The Role of Law Schools in Fostering Commitment to

Pro Bono Publico

October 5, 2007

THE ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PRO BONO __________________________________________________________________________________________

COLLABORATIVE

Mobilizing Rhode Island Law Firms, Law Students, and the Community in Legal Service

The Pro Bono Collaborative’s primary goal is to increase the provision of pro bono legal services in Rhode Island by establishing an additional and innovative model for pro bono service that makes pro bono easy, efficient, and rewarding.

Our Purpose

THE ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PRO BONO __________________________________________________________________________________________

COLLABORATIVE

Mobilizing Rhode Island Law Firms, Law Students, and the Community in Legal Service

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THE GAP IN SERVICE____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Need for Legal Assistance(citing the 2007 CLASP study)

• For every client who receives service from an LSC grantee, one applicant is turned away due to the program’s lack of resources

• At least 80 percent of the civil legal needs of low-income Americans are not being met

• There is, at best, one legal aid attorney for every 6,861 low-income persons

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RWU SCHOOL OF LAW____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Public Service

Roger Williams University School of Law is one of only 18 law schools in the country with a mandatory pro bono requirement (as defined by the ABA). Prior to graduation, all students must complete at least 20 hours of law related public service prior to graduation that is uncompensated and not for academic credit.

Our History

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PRO BONO COLLABORATIVE__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Overview

• Racial Justice Colloquium

• Racial Justice Task Force

• Survey: “Addressing Unmet Legal Need in Rhode Island: Barriers and Incentives to Pro Bono Participation”

• Pilot Project

• Pro Bono Collaborative

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RACIAL JUSTICE COLLOQUIUM___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May, 2004

• Funded by The Rhode Island Foundation

• Convened by the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service at Roger Williams University School of Law

• Community representatives and attorneys discussed Rhode Island’s most pressing racial justice issues

• Determination: low-income communities – particularly communities of color – need more pro bono legal assistance than is currently available

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RACIAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

June, 2004 - Present

Four subcommittees, formed as a direct result of the Racial Justice Colloquium, have been addressing the following issues:

• Housing• Education• Immigration• Criminal Justice

The work around these issues has greatly informed the development of Pro Bono Collaborative projects.

Spring, 2005

With a mini-grant from The RI Foundation, the Feinstein Institute conducted a voluntary survey of Rhode Island lawyersto assess pro bono engagement and to identify incentives and obstacles to participation.

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SURVEY: “ADDRESSING UNMET LEGAL NEED IN RHODE ISLAND:BARRIERS AND INCENTIVES TO PRO BONO PARTICIPATION”

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SURVEY RESULTS______________________________________________________________________________________________

Highlights

Lawyers identified incentives to pro bono participation:

1. Assistance from law students

2. Access to subject area experts

3. Training on specific legal issues

4. Referrals confined to discrete area of law

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SURVEY RESULTS______________________________________________________________________________________________

June, 2005

RI Bar Annual Meeting: Creative Ways to Incorporate Pro Bono Work into Your Practice

• Feinstein Institute presented survey results

• Brought attorneys from the Pro Bono Initiative in Chicago to talk about the success of their program, which was designed to increase the availability of pro bono legal service in that state

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PBC PILOT PROJECT_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2006• Launched in January, with support from the RWU School

of Law and a generous grant from The RI Foundation

• Eliza Vorenberg, J.D., hired to launch and direct

• Three projects:1. Special Education Advocacy:

Partridge Snow & Hahn, Casey Family Services, 3 Students2. Affordable Housing:

Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels, Community Housing Land Trust, Housing Network of RI, Church Community Housing Corp., 6 Students

3. Street Law:Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, RI Children’s Crusade, 2 Students

• In October, Leslie Gifford hired to help facilitate

January, 2007

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PRO BONO COLLABORATIVE__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Project continued with additional support from The RI Foundationand Roger Williams University School of Law.

How It Happens

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PRO BONO COLLABORATIVE__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We meet with CBO representatives and conduct client surveys and focus groups to determine the most pressing need for assistance that will reach the greatest majority.

We develop discrete projects.

We present possible projects to attorneys.

We recruit law students.

