advocating for policy reform in all areas regarding child welfare, with a focus on mental health and permanency. Kelly participates on many policy workgroups and committees. JANINE N. HOWARD-O’RANGERS, ESQUIRE Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. Widener University School of Law P. O. Box 7306 Wilmington, DE 19803
Janine N. Howard-O’Rangers is the Executive Director of Delaware Volunteer Legal
Services, Inc. (“DVLS”) and a Legal Consultant to the Widener University School of Law
Delaware Civil Clinic. Before becoming Executive Director, Ms. Howard-O’Rangers was a staff attorney for DVLS where she represented victims of domestic violence with family law issues and recruited pro bono attorneys. She graduated cum laude from Temple University in
1992 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and cum laude from Widener University
School of Law in 1995. She was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1995 and the Pennsylvania Bar in 1997. She is a member of the Family Law Sections of the American Bar Association and the
Delaware State Bar Association (“DSBA”), and a member of the Melson-Arsht Inn of Court.
Ms. Howard-O’Rangers is a former Chair of the DSBA Family Law Section. In addition, Ms.
Howard-O’Rangers serves on a number of committees that address access to justice and domestic violence issues. Ms. Howard-O’Rangers is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at
Widener University School of Law where she teaches courses on Interviewing and Counseling and Domestic Violence Law. Jenness E. Parker
Counsel, Wilmington Litigation
Jenness Parker focuses her practice on deal litigation and corporate governance litigation matters in Delaware and other state and federal courts around the country. Ms. Parker also provides advice to corporations and their boards of directors on issues of corporate governance and the Delaware General Corporation Law. Her experience includes defending corporations, directors and officers, and their advisers in derivative and class action lawsuits relating to, among other things, mergers and acquisitions, fiduciary duty challenges, and stockholders disputes. Ms. Parker was named a 2016 Delaware Lawyer on the Fast Track by The Delaware Law Weekly. In addition, she is on the board of editors of the treatise Mergers and Acquisitions Deal Litigation Under Delaware Corporation Law.
Publications
T: 302.651.3183 Co-Author, “Developments in Disclo- Co-Author, “Where Del. Rule 5.1 Differs F: 302.574.3183 sure-Based Deal Litigation Settlements,” From Rule 5(g),” Law360, November 9, 2012 [email protected] Practical Law, July/August 2016 Co-Author, “Depositions of Shareholder Co-Author, “Court of Chancery Continues Representative Plaintiffs in M&A Deal Education to Clarify Views of Disclosure-Based Deal Litigation: Revisiting Steinhardt v. J.D., The University of Iowa College Litigation Settlements,” Skadden, Arps, Slate, Howard-Anderson,” The M&A Lawyer, of Law, 2004 (Articles Editor, Journal Meagher & Flom LLP, May 19, 2016 April 2012 of Corporation Law) B.A., Central College, 2000 Co-Author, “Del. Scrutiny Of M&A Settle- Co-Author, “Multi-Jurisdictional Litigation: ments Lead To Varying Decisions,” Law360, Who Caused This Problem, And Can It Be November 16, 2015 Fixed?” Delaware Journal of Corporation Bar Admissions Law, January/February 2012 Delaware Co-Author, “Delaware Courts Question Illinois Long-Standing Practice of Approving Co-Author, “Delaware Court of Chancery U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware Disclosure-Based Deal Litigation Settle- Advises Careful Drafting of Advance Notice ments,” Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Laws,” The M&A Lawyer, May 2008 Flom LLP, October 22, 2015 Experience Co-Author, “Delaware Court Enjoins Clerkship, Hon. Randy J. Holland of the Co-Author, “Dissecting Del.’s New Netsmart Deal,” Skadden, Arps, Slate, Delaware Supreme Court (2004-2005) Discovery Guidelines,” Law360, December Meagher & Flom LLP, March 20, 2007 14, 2012 Associations President, Board of Delaware Co-Author, “Court of Chancery Issues Bar Foundation New Rule to Govern Confidential Filings,” Member, National Advisory Council, Delaware Business Court Insider, November Central College (2007-Present) 7, 2012 Member, Richard S. Rodney American Inn of Court (2005-Present)
1 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Lauren Moak Russell
Associate RELATED SERVICES [email protected] Education Law Labor and Employment Law p 302.576.3255 f 302.576.3750 EDUCATION Wilmington, DE Temple University Beasley School of Law, J.D. Wesleyan University, B.A., with honors
BAR ADMISSIONS
Delaware
COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Lauren represents employers on a range of issues relating to compliance with local, state, and federal employment laws and constitutional provisions. She has experience in each of Delaware’s state and federal PRIOR EMPLOYMENT courts, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Lauren also regularly assists clients in administrative proceedings before state and federal agencies, including the EEOC, the Delaware Office of Prior to law school, Lauren spent a year working as a Case Anti-Discrimination, and the Delaware Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Management Assistant with Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz in Wilmington, DE. Lauren has litigated a wide variety of employment-related matters to successful resolutions, including employment discrimination cases under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, non-competition cases, and constitutional law cases, among others.
In addition to litigation, Lauren counsels employers on a broad range of topics, including revision of handbooks and related policies to ensure compliance with state and federal employment and labor statutes. Lauren also conducts on-site training on legal compliance, including anti-harassment training.
Lauren serves as an editor of the Delaware Employment Law Letter, the only monthly newsletter in Delaware written exclusively for Delaware employers. She speaks annually, on a variety of issues, at Young Conaway’s Annual Employment Law Seminar. Lauren is serving as the 2015-16 Chair of the Delaware State Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section.
In addition to her work on behalf of employers, Lauren dedicates her time to pro bono matters in a variety of contexts. Lauren was the 2013 recipient of the William F. Taylor Pro Bono Award, for her service to the community.
Lauren is a graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she was an Articles Editor of the Temple Political and Civil Rights Law Review, a member of the Women’s Law Caucus, and a recipient of the Law Faculty Scholarship. Lauren served as an intern to the Honorable Kent A. Jordan, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
www.youngconaway.com Copyright © 2016 Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP. All rights reserved. Susan Simmons is the Pro Bono Coordinator of the Delaware State Bar Association. Her responsibilities include developing and implementing new pro bono projects, conducting outreach to other legal providers and non-profits in the community, coordinating volunteer recruitment and developing volunteer recognition. The Pro Bono Coordinator is responsible for developing standards for pro bono service to ensure the consistent quality of services delivered to recipient organizations.
Ms. Simmons holds dual degrees in English and Education from Queens College in New York.
Ms. Simmons comes to the DSBA with 24 years as a partner in an events planning and production company in Wilmington, DE. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of Westside Family Healthcare for over 9 years and also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Delaware HIV Consortium. David Stratton is a partner in Pepper Hamilton’s Corporate and Restructuring and
Bankruptcy Practice Group. He is the managing partner of the firm’s Wilmington office where he has practiced law for nearly forty years. He is the immediate past co-chair of his practice group and a former member of Pepper Hamilton’s Executive Committee.
David’s bankruptcy experience spans four decades and includes the representation of nearly every restructuring constituency: debtors, creditors’ committees, secured creditors,
DIP lenders, asset purchasers, indenture trustees, landlords and unsecured creditors. His roles include serving as lead, Delaware and conflicts counsel.
David is a member of the American College of Bankruptcy and serves as the
Regent for the Third Circuit. In 2014, he chaired the Third Circuit Merit Selection Panel and in
2009 he was a member of the Third Circuit Merit Selection Panel. He is a former chairman of the Delaware Better Business Bureau. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Christiana
Care Health System, a regional hospital based in Delaware,and a member of the Board of
Directors of the Visiting Nurse Association. He serves as chair of the Combined Campaign for
Justice, an annual fund raising campaign that raises money to support he operations of the agencies that provide legal services to Delaware’s indigent population.
#40028348 v1 Peter J. Walsh, Jr. Partner, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
Mr. Walsh practices primarily in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation. He has tried many corporate and commercial cases in the Delaware courts, including stockholder class and derivative actions, summary proceedings pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, and hostile takeover proceedings. Mr. Walsh frequently counsels officers and directors and the Delaware corporations they serve in matters of Delaware corporate law, primarily as such matters bear upon ongoing or anticipated litigation.
Mr. Walsh has been recognized by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading Chancery litigator in Delaware, and was named in the most recent edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Education
Washington & Lee University School of Law, J.D., 1986; Executive Editor, Washington & Lee Law Review Johns Hopkins University, B.A., 1983 Law Clerk to the Honorable Jack B. Jacobs, Delaware Court of Chancery, 1986-1987
Professional Activities
Delaware State Bar Association; Committee on Judicial Appointments; Committee on Professional Ethics American Bar Association; Member of Council; Former Chair, Business and Corporate Litigation Committee of the Business Section; Co-Chair, Task Force on Director and Officer Liability; frequent participant in ABA-sponsored corporate law programs Board President, Delaware Greenways, Inc.
Bar & Court Admissions
Delaware, 1986 United States District Court for the District of Delaware, 1987 Fiscal Year 202012121212 OCA Pro Bono Honor Roll
Derek Abbott* Kristen Cramer Thomas Grimm* Sean Lynn Sarah Roberts Jon Abramczyk* Brian Crawford* Geoffrey Grivner* Andrea Malinowski* Andrea Rodgers William Adams Tamika Crawl-Bey Karen Grivner Kevin Mangan Bruce Rogers* Barbara Alexander Laurence Cronin* Jerome Grossman* Margaret Manning* Brian Rostocki Margot Alicks David Culley** Mark Gundersen** Erin Mariani** Michael Rushe Thomas Allingham, II* Donna Culver* Stephanie Habelow Timothy Martin* Morgan Sack Susan Ament* Brian Cunningham Shauna Hagan* William Martin* Tamara Sampson* Jeremy Anderson Edward Curley** Gerald Hager* Dennis Mason, II* W. Wade W. Scott John Andrade* Michael Custer* Patricia Hall Regina Matozzo Dana Severance Michael Arrington* Rachelle Cutrona Thomas Hanson, Jr.* Michael Maxwell Chad Shandler* John Balaguer* Scott Czerwonka John G. Harris Brenda Mayrack James Sharp Thomas Barr Brock Czeschin* Edwin Harron* David McBride* Thomas Shellenberger** Jennifer Veet Barrett* James Dalle Pazze** Matthew Harvey Garvan McDaniel* David Shelton Matthew Bartkowski Bart Dalton** Natalie Haskins* Michael McDermott* Brian Shirey Jennifer Becnel-Guzzo* Steven Daniels Susan Hauske** Thomas McDonough* James Shomper Michael Bednash* Kathleen Campbell Davis Kevin Healy* Matthew McGuire* Tiffany Shrenk Sean Bellew* Catherine Dearlove* Christian Heesters John McLaughlin, Jr.* Jackson Shrum* Michelle Berkeley-Ayres* Kim Debonte* Leslie Heilman* Carolyn McNeice** Elizabeth Sloan Danielle Berster John X. Denney, Jr.* James Higgins Bruce McNew** Melanie George Smith* A. Dean Betts, Jr. Mark Desgrosseilliers* Michelle Higgins Rakesh Mehta Natasha Songonuga Shakuntla Bhaya** Melissa Dill Adam Hiller Reyner Meikle Elizabeth Soucek Christopher Blaszkowski Sarah DiLuzio* Michael Hochman* Pamela Meitner Deborah Spivack Travis Bliss Leslie Case DiPietro Michael Hoffman Jennifer Mensinger* Leslie Spoltore* Megan Bombick Nicole DiSalvo* Loren Holland Tanisha Merced Monte Squire* Michael Bonkowski* Jill DiSciullo* Suzanne Hill Holly* Tammy Mercer Matthew Stachel Arthur Bookout Kevin Dobson* Thomas E. Holsten James Merkins Lisa Stark* Courtney Bookout Anthony Dohring Melissa Hopkins Christopher Messa Kristopher Starr Mary Boudart** Sean Dolan* Thomas Horan* Shari Milewski Amanda Steele Curtis Bounds** Melissa Donimirski Eric Howard* Stephen Milewski* Chad Stover Laura Bower Keith Donovan* Kelley Huff Kathleen Miller Frederick Strickland Jennifer Brady* John T. Dorsey* Martina Tyreus Hufnal Lauren Moak William Sudell, Jr.* Jordan Braunsberg Shawn Dougherty** Travis Hunter Cynthia Moh John J.. Sullivan, Jr.* Sean Brennecke Thomas Driscoll* David Hutt* Jessica Montellese Karen Sullivan* Lori Brewington James Drnec* Diane Ibrahim* Eric Monzo Kara Swasey Allyson Britton Timothy Dudderar Michael Isaacs** Sharon Morgan* Scott Swenson* Lisa Zwally Brown* Mary Dugan* Carla Kingery Jarosz Stephen Morrow Gregory Taylor* Paul Brown* Bradley Eaby* Jennifer Jauffret* David Morse John H. Taylor, III* Ryan Browning Edward Eaton** David Jenkins* Justin Morse Laura Beth Taylor Gary Bryde** Craig Eliassen* Clay Jester* Kathleen Murphy David Teklits** Kate Buck John Ellis Ericka Johnson Katherine Neikirk* Marisa Terranova Michele Sherretta Budicak* Nathan Emeritz Dawn Jones* Michael Nestor* Allen Terrell* Robert Burns John Engel Lynn D. Jones Ryan Newell Mary Thomas Rebecca Byrd Margaret England* Cory Kandestin Maria Newill Catherine Thompson* Nicholas Caggiano, Jr.* Kenneth Enos* Christine Kane Seth Niederman* Christina Thompson Justin Callaway David Facciolo Jennifer Karpe Maryellen Noreika** Seth Thompson* Shannon Carmean Sherry Fallon* Brian Kasprzak* Joshua Novak Sara Toner* Meredith Carter Kelly Farnan Lee Kaufman Amy O'Dell* Bryan Townsend Marc Casarino Erin Fay Deanna Kelly Elizabeth Olsen* Gary Traynor Megan Ward Cascio* David Felice* Lynn Kelly* Jonathan O'Neill* Melissa Troutner Jeffrey Castellano Julie Finocchiaro Felice Kerr** Susan Over* Patricia Uhlenbrock* Tabatha Castro* Erin Fitzgerald Eleanor Kiesel* Marla Palmer William Ulrich Eileen Caulfield* Angela Fowler Julia Klein Jenness Parker* Patrick Vanderslice* Shae Chasanov Robin Freeman Gretchen Knight** Scott Perkins Karen Vicks* William Chipman, Jr.** Stuart Fullerton Nicholas Kondraschow Adam Perza* Charles Vincent Jimmy Chong Patrick Gallagher Edward Kosmowski* Marc Phillips Kristi Vitola Joseph Christensen Michael Gallerizzo Nicholas Krayer Sarah Pierce* Nicole Walker* Daniel Ciarrocki Sean Gambogi Carl Kunz, III* Tanya Pino* Megan Rush Walstrom* Joseph Cicero* Frances Gauthier Gregory Ladner* Shana Pinter Matthew Ward* Ryan Cicoski Kelly Dunn Gelof* William Lafferty* Mary Ann Plankinton* Robert Weber* Lauren Cirrincione Glynis Gibson* Kathryn Laffey** Pamela Politis Elizabeth Julian Weinig* Delia Clark Andrew Golian James Landon Karen Poppel Benjamin C. Wetzel, III John A. Clark, III* Andrew Gonser* Karen Lantz Ciro Poppiti, III Holly Whitney Miranda Clifton* William Gonser, Jr.* Tara Lattomus* Susan Poppiti* Chandra Williams Jacqueline Cohen Todd Goodman* Kimberly Lawson** Thomas Preston** David Williams* Cynthia S. Collins* Nancy Gorman Lewis Lazarus* Cynthia Pruitt* Gregory Williams* Kevin Collins Thomas Gorman Abigail LeGrow Susan Purcell Brian Williamson Patrick Collins* Ashley Gorodetzer Timothy Lengkeek* Andrew Rahaim* Evan Williford* Bernard Conaway* Brian Gottesman* James Lennon* Leigh-Anne Raport Josiah Wolcott* Kelly Conlan* Erik Grandell Timothy Lennon Joseph Raskauskas* Natalie Wolf** Amy Coogan John Gray James Levine Jillian Remming Christian Douglas Wright* Todd Coomes* Kelly Green Neal Levitsky* Richard Renck* Davis Wright* Bonnie Copeland William Green, Jr. Elizabeth Lewis* Andrew Rennick Seth Yeager Jason Cornell Elissa Greenberg Paul Lockwood* Sheldon Rennie* Jennifer Ying Keysha Council Reneta Green-Streett Gaston Loomis Dana Reynolds Daniel Young Victoria Counihan* Daniel Griffith* Paul Loughman Joseph Rhoades** Santosh Coutinho Christopher Griffiths Richard Lyle Matthew Rifino
* Attorney has been a volunteer for at least 5 years ** Attorney has been a volunteer for at least 10 years
OCA Staff OCA: Who We Are State of Delaware Tania M. Culley, Esquire The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) was Child Advocate Office of the Child Advocate statutorily created in 1999 in the wake of sev- eral child abuse deaths. The Office is charged Kelly Ensslin, Esquire with safeguarding the welfare of Delaware’s New Castle/Kent County Deputy Child Advocate children, which OCA does by: ∗ Coordinating a program of legal representa- Eliza Hirst, Esquire tion for dependent, neglected, and abused New Castle/Kent County Deputy Child Advocate children in civil Family Court proceedings; Jennifer Donahue, Esquire ∗ Engaging in legislative advocacy, including Sussex County Deputy Child Advocate drafting bills that benefit children; ∗ Reviewing the policies and procedures of Heather Williams, Esquire child welfare system partners and making Sussex County Deputy Child Advocate recommendations for change; MC Landis, Esquire ∗ Collaborating with child welfare system part- Pro Bono Coordinator ners to evaluate the effectiveness of the child Being a Volunteer
