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Chancellor’s Forum, Pro Bono Open House Highlight Philadelphia Bar Association’s Celebration of National Pro Bono Week, October 26-30
A Chancellor’s Forum on Prisoner Pro Bono Projects and an Open House featuring Philadelphia public interest legal agencies and law school pro bono programs highlight the Philadelphia Bar Association’s celebration of National Pro Bono Week, October 26-30.
The week, spearheaded by the American Bar Association and coordinated by the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Delivery of Legal Services Committee and the Law School Outreach and Law Firm Pro Bono Committees, recognizes the work attorneys perform on behalf of the less fortunate and offers attorneys the occasion to learn more about pro bono opportunities with Philadelphia’s public interest organizations.
“Pro bono service is part of every lawyer’s professional responsibility,” Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Sayde J. Ladov says. “National Pro Bono Week gives us the chance to honor those lawyers already making a difference and spread the word to others on how to get involved.”
The celebration kicks off on Monday, October 26 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. with a Chancellor’s Forum on Prisoner Pro Bono Projects at Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor. The program, moderated by Ladov, features a discussion on two innovative prisoner pro bono projects: the Supervision to Aid Re-Entry Program, which assists federal prisoners with assimilation into society, and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, which works to exonerate those imprisoned in Pennsylvania for crimes they did not commit. Panelists include Marissa Bluestine, legal director, Pennsylvania Innocence Project; James Figorski of Dechert LLP; U.S. Magistrate Judges Timothy Rice and L. Felipe Restrepo; and Philadelphia VIP Executive Director Sara Woods. Closing remarks will be presented by Amy Ginensky, president of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation. Lunch will be offered for $5. Register at
www.philadelphiabar.org.
Also on October 26, from 5 to 7 p.m., a Pro Bono Open House featuring Philadelphia public interest agencies and law school pro bono programs will be held at the Morris Café, located at Duane Morris LLP, 30 S. 17th St. President Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, First Judicial District, is the guest speaker at 5:30 p.m. Attorneys interested in learning more about pro bono opportunities in Philadelphia can also hear directly from the coordinators of pro bono programs as well as become a volunteer. The event is open to all Philadelphia attorneys. Register by contacting Nicole Friant at
anfriant@duanemorris.com.
Other events celebrating National Pro Bono Week are:
Tuesday, October 27
- Philadelphia VIP’s Pro Bono Opportunities Day: Spotlight on Preventing Homelessness: 8:30 a.m to 12:15 p.m. at Montgomery, McCracken, Walker, & Rhoads LLP, 123 S. Broad St., 28th Floor. The program features CLE training sessions on mortgage foreclosure, public housing and quiet title. The fee is $45 for course materials and breakfast; two free substantive CLE credits are available in exchange for handling a pro bono case within six months of the training. Register at www.phillyvip.org.
- Homeless Advocacy Project Legal Clinic: 10 to 11 a.m. at Kirkbride/Travelers Aid, 111 N. 49th St. Register with Marsha Cohen at marsha@philalegal.org.
Wednesday, October 28
- How to Handle a Child Abuse Case, a pro bono training program presented by the Support Center for Child Advocates: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The CLE Conference Center, Wanamaker Building, 13th and Market Sts., 10th Floor. Six CLE credits, including one ethics credit, are available. Register with the Pennsylvania Bar Institute at 1-800-247-4724 or www.pbi.org.
- Homeless Advocacy Project Legal Clinic: 6 to 7 p.m. at UHCH, Penn Clinic, St. Agatha/St. James Church, 38th and Chestnut Sts. (SE corner). Register with Marsha Cohen at marsha@philalegal.orgmarsha@philalegal.org}.
Thursday, October 29
- HelpLine Volunteer Training Program, a pro bono training program presented by the SeniorLAW Center: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fox Rothschