The U.S. House of Representatives Republican Study Committee recently released a budget proposal calling for elimination of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). The group's proposal has been introduced in the House as H.Con.Res. 113. Responding to the plan, American Bar Association President Bill Robinson said the proposal is "remarkably shortsighted" and “ignores the overwhelming needs of struggling families for free legal advice.” Rather than eliminating the LSC, Robinson called on Congress to increase its investment in access to justice by appropriating $402 million for the agency next year. Read Robinson's full statement
On Saturday, March 31, the Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) will hold its spring Community Law School from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Fellowship Church, 8000 Middlebrook Pike. The morning program (9 to 11 a.m.) will focus on wills and estate planning and will be presented by Tom Ramsey with Ramsey, Elmore, Stone & Caffey. The second part of the program (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) will feature Mark Brown with Menefee & Brown discussing a range of issues, including identity theft, dealing with creditors, adjustable rate mortgages and structuring a payment plan with the IRS. The KBA has been holding these programs for 17 years and estimates more than 5,000 individuals have benefited from the training. Register online or by calling the KBA at (865) 522-6522.
Baker, Donelson and Community Health Systems receive awards for commitment to free legal services for the poor
NASHVILLE, March 28, 2012 -- Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC and Community Health Systems were recognized for their commitment to providing free legal services to the poor at the 6th Annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Gala Saturday evening in Nashville. The event featured remarks by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Connie Clark and Herbert Slatery, legal counsel to Governor Bill Haslam.
News from the Access to Justice Committee
A toll-free legal assistance line is now available for victims of recent storms and flooding in 10 counties that have been designated as federal disaster areas.
News from the Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC and Community Health Systems were recognized for their commitment to providing free legal services to the poor at the 6th Annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Gala March 24 in Nashville. The event featured remarks by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Connie Clark and Herbert Slatery, legal counsel to Governor Bill Haslam.
Sixty-two students from eight law schools spent their week off digging into real-world issues at Alternative Spring Break, hosted during March by the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Students chose from service tracks like assisting with special-case immigration, helping senior citizens write wills and health directives, or drafting public-interest legislation involving the mentally ill, money lending or human trafficking. The Commercial Appeal features the project
Community Health Systems and Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC were recognized for their commitment to providing free legal services to the poor at the 6th Annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Gala Saturday, March 24, in Nashville. CHS received the Corporate Legal Department Award for its dedicated staffing of a monthly legal advice clinic in Franklin. Baker Donelson received the Law Firm Award for its work in helping create OnlineTNJustice.org, a website that allows lawyers to provide brief advice and counsel via the internet. The event featured remarks by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Connie Clark and Legal Counsel to the Governor Herbert Slatery. The Pro Bono Initiative is a partnership between the Tennessee Bar Association and the Association of Corporate Counsel, which encourages and supports pro bono activities by lawyers serving as in-house and corporate counsel in the state.
President Barack Obama has approved a federal disaster declaration for 10 counties in Tennessee, stemming from severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in the state from Feb. 29 to March 2. Individuals in Bradley, Claiborne, Cumberland, DeKalb, Hamilton, Jackson, McMinn, Monroe, Overton, and Polk counties may apply for individual assistance by calling 800-621-FEMA. The TBA, its Young Lawyers Division and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) will operate a toll-free disaster legal assistance hotline for those in affected areas. Details about how to access the hotline or volunteer to handle cases that come in over the hotline will be announced next week. Learn more from FEMA
The Supreme Court is seeking comments on six plain language versions of forms frequently used in general sessions court. The six proposed forms, prepared and submitted by the Tennessee Access to Justice Commission are:
(1) Protected Income and Assets (Affidavit of Claim Exemptions);
(2) Request to Make Payments (Motion and Affidavit for Installment Payments);
(3) Request Not to Pay Fees for Appeal (Pauper's Oath in Lieu of Appeal Bond);
(4) Request to Postpone Filing Fees and Order (Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency);
(5) Request to Protect Income and Assets (Motion to Quash Garnishment/Execution and Claim Exemption Rights); and
(6) Sworn Denial (Sworn Denial on Account).
The Tennessee Supreme Court has approved the petitions of two attorneys to receive pro bono emeritus status. They are Susan Carolyn Howard of Memphis and Charles E. Racine of Gallatin. Through the court’s pro bono emeritus program, retired attorneys may continue providing pro bono services through organizations that offer free legal assistance. Those interested in participating should file an application with the appellate court clerk’s office. Read more from the court
A UALR William H. Bowen School School of Law graduate has developed the first interactive pro bono mobile app available to Arkansas pro bono attorneys free of charge through iTunes.
Through their iPhones, licensed Arkansas attorneys can now view pro bono cases representing low-income Arkansans, sort through those cases based on legal topic and county, and request cases with a push of a button.
American Bar Association President William T. Robinson II in a statement released today praises President Obama’s $402 million Legal Services Corporation budget request, pointing out that with 63 million Americans -- including 22 million children -- qualifying for legal aid, “providers in every state report a staggering volume of requests for assistance. The current LSC budget of $348 million is simply inadequate.”
The Knoxville Bar Association this week launched a new service for members of the public interested in lawyer referral services and public education programs. The newsletter will be published twice a year, in the spring and fall. The inaugural issue includes information on the KBA’s upcoming “Community Law School” – a series of free seminars on legal topics that will begin March 31 with a session on wills and estate planning; links to new resources for the public; and a warning against “do it yourself” legal forms. Download a pdf of the newsletter or subscribe here for future issues.
Lawyers step up to offer online advice to those with civil legal problems
NASHVILLE, Feb. 17, 2012 — More than 100 low-income Tennesseans are receiving free legal assistance every month through the OnlineTNJustice.org website, but backers of the project want to serve more.