protection system and to make recommenda- Attorney Guardian tions for change; Rosalie Morales Attorney Guardian Program Administrator Ad Litem for Abused ∗ Serving on various task forces, commissions and committees to ensure children’s best Jennifer Falkowski and Neglected Children interests are being served; New Castle County Family Crisis Therapist ∗ Staffing the Child Protection Accountability Commission (CPAC) Sam Clancy Kent County Family Crisis Therapist ∗ Developing and providing quality training to OCA’s volunteer attorneys and the child pro- Leah Dickerson tection system as a whole; Sussex County Family Crisis Therapist ∗ Participating in the community to increase public awareness of OCA. Molly Dunson Office Manager
State of Delaware Office of the Child Advocate
900 King Street, Suite 210 Wilmington, DE 19801 Tania M. Culley, Esquire Phone: (302) 255-1730 Fax: (302) 577-6831 Child Advocate
6 West Market Street, Suite 1 Remember Always: Georgetown, DE 19801 six months is forever Phone: (302) 856-5720 in the life of a child Fax: (302) 856-5722 http://courts.delaware.gov/childadvocate Training and Support Benefits of Volunteering for OCA Representing an abused Attorneys who wish to represent children must attend Remember when you went to law school and dreamed OCA’s 2-hour “Nuts and Bolts” training, which provides of making a difference? By volunteering to represent a or neglected child an overview of Delaware’s child welfare system and the child through OCA, duties of an attorney guardian ad litem. To register for you may just get a OCA is mandated to provide legal a training, please visit OCA’s website at chance to fulfill services to the most indigent http://courts.delaware.gov/childadvocate that dream. You population – dependent, ne- will have an oppor- glected, and abused children – OCA also periodically offers one-hour seminars on ad- tunity to teach a and accomplishes this charge vanced topics in child advocacy. These topics are cho- child that there through 4 Deputy Child Advocates sen from routine inquiries, concerns, and suggestions are people in the and over 400 volunteer attorneys from volunteer attorneys. Upon request, OCA staff are world who care about him or her, and in turn you will throughout the state. OCA also also available to provide or arrange training to firms get to learn from that child. You will get to broaden partners with the Court Appointed Special Advo- with volunteers attorneys who would like more informa- your horizons, and experience an area of the law you cate Program to ensure that all children in the tion on a specific topic. may never have experienced before. And occasionally, custody of the Children’s Department receive rep- you may get to dramatically change the course of a resentation. Aside from formal training, OCA staff are always avail- child’s life for the better. able to answer questions and support volunteer attor- OCA’s volunteer attorneys come from a wide vari- neys. OCA provides guidance, sample forms and mo- In addition, performing pro bono legal work through ety of legal disciplines including: tions, Children’s Department records, criminal histories OCA will help you strive to meet the ABA’s goal of 50 Family law of the child’s parents, and a plethora of other support hours of pro bono service per year. You are also eligi- Commercial Litigation as needed. OCA will also periodically contact all attor- ble to earn 1 CLE credit for every 6 hours of pro bono Patent Law Trust and Estate Law neys to check on case status and conduct quality as- work you do, for up to 6 credits per reporting period. Real Estate Law surance. In-House Corporate Counsel Register for a training today! If you are an attorney licensed to practice law in http://courts.delaware.gov/childadvocate Delaware, you are eligible to represent a child through OCA. In-house corporate counsel admit- ted through Supreme Court Rule 55.1 are also eligible to volunteer. Retired and inactive mem- bers are eligible pursuant to Supreme Court Rules 69(d) and 69(f). State of Delaware Office of the Child Advocate
Attorneys who represent children through OCA Tania M. Culley, Esquire Child Advocate represent the child’s best interestsinterests. Best interests Indemnification from Liability are dictated by Delaware law (13 Del C. §722) and 29 Del C. §9008A indemnifies from liability any OCA 900 King Street, Suite 210 volunteer attorney who acts within the scope of his or Wilmington, DE 19801 include such things as the child’s relationship with Phone: (302) 255-1730 parents and other family members, the child’s her appointment, unless the act or omission was done Fax: (302) 577-6831 adjustment to home, school, and community, and with gross or wanton negligence, or maliciously, or in 6 West Market Street, Suite 1 Georgetown, DE 19801 the mental and physical health of all parties bad faith. Phone: (302) 856-5720 involved. Fax: (302) 856-5722
State of Delaware Office of the Child Advocate
Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2009 July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009
Office of the Child Advocate State of Delaware Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Report July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009
The Honorable Jack Markell Governor
Tania M. Culley, Esquire Child Advocate
Safeguarding the welfare of Delaware’s children through educational advocacy, system reform, public awareness, training, and legal representation of children as set forth in 29 Del. C., Ch. 90A
Office of the Child Advocate
900 King Street, Suite 210 Wilmington, Delaware 19801 (302)255-1730 (302)577-6831 (fax)
* 6 West Market Street, Suite 1 Georgetown, Delaware 19947 (302)856-5720 (302)856-5722 (fax)
http://courts.delaware.gov/childadvocate
Office of the Child Advocate State of Delaware Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Report July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009
Executive Summary Table of Contents The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is mandated to coordinate efforts on behalf of chil- dren, work with advocacy groups, promote system reform, recommend changes in law, proce- Executive Summary 1 dure and policy necessary to enhance the protection of Delaware's children, and to implement and coordinate a program providing legal representation on behalf of Delaware’s dependent, neglected, and abused children. Legal Representation 2 OCA accomplishes its charge to represent children through four Deputy Child Advocates (DCAs), a substantial and evolving pool of volunteer attorneys, and strong partnerships with the child-serving agencies in Delaware. In Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09), OCA received 610 appro- Child Welfare Policy 4 priate referrals and made 326 attorney appointments to children, 90% of whom were in the legal custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families (DSCYF or the Children’s Department). At the conclusion of FY09, 520 dependent, neglected, and/or Donations 6 abused children were actively receiving legal representation, while 898 children were repre- sented by OCA during this timeframe. Remarkably, at the close of FY09, only 2% of the chil- dren in the legal custody of DSCYF were unrepresented due to the combined efforts of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program, independently appointed attorneys, In Memoriam 7 OCA’s roster of over 420 volunteer attorneys, and more than 10,370 hours of direct legal representation by OCA staff. FY09 Pro Bono Honor 8 In addition to the resources devoted to providing legal services to Delaware’s abused, ne- Roll glected, and dependent children, OCA ensured thorough reviews of and recommendations for change regarding child welfare policies and procedures impacting children in Delaware. For FY09 5 Year Awardees 9 instance, Delaware’s Child Advocate, Tania M. Culley, Esq., offered recommendations to the Governor’s Children’s Department Transition Team as the new administration formulated their strategy for addressing prevalent issues facing children and their families in the First State. Additionally, OCA continued to foster and formalize its partnership with CASA and the Division of Family Services (DFS) through quarterly meetings and the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding between the three entities regarding the joint database of children in the legal custody of DSCYF. The critical need for data upon which the child welfare sys- tem can rely to inform decision-making was also recognized by OCA as it continued to enter and fine-tune data into its Policy Concerns database and its Compilation of Delaware’s Child Protection Issues and Recommendations from Child Abuse/Neglect Death and Near Death Case Reviews.