We arrange for targeted legal training and provide expert consultants.

We oversee all projects.

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PRO BONO COLLABORATIVE__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Current Partnerships

Overview:

• 8 projects

• 6 firms

• 9 community-based organizations

• More than 20 law students

• 7 RWU law professors

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SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROJECT_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Partners:

Partridge Snow & Hahn LLPCasey Family ServicesMeeting Street School4 Students

• Special education rights workshops

• Direct representation as needed

Legal Assistance Provided:

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LEGAL RIGHTS _______________________________________________________________________________

Partners:

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLPChildren’s Friend & Service RI5 students

• Legal rights education workshops for parents

• Individual assistance as needed

Legal Assistance Provided:

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Partners:Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLPHousing Network of RIChurch Community Housing Corp.Community Housing Land Trust6 Students

• Extensive legal and practice research

• Legal and legislative drafting to ensure RI’s existing affordable condominiums remain affordable in perpetuity

Legal Assistance Provided:

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UTILITY SHUT-OFF PREVENTION ADVOCACY _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Partners:

Motley Rice LLCGeorge Wiley Center2 Students

• Research and draft utility shut-off legislation

• Legislative advocacy

Legal Assistance Provided:

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INCOME TAX AMNESTY ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Partners:

Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C.Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc.2 Students

• Research, administrative and legislative advocacy

• Enable income tax amnesty for low-income, elderly Rhode Islanders

Legal Assistance Provided:

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FAMILY LAW _______________________________________________________________________

The Partners:

Hinckley Allen Snyder LLPWomen’s Center of RI 3 Students

Legal Assistance Provided:• Direct representation of Women’s Center clients in family

law matters

• Research and draft a proposal to introduce a CourtWatch program

• Present rights education workshops

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RIGHTS EDUCATION FOR STREETWORKERS_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Partners

Hinckley Allen Snyder LLPInstitute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence2 Students

• Rights education workshops for Streetworkers, individuals mobilized to reduce gang-related violence in Providence

Legal Assistance Provided:

The Partners

Hinckley Allen Snyder LLPMariposa Center1 Student

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MARIPOSA CENTER______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Legal Assistance Provided:• We have incorporated this new early-

childhood education provider as a non-profit, and will provide ongoing assistance as needed

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HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PBC FlexibilityBecause the Pro Bono Collaborative is not funded by

the LegalServices Corporation, it can:

• Serve both indigent individuals and the working poor

• Provide legal assistance to undocumented individuals

• Provide certain services to prisoners• Conduct administrative or legislative advocacy• Engage in class action litigation

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NOT JUST LITIGATION_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Needed services

2006 LSC funded services:

• 57% counsel & advice• 18% brief

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UTILIZING LAW FIRM EXPERTISE _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Types of Service the PBC can provide:

- Administrative Advocacy - Advice and Counsel

- Direct Representation - Legislative Advocacy

- Non-profit Incorporation - Rights Education

- Transactional Services - and more

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TAPPING LAW STUDENT PASSION & SKILLS_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Types of Service Law Students Can Provide:- Legal Research - Rights Education Preparation

- Case Preparation - Legislative Advocacy

- Client Interviewing - and more

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FOSTERING COLLABORATION__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attorneys

• Predictable and limited pro bono work to fit within their practice

• Support through training, student assistance and administrative help

• Chance for face to face interaction with community struggles

• Unthreatening and easy introduction for lawyers into the community

• Connection to other firms, facilitating development of pro bono policies

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FOSTERING COLLABORATION _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Law Students

• Structured, supervised, legal experience in fulfillment of their public service requirement

• Opportunity to provide pro bono in a law firm setting

• Experience with real legal needs and the power to make a difference

• Unique opportunity to collaborate with other law students

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FOSTERING COLLABORATION________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Community

• Legal service added to their other social services

• Help with deciphering legal from other social issues facing their clients

• Better understanding of their clients' legal rights

• Administrative support through PBC transactional projects

• Increased impact through legislative or administrative advocacy

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PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Legal Rights Education Projects

• Guardianship

• Truancy Court Advocacy

• Veterans’ Advocacy

• Teen Pregnancy

Potential Projects