As trends in recommendations have been identified, OCA has played a considerable role in committees and workgroups to identify solutions to the challenges facing Delaware’s child welfare system. FY09 was no different. OCA staff was inte- gral to the work of Delaware’s Kids Lobby, the Child Protection Accountability Commission’s (CPAC) Mental and Behav- ioral Health Services to Children in and Adopted out of Foster Care Subcommittee, and several workgroups dedicated to improving services for youth aging out of foster care. In addition, OCA drafted and supported five pieces of legislation in FY09 all aimed at improving outcomes for children and youth in Delaware.
Outcomes for abused, neglected, and/or dependent children were also positively impacted by the many generous dona- tions OCA received from both individuals and community organizations. Holiday gifts were provided to numerous OCA clients and monies were donated to provide OCA clients with life experiences they may not otherwise have had. OCA is extremely grateful to all of the individuals and organizations that support the children served by OCA. The assistance of these entities, combined with the vast and varied support OCA has enjoyed since its inception, is critical as OCA strives to fulfill its mission to safeguard the welfare of Delaware’s children through educational advocacy, system reform, public awareness, training, and legal representation of children. Page 2 Office of the Child Advocate Annual Report
Legal Representation
The Office of the Child Advocate is mandated to At the end of FY09, 520 dependent, neglected, provide legal services to the most indigent of and/or abused children were actively receiving Delaware’s population – dependent, neglected, legal representation through OCA (see Chart 2). and abused children – and accomplishes this OCA DCAs were representing 141 (27%) of charge through its four Deputy Child Advocates those children, while volunteer attorneys repre- (DCAs) and over 420 volunteer attorneys sented the remaining 379 (73%). Of those 520 throughout the state. OCA also partners with children, 489 (94%) were in the custody of the the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program Children’s Department, twenty-six (5%) were the (CASA) to ensure that all children in the custody subject of dependency/neglect proceedings within of the Department of Services for Children, the Family Court., and 5 (1%) were the subject of Youth, and their Families (DSCYF) receive repre- parent custody disputes. Throughout all of FY09, OCA volunteer sentation. OCA represented a total of 898 children. attorneys contributed OCA received 610 appropriate Chart 2. Children Actively Represented at the End o f the Fiscal over 5,900 referrals in FY09. Through its Y ear DCAs and volunteers, OCA was hours to cases 800 754 able to make 326 attorney ap- 700 closed in 6 4 2 6 52 pointments to children during the 59 9 FY09. 600 course of the fiscal year. The 52 0 500 4 59 majority of those appointments 400 (90%) were for children in the 3 54 300 2 6 4 custody of DSCYF. The remain- 200 ing 10% were for children who 10 0 100 were the subject of dependency/ 7 0 neglect proceedings in Family FY 00 FY 01 FY 02 FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 Court.
During the fiscal year, OCA closed 458 cases to The largest concentration of children being ac- which an attorney had been assigned. 27 of tively represented by OCA at the end of FY09 those were cases involving dependency/neglect was in New Castle County. OCA was represent- proceedings or parent custody disputes that ing 346 children in New Castle County as of June were resolved. The remaining 431 involved chil- 30, 2009, compared to 75 in Kent County and 99 dren in DSCYF custody; those cases closed with in Sussex County (see Chart 3). OCA DCAs a variety of outcomes (see Chart 1). were representing 59% of the total downstate cases and 11% of the New Castle County cases as of June 30, 2009. Chart 1. Children in DFS Custody - Outcomes of Closed Cases FY0 9
Chart 3. Distribution of Children Represented by 160 14 8 OCA* by County
140 9 9 ( 19 %) 120
100 8 3 8 0 8 0 80 75 ( 14 %) 60 4 0 346 (67%) 40 * as of June 30, 2009
20 New Castle County Kent County Sussex County 0 Aged Out Reunification Adoption Guardianship/ Other w/parent Perm. Guardianship Fiscal Year 2009 Page 3
Legal Representation (Continued)
By the end of Fiscal Year 2009, OCA had re- During FY09, OCA staff devoted over 10,370 ceived 336 referrals to which attorneys were hours to providing direct legal representation not assigned. This number includes 10 cases to dependent, neglected, and/or abused chil- that were still pending disposition by OCA as of dren, and another 1,040 hours supporting and June 30, 2009. Two cases were appropriate for training the volunteer attorneys who repre- OCA representation but were closed due to sent these children. low resources. One hundred twenty-nine re- ferrals had no pending litigation, no apparent OCA held 12 Nuts and Bolts trainings dependency, neglect, or abuse issues, or were throughout the state during FY09, in order to resolved in court during the OCA disposition train 55 new attorneys in the legal represen- phase. An additional 20 cases required OCA tation of children. A number of veteran vol- intervention in the form of policy reviews, unteer attorneys also attended these training which were completed by OCA’s Family Crisis sessions, in order to learn about updates to Therapists. The remaining 170 cases were han- the child protection system and to refresh dled by the CASA program. their understanding of their roles as guardians ad litem and their duties to their child clients. OCA Training In FY09, an unprecedented percentage of chil- Forty-four attorneys took their first OCA Hosts dren in DSCYF custody received representation case during FY09, while a total of 399 volun- During FY09, the either through OCA or CASA, and only a very teer attorneys actively represented children following law firms small percentage went unrepresented. This was through OCA during that timeframe. hosted OCA Nuts and due to a number of factors, including OCA’s Bolts trainings: growing volunteer pool, targeted recruitment In addition, 63 veteran volunteers achieved 5 efforts resulting in an unprecedented number of years of volunteering for OCA during FY09, • Connolly Bove CASA volunteers, and a decline in the number bringing the total number of attorneys who Lodge & Hutz of children in DSCYF custody. As of June 30, have reached this milestone to 185. 2009, 807 children were in the custody of • Curley & Rodriguez, DSCYF, a 16% decline from FY08. Only 2% At the end of FY09, OCA boasted a volun- LLC
(19) of those children were unrepresented by teer roster of over 420 attorneys. • Morris James LLP the end of FY09, compared to 5% (45) at the end of FY08. OCA was providing legal repre- • Morris, Nichols, sentation to 489 children, CASA was providing Arsht & Tunnell LLP advocates for 296 children, and 3 children were appointed attorneys independently by the Fam- • Potter Anderson & ily Court (see Chart 4). Corroon LLP
• Richards, Layton & Chart 4. Representation of Children in DSCYF Custod y as of June Finger, P.A. 30, 2009 • Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice 3 (0%) 19 (2%) • Young Conaway
296 (37%) Stargatt & Taylor
489 (61%)
OCA CASA Independent Unrepresented Page 4 Office of the Child Advocate Annual Report
Child Welfare Policy & Legislative Advocacy
OCA is mandated, pursuant OCA staff members also met quarterly with DFS staff to im- to 29 Del. C. § 9005A(2), to prove multi-disciplinary collaboration and communication on periodically review all rele- such issues as caseloads, case decisions, training, and system vant child welfare policies successes and challenges. The two agencies worked together and procedures with a view to provide training to DFS front-line workers on permanency toward expanding the rights options for children in foster care, and to assess the feasibility of children. OCA is also to of providing subsidies to families who opt to file for guardian- recommend changes in pro- ship or permanent guardianship of children in foster care. cedures for investigating and Both of these endeavors were aimed at helping children overseeing the welfare of achieve timely permanency and not languish in foster care children. 29 Del. C. § 9005A unnecessarily. (4). In FY09, OCA staff spent more than 305 hours In addition to maintaining the OCA/CASA database, OCA on efforts involving child also continued to enter policy concerns from child abuse/ “It is easier to build protection policy and pro- neglect case reviews into its Child Protection Policy Con- strong children than to cedure, and an additional cerns database, and worked on restructuring the database in repair broken men.” 660 hours on such efforts order to more readily identify trends in Delaware’s child pro- while fulfilling their duties as tection practice. OCA will use this database to address areas ~ Frederick Douglass staff to the Child Protection of concern and provide documentation to support those posi- Accountability Commission tions for which it advocates. (CPAC). As a new administration was ushered into Delaware in FY09, Another compilation of child protection concerns and recom- Tania Culley, Delaware’s Child Advocate, ensured that chil- mendations for change is OCA’s “Compilation of Delaware’s dren’s voices were heard and their needs taken into consid- Child Protection Issues and Recommendations from Child eration by presenting to the Governor’s Children’s Depart- Abuse/Neglect Death and Near Death Case Reviews,” a ment Transition Team. During her presentation, Ms. Culley document that lists every public recommendation that was addressed what she believed to be the most critical issues derived from a child death or near death due to abuse and/or facing the new DSCYF administration, how the fiscal climate neglect, from March of 1997 through June of 2009. OCA impacted those issues, and what service gaps exist in our staff worked diligently throughout FY09 to update this docu- child protection system. She also offered suggestions for ment, transferring the nearly 100 page document into a more addressing these issues, declaring that the state’s fiscal cli- user-friendly spreadsheet, into which information regarding mate and the change in administration presented real oppor- progress toward accomplishing recommendations and imple- tunities for serving children and their families differently. menting changes can be easily entered and tracked. Ulti- mately, OCA plans to make this document available to system OCA continued working in partnership with CASA and DFS partners via the internet, so that information can be updated to maintain the comprehensive joint database (OCA/CASA by each partner agency and issues can be timely addressed. database) of children in DSCYF custody. The statistics that This tracking system has been used to inform both CPAC and were generated monthly and the regular maintenance and the Child Death, Near Death, & Stillbirth Commission quality assurance of the OCA/CASA database enabled system (CDNDSC) as to priority areas for focus and improvement. partners to ensure that no child was being overlooked or going without representation unnecessarily. OCA, CASA, OCA staff members enthusiastically took part in the first and DFS formalized their commitment to the attainment of meetings of Delaware’s Kids Lobby, an initiative of the Dela- legal representation for all children in DSCYF custody ware Children’s Campaign that began in FY09. The Kids’ through the use of the OCA/CASA database by executing a Lobby brought together child advocates and policy makers Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlined each during the weeks that the Delaware Legislature was in session agency’s responsibilities regarding the database. The three to discuss such things as successful advocacy techniques, agencies also agreed to continue meeting on an annual basis pending and proposed legislation relating to children, and to assess the progress toward the attainment of legal repre- child-serving agencies’ budget concerns. The goal of the Kids’ sentation for all children in DSCYF custody and to discuss Lobby is to be able to respond quickly, collectively and ideas and policies that may help Delaware achieve that goal. thoughtfully to legislative issues, budget cuts, and policy con- cerns that directly affect Delaware’s children. Fiscal Year 2009 Page 5
Child Welfare Policy & Legislative Advocacy (Continued)
OCA staff were integral in the development of the CPAC OCA had a busy legislative sea- Mental and Behavioral Health Services to Children in and son in FY09. Senate Bill 34, “While the overall process Adopted out of Foster Care Subcommittee’s final report, which made changes to the ter- of shaping policy is often which made numerous recommendations for reform of the mination of parental rights stat- deliberative, many times it current policies and practices surrounding the delivery of ute pertaining to children aban- can be feverish. mental health services to children in and adopted out of fos- doned by, almost killed, or killed Specifically, at those times ter care. System partners began addressing some of these by their parents, was OCA’s it is imperative that groups recommendations during FY09, and will continue that work primary legislative focus for representing an issue be over the next several years. FY09. It expanded the abandon- coordinated and responsive ment age from 6 months old to to the needs/concerns of A remaining high priority for OCA in FY09 was work related 6 years old, when children are legislators.” to youth aging out of foster care. OCA staff were active left in circumstances that place members of several workgroups dedicated to improving ser- them at substantial risk of injury ~ Former Delaware vices for these youth, including CPAC’s Extended Jurisdiction or death. It also allows termina- Children’s Campaign Subcommittee and DSCYF’s Another Planned Permanent tion of parental rights, where Executive Director Rodney Living Arrangement (APPLA) Workgroup. These groups fo- the grounds can be proven, if a Brittingham, on the Kid’s cus on such issues as employment, independent living, hous- parent causes the death or near Lobby ing, and other issues that relate to the substantial needs of death of any child. The bill older youth in foster care. passed the General Assembly and was signed into law in May As an offshoot of the APPLA Workgroup, DFS and OCA staff 2009. worked together to create a housing group that began the difficult process of fashioning solutions to the housing crisis Other legislation in which OCA facing youth aging out of foster care. They began by develop- was involved includes Senate Bill ing a training curriculum for youth aging out to educate them 55 and Senate Bill 84. SB 55 on their rights and responsibilities as good tenants. They made it possible for guardians then started reaching out to the real estate community to and permanent guardians of chil- explain the benefits of having youth so trained as well as the dren to petition for termination challenges these youth face once they are out on their of parental rights and adoption. own. The group continues to work toward implementation SB 84 statutorily establishes de facto parent status in the State of the training and to garner additional support in the real of Delaware by allowing the Family Court to consider evi- estate community. In addition, they began to explore the dence of a person’s assumption of parental responsibilities possibility of creating a carve-out in the landlord tenant code and relationship with a child in determining the maternity and a plan for tax incentives for landlords, to entice real es- and/or paternity of a child. Both of these bills were signed tate professionals and owners to take a chance on renting to into law during FY09. these transitional youth. The group looks forward to contin-
ued work in these areas in the years to come. As staff to CPAC, OCA also had a hand in drafting and advo-
cating for CPAC’s primary legislative initiative, House Bill OCA staff also relied on the APPLA Workgroup as a forum 104, which was signed into law near the end of FY09. HB to address concerns about the misuse of personal information 104 clarified the duties and powers of DSCYF when it holds of youth in care. Unfortunately, youth in foster care some- custody of a child, and made changes to the law governing times fall victim to family members and others who seek their non-parent visitation with a child and what standards must be own personal gain by using birth dates and social security met in order for the Court to allow such visitation. The leg- numbers inappropriately, creating undeserved bad credit for islation also directed that all non-parents seeking custody of the unsuspecting youth. New policy developed as a result of children apply for guardianship. this workgroup will seek to ensure that all youth exiting care
will benefit from having free credit reports run prior to leav- OCA staff also worked hard to assist CPAC in drafting a bill ing foster care and the opportunity for assistance in correct- extending the jurisdiction of the Family Court over youth ing any discrepancies, helping to ensure that youth aging out aging out of foster care. Senate Bill 113 was introduced just of foster care can do so without the additional burden of hav- before the end of the legislative session, and OCA and CPAC ing poor credit. look forward to its passage in FY10. Page 6 Office of the Child Advocate Annual Report
Donations to OCA’s Children As in years past, OCA received many generous dona- helped to provide such experiences to several OCA tions from individuals and organizations in the commu- clients throughout FY09. Three children were able T nity who seek to help OCA provide necessities, as to attend and have the necessary supplies for sum- well as life experiences, to the children OCA serves. mer camp thanks to these funds. OCA was able to These donations were primarily offered during the purchase a yearbook for a child to commemorate holiday season, when OCA opened its doors to its her first year of high school, and also used the funds H volunteer attorneys and invited them to “shop” for to pay the college registration fee for a high school gifts for their child clients. Delaware’s Melson-Arsht graduate. Another high school-aged client benefited and Richard S. Rodney Inns of Court, the Eastpoint from a series of tutoring sessions through the dona- Community Church, Kohls Department Store of Do- tions. These funds also supplemented other mone- A ver, members of the Family Law section of the Dela- tary and in-kind donations made by individuals in ware Bar, and other individuals provided new toys, FY09 to help support the independent living of OCA clothes, and other items, as well as monetary contribu- clients who have aged out of foster care. tions and gift cards. N In addition to these monetary donations, children In addition, many of OCA’s clients were the benefici- served by OCA also benefited from the generosity aries of the generosity of several organizations across of a Sanford School teacher, Michelle Frosina, who the state that provided gifts tailored for those children. contacted OCA in the spring of FY09 and expressed K The Christiana and Hockessin-Greenville Rotary her interest in tutoring children in foster care during Clubs, the 9th Airlift Squadron and the 436th Mainte- the summer. OCA worked diligently with its volun- nance Operations Squadron of Dover Air Force Base, teer attorneys, DFS, and Michelle to establish a tu- and the Orphan Care Coalition’s 50 Churches-50 toring program and to identify appropriate children Children group each “adopted” some of OCA’s needi- for the program. At the close of FY09, about 15 est children, generously providing them with gifts and children ages 6-13 were served by Michelle’s pro- necessities beyond the traditional holiday gift. gram. A special thanks is owed to Michelle Frosina Y and Rodney Brittingham, DFS’ Deputy Director, for These organizations worked with merchants such as their vision and follow through regarding this pro- JC Penney and Kohls department stores, which do- gram. nated or significantly discounted some of the gifts for O the children, and also devoted employees to helping OCA is extremely grateful to all of the individuals pick out the toys and clothes on the children’s wish and organizations that support the children served lists. The Christiana Rotary’s efforts in FY09 received by OCA. coverage from the News Journal. The Christiana Ro- U tary Club has been “adopting” OCA clients for 5 years now, and this was the second year for the men and women of Dover Air Force Base. OCA looks forward to the continued partnerships with these organizations for the benefit of the children represented by OCA.
Also in FY09, Delaware’s Bankruptcy Inn of Court again made a very generous monetary donation in the amount of $2,000 for OCA to use throughout the year to help give children the opportunity to enjoy the life experiences that other children enjoy, such as prom and graduation, school pictures and yearbooks, summer camps, theater, music, and adventure parks.
This money, along with the remaining money from the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association donation in FY08, Fiscal Year 2009 Page 7
In Memoriam
Jessica Monique Smith January 23, 1987 – October 15, 2008
On October 15, 2008, the Office of the Child Advocate and the world lost a beautiful soul when Jessica Monique Smith was prematurely taken from us.
Having spent a number of years in foster care, Jessica knew all too well the hardships that life can bring even to those who are so undeserving of such strife, though you would never have known it given the magnitude of her smile. Jes- sica was a beautiful young woman who could light up a room with just a glimmer of that smile. And, she was both kind and compassionate when it came to sharing that smile with others.
Jessica believed that it was her job to stand up for herself and others who couldn’t stand alone. She never declined a request to speak to foster youth, offering the perspective of someone who shared their experience, and she inspired everyone around her to be their personal best. In a speech to members of the Delaware State Legislature, she praised those who had given her chance after chance through the years and encouraged us not to give up on the others like her.
Jessica was a proud graduate of Dover High School and at- tended Delaware State University. She never stopped dreaming and always worked extraordinarily hard to reach her goals.
Above and beyond all of her other accomplishments, en- dearing qualities and the many gifts she gave us however, we are left with the most cherished gift of all – Jessica’s young son, Trent. The beauty of her spirit will forever remain with us in his bright eyes and that trademark smile.
Farewell to our angel, gone too soon.
By: Angela M. Fowler, Esquire Page 8 Office of the Child Advocate Annual Report
OCA extends its heartfelt thanks to the 399 volunteer attorneys who represented children during Fiscal Year 2009:
Derek Abbott Victoria Counihan Frances Gauthier Eleanor Kiesel Sharon Morgan Sophia Siddiqui Michael Abram Lydia Cox Kathleen Geiger Shelley Kinsella Richard Morse Daniel Silver Jon Abramczyk Kara Hammond Coyle Kelly Dunn Gelof Gretchen Knight Mary Mulloy Christian Singewald Barbara Alexander Kristen Cramer Kristin Gibbons Nicholas Kondraschow Francis Murphy, Jr. Nicholas Skiles Thomas Allingham, II Brian Crawford Glynis Gibson Edward Kosmowski D. Fon Muttamara-Walker Ariel Philip Sloan Susan Ament Laura Crockett Andrew Golian Carl Kunz, III Katherine Neikirk Deborah Spivak Jeremy Anderson Laurence Cronin Andrew Gonser Peter Ladig Michael Nestor Leslie Spoltore Melony Anderson Curtis Crowther William Gonser, Jr. Gregory Ladner Ryan Newell Raj Srivatsan John Andrade David Culley Todd Goodman William Lafferty Maria Newill Lisa Stark Fotini Antoniadis Donna Culver Susan Gordon Kathryn Laffey Seth Niederman Kristopher Starr David Arndt Brian Cunningham Nancy Gorman Mary Catherine Landis Maryellen Noreika Deneen Stewart Daniel Astin Edward Curley Thomas Gorman Tara Lattomus Joshua Novak Chad Stover Mary Augustine Michael Custer Brian Gottesman Kimberly Lawson Stephen Nowak Jonathan Strauss Christine Azar James Dalle Pazze Margaret Greecher Jonathan Layton K. Tyler O'Connell Frederick Strickland John Balaguer Bart Dalton James Green Lewis Lazarus Elizabeth Olsen William Sudell, Jr. Doreen Becker Steven Daniels Robert Greenberg Brooke Leach Jonathan O'Neill Renee Suglia Jennifer Becnel-Guzzo George Danneman Daniel Griffith Abigail LeGrow Deirdre O'Shea John J. Sullivan, Jr. Michael Bednash Danielle Davis Christopher Griffiths Timothy Lengkeek Susan Over Karen Sullivan Sean Bellew Christine Dealy Thomas Grimm James Lennon Maria Panichelli Scott Swenson Michelle Berkeley Catherine Dearlove Geoffrey Grivner Scott Leonhardt Jenness Parker Harry Tashjian, IV Rebecca Beste Kim DeBonte Jillian Grob Neal Levitsky John Parkins, Jr. Amy Taylor Robert Beste, III Christine Demsey Mark Gundersen Elizabeth Lewis Pamela Parks James Taylor, Jr. David Bever David Denham Kathleen Hadley Susan List George Pazuniak Gregory Taylor Shakuntla Bhaya John X. Denney, Jr. Shauna Hagan Paul Lockwood Adam Perza John H. Taylor, III Vincent Bifferato, Jr. Mark Desgrosseilliers Gerald Hager Gaston Loomis Victoria Petrone David Teklits Travis Bliss Jill Di Sciullo Patricia Hall Zhun Lu Eifion Phillips Mary Thomas Danielle Blount Sarah DiLuzio Joseph Handlon Sean Lynn Marc Phillips Catherine Thompson Megan Bombick Leslie Case DiPietro Patricia Hannigan Lauren Maguire Sarah Pierce Seth Thompson Michael Bonkowski Tara DiRocco Jeanne Hanson Andrea Malinowski Tiffany Piland Chad Toms Mary Boudart Nicole DiSalvo Thomas Hanson, Jr. Mark Maloney Francis Pileggi Sara Toner Curtis Bounds Kevin Dobson Edwin Harron Kevin Mangan Tanya Pino Gary Traynor Jennifer Brady Sean Dolan Joyce Hayes Margaret Manning Mary Ann Plankinton Melissa Troutner John F. Brady Melissa Donimirski Theresa Hayes Erin Mariani Ciro Poppiti, III Anna Martina Tyreus Sean Brennecke Keith Donovan Kevin Healy Michelle Marino Susan Poppiti Thomas Uebler Lori Brewington John T. Dorsey Christian Heesters Melanie George Marshall Thomas Preston Patricia Uhlenbrock Allyson Britton Meghan Dougherty Leslie Heilman Timothy Martin Cynthia Pruitt William Ulrich Lisa Zwally Brown Shawn Dougherty James Higgins William Martin, III Amy Quinlan Andrea Unterberger Paul Brown W. Harding Drane, Jr. Suzanne Hill Dennis Mason, II Andrew Rahaim Robert Valihura, Jr. Ryan Browning Thomas F. Driscoll, III Adam Hiller Janice Matier Sehr Rana Patrick Vanderslice Gary Bryde James Drnec Timothy Hitchings Michael Maxwell Leigh-Anne Raport Jennifer Veet Michele Sherretta Budicak Dale Dube Michael Hochman David McBride Vivian Rapposelli Karen Vicks Jennifer Burbine Timothy Dudderar Thomas Hodukavich Deirdre McCartney Richard Renck Matthew Vigunas Nicholas Caggiano, Jr. Mary Dugan Victoria Hoffman Garvan McDaniel Sheldon Rennie Michael Vild David Carickhoff, Jr. Bradley Eaby Thomas Horan Michael McDermott Dana Reynolds Kristi Vitola Sara Carlson Edward Eaton Eric Howard Susanna McDonald Joseph Rhoades Nicole Walker Shannon Carmean Jeremy Eicher Xiaojuan Huang Thomas McDonough Helen Richards Megan Walstrom Richard Carroll Craig Eliassen Amy Huffman Lexie Shelton McFassel Matthew Rifino Matthew Ward Megan Ward Cascio Richard Ellis David Hutt Matthew McGuire Courtney Riordan Michael Weidinger Denis Casey Margaret England Diane Ibrahim Megan McIntyre Michael Ripple Gregory Werkheiser Barry Cash Kenneth Enos Frederick Iobst John McLaughlin, Jr. David Ripsom Benjamin Wetzel, III Tabatha Castro Kelly Ensslin Michael Isaacs Marci McNair Elizabeth Rodriguez Holly Whitney Eileen Caulfield Elwood Eveland Chun Jang Carolyn McNeice Bruce Rogers Patricia Widdoss Teresa Cheek Sherry Fallon Jennifer Jauffret Bruce McNew Brian Rostocki David H. Williams William Chipman, Jr. Amy Feeney David Jenkins Rakesh Mehta Michael Rushe Dawn Williams Joseph Cicero David Felice Kathleen Jennings Reyner Meikle, Jr. Helena Rychlicki Gregory B. Williams Delia Clark Stephen Ferguson Clay Jester Pamela Meitner Tamara Sampson Evan Williford John A. Clark, III Islanda Finamore Erika Johnson Jennifer Mensinger Yvonne Takvorian Saville Megan Wischmeier Miranda Clifton GianClaudio Finizio Richard I.G. Jones, Jr. Tammy Mercer R. Judson Scaggs, Jr. Josiah Wolcott Michael Collins Erica N. Finnegan Dawn Jones Christopher Messa Lisa Schmidt Christian Wright Patrick Collins Erin Fitzgerald Judy Jones Stephen Milewski John J. Schreppler, II Davis Wright Bernard Conaway Matthew Fogg Cory Kandestin Kathleen Miller Pamela Scott Laura Yiengst Kelly Conlan Edward Fornias, III Matthew Kaplan Tiphanie Miller Suzanne Seubert Daniel Young Arthur Connolly, Jr. Stuart Fullerton Jennifer Karpe Lisa Minutola Dana Severance Kirsten Zeberkiewicz Todd Coomes David Gagne Lee Kaufman Michael Modica Thomas Shellenberger Virginia Zrake Margaret Cooper Deborah Galonsky William Kelleher Patricia Mongan Brian Shirey Jason Cornell Meredith Gaudio Lynn Kelly Chaneta Brooks Montoban James D. Shomper, Jr. Michael Corrigan Catherine Gaul Felice Kerr Dana Spring Monzo J. Jackson Shrum Fiscal Year 2009 Page 9
Special recognition is required for the 63 attorneys who reached the milestone of volunteering for OCA for five years during Fiscal Year 2009:
Jon Abramczyk, Esquire Vivian Houghton, Esquire Stephen Milewski, Esquire Thomas J. Allingham II, Esquire Timothy Houseal, Esquire Susan Over, Esquire Christine Azar, Esquire David Hutt, Esquire James Parrett, Jr., Esquire John Balaguer, Esquire Frederick W. Iobst, Esquire Francis Pileggi, Esquire Denis P. Casey, Esquire David Jenkins, Esquire Susan Poppiti, Esquire Joseph Cicero, Esquire Kathleen Jennings, Esquire Vincent Poppiti, Esquire Cynthia S. Collins, Esquire Clay T. Jester, Esquire Richard Renck, Esquire Bernard Conaway, Esquire Dawn R. Jones, Esquire Sheldon Rennie, Esquire Margaret Cooper, Esquire Brian Kasprzak, Esquire Bruce Rogers, Esquire Jason Cornell, Esquire Shelley Kinsella, Esquire John Schreppler II, Esquire Victoria Watson Counihan, Esquire Peter Ladig, Esquire Leslie Spoltore, Esquire Brock Czeschin, Esquire Gregory Ladner, Esquire Karen Sullivan, Esquire John P. Daniello, Esquire William Lafferty, Esquire Patricia Uhlenbrock, Esquire Sarah DiLuzio, Esquire Lewis Lazarus, Esquire Patrick E. Vanderslice, Esquire John T. Dorsey, Esquire Timothy Lengkeek, Esquire Nicole Walker, Esquire Craig Eliassen, Esquire Neal J. Levitsky, Esquire Patricia Widdoss, Esquire Margaret England, Esquire Stanley Macel, III, Esquire Dawn R. Williams, Esquire Catherine A. Gaul, Esquire Lauren Maguire, Esquire Gregory B. Williams, Esquire Todd Goodman, Esquire David McBride, Esquire Charles Thomas Williams, III, Esquire Brian Gottesman, Esquire Deirdre O'Shea McCartney, Esquire Davis Wright, Esquire James Green, Esquire Matthew B. McGuire, Esquire Thomas Grimm, Esquire Megan McIntyre, Esquire
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
~ Margaret Mead State of Delaware
OCA Staff
Office of the Child Advocate Tania M. Culley, Esquire Allison McDowell Child Advocate Program Administrator 900 King Street, Suite 210 Wilmington, DE 19801 Jennifer S. Donahue, Esquire Celeste Bishop (302) 255-1730 Deputy Child Advocate Family Crisis Therapist (302) 577-6831 fax Sussex County Kent County
6 West Market Street, Suite 1 Georgetown, DE 19947 Angela M. Fowler, Esquire Leah Dickerson (302) 856-5720 Deputy Child Advocate Family Crisis Therapist (302) 856-5722 fax Kent County Sussex County
http://courts.delaware.gov/childadvocate Nicholas M. Krayer, Esquire Jennifer Falkowski Deputy Child Advocate Family Crisis Therapist New Castle County New Castle County
Heather S. Williams, Esquire Molly Dunson Deputy Child Advocate Office Manager Sussex County Brett-Ashley Hoffmann Mary Catherine Landis, Esquire Clerical Pro Bono Coordinator
Student Interns and Law Clerks
Geoffrey Cebula Lindsay McCabe Lauren Stotz Amherst College Thomas Jefferson School of Law University of Delaware
Kelsey Hughes Jennifer Nance Brendan Sullivan University of Delaware Temple University School of Law University of Delaware
Kaitlin Kernan Kaylynn Palaio William Veronen University of Delaware University of Delaware University of Notre Dame Law School
Carren Lawson Lauren Palmero Wilmington University Villanova University School of Law
Brian Lin Elizabeth Powers Georgetown University Widener University School of Law
Ashley Lockwood Katrina Sansalone University of Delaware University of Delaware
Rosalind Marshall Jonna Shipe Temple University School of Law University of Delaware
Andrew McCabe Ashlee Starratt Thomas Jefferson School of Law Widener University What kinds of support and assistance Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, can I get from DVLS? Inc. P.O. Box 7306 Delaware Volunteer In addition to the satisfaction that Wilmington, Delaware 19803 comes from doing pro bono work, you (302) 478-8680 Legal Services, Inc. also get the following benefits: (888) 225-0582 Facsimile: 477-2227 9 Free Professional Liability Website: www.dvls.org Coverage for all DVLS pro bono cases. 9 Free CLE training sessions. Staff Contact Information 9 Free CLE credit pursuant to DRCLE Rule 8(D) for handling Janine N. Howard-O’Rangers, Esquire a pro bono case. Executive Director 9 Free forms and materials and 478-8680, Ext. 207 sample pleadings. 9 Student assistance for Thomas V. McDonough, Esquire casework, research, and service DV Attorney, Recruiting of subpoenas. 478-8680, Ext. 209 9 Supervision and guidance from mentor attorneys. Jacquelyn A. Chacona, Esquire Pro Bono Coordinator, Outreach How do I sign up? 478-8680, Ext. 212 Simply complete and mail, email or fax the enclosed form. You will be Ashley Gorodetzer, Esquire added to our volunteer database and Staff Attorney sent additional information about 478-8680, Ext. 215 Delaware Volunteer Legal Services. Thank you for your generous support Tina Ventresca of this very important program. Executive Assistant Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. 478-8680, Ext. 206 P.O. Box 7306 Wilmington, Delaware 19803 Lila Kwak (302) 478-8680 Legal Secretary (888) 225-0582 478-8680, Ext. 208 Facsimile: 477-2227 Website: www.dvls.org Melissa Hughes Legal Assistant February 2013 478-8680, Ext. 205
What is Delaware Volunteer DVLS has been operating with the • PFA Pro Bono Program Legal Services? assistance of the Delaware Civil Clinic Attorneys sign up for a Friday in Family ("DCC") of the Widener University Court assisting poverty level victims of Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. School of Law ("WUSL") since 1984. domestic violence in obtaining Protection ("DVLS"), a non-profit corporation, Second and third year law school students From Abuse Orders (PFA’s). provides civil law-related pro bono serve the increasing number of • Pro Bono Partnership Program assistance to the poor in Delaware through Delawareans who are unable to afford Work with students on pro bono cases. volunteer attorneys. DVLS was private attorneys. This arrangement has • Attorney Recruitment Panel established in 1981 by the Delaware State enabled DVLS to streamline and greatly Assist DVLS in their pro bono recruitment Bar Association (“DSBA”) to fill the void reduce the administrative costs of the efforts, especially in Kent & Sussex created by severe cutbacks in the federally program while expanding services to its county, where our pro bono population is funded Legal Services Corporation. client base. Through contact with social limited due to a smaller bar population DVLS has continued to expand the role of service agencies and some community site and our overwhelming client base. the private bar by providing quality pro visits, we reach populations such as • Foreclosure Mediation Project bono legal services to indigent HIV/AIDS patients, minorities and the Serving as volunteer Mediator Delawareans with meritorious civil legal homeless, who are unlikely to contact between lenders and homeowners problems. Faced with an increasing DVLS for help on their own. in an attempt to negotiate demand for free legal services and rapidly acceptable alternative to diminishing resources, the DVLS Board of foreclosure. Directors and staff remain committed to What’s in it for you? • Family Law Mentor providing pro bono civil representation to Many DVLS attorneys report that their Mentoring pro bono attorneys on family Delaware citizens who need an attorney DVLS experience helped them expand law issues. but cannot afford one. DVLS assists only their practice areas so that they feel better • Limited Pro Bono Legal financially eligible clients that meet equipped to handle current clients. Assistance Program poverty guidelines. Moreover, this volunteer work gives one Attorneys can sign up for a block of time valuable experience in negotiation and to offer brief consultations at the New DVLS volunteers and staff assist clients trial skills. The biggest reward to most Castle County Courthouse Self-Help with family law, housing, Veterans cases, DVLS attorneys is the satisfaction of Center. consumer law, government benefits, wills, having used their professional skills to guardianships and personal injury defense. help a fellow human in desperate need. How are Pro Bono Referrals Our volunteers also assist in a Foreclosure completed? Mediation Project. In addition, we What kind of contribution can I Clients are referred to attorneys after coordinate the PFA Pro Bono Program in make? screening by DVLS staff for financial and which an attorney signs up to represent DVLS offers a wide variety of volunteer problem eligibility. If an attorney needs financially eligible victims of domestic opportunities from direct client assistance on research the drafting of legal violence in obtaining a Protection From representation to serving on one of our documents or in need of a mentor, DVLS Abuse Order. DVLS also administers the many specialty panels: will make arrangements to have either a Legal Help Link which refers potential law student or mentor assist the volunteer clients with the appropriate agency. attorney.
DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES, INC. VOLUNTEER APPLICATION ATTORNEY INFORMATION NAME: ______BAR ID#:______EMAIL: ______TELEPHONE: ______FAX: ______FIRM NAME AND ADDRESS: ______DATE ADMITTED TO BAR:______BAR ASSOCIATION AFFILIATIONS: ______
PRIMARY AREA OF PRACTICE: ______I am willing to represent clients in the following counties: ( ) NEW CASTLE ( ) KENT ( ) SUSSEX I am willing to act as a “mentor attorney” in the following areas: ______I speak the following languages: ______
Please check the types of cases that you are most interested in handling: ____ BANKRUPTCY ____ REAL ESTATE ____ CONSUMER AFFAIRS ____ WILLS/ADVANCE CARE DIRECTIVES/POWERS ____ EMPLOYMENT LAW OF ATTORNEY ____GOVERNMENT BENEFITS ____ FAMILY LAW ____ SOCIAL SECURITY ____ PROTECTION FROM ABUSE (PFA) ____ MEDICARE/MEDICAID ____ CUSTODY ____ ADULT GUARDIANSHIPS ____ VISITATION ____ LANDLORD TENANT ____ DIVORCE ____ PROJECT RIGHTFUL OWNER ____ PROPERTY DIVISION ____ FORECLOSURE ____ ALIMONY ____ SPECIAL EDUCATION ____ GUARDIANSHIP OF A MINOR ____JUVENILE IMMIGRATION ____ DEPENDENCY AND NEGLECT ____ JUVENILE EXPUNGEMENTS ____ OTHER: ______I would like to become a member of the following specialty panels: ____ PFA PRO BONO PROGRAM (Volunteer on a Friday to assist victims of domestic violence seeking protective orders in New Castle County Family Court) ____ ATTORNEY RECRUITMENT PANEL (Assist with recruitment campaign for pro bono attorneys) ____ FAMILY LAW MENTOR (mentor other attorneys in the area of family law ____ SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE ____ LIMITED ASSISTANCE PRO BONO PROGRAM
____ UNACCOMPANIED ALIEN MINORS- (assist with immigration and guardianship matters) Send to: [email protected] /fax: 302-477-2227/ mail: PO Box 7306 Wilmington, DE 19803/ Call 478-8680 extension 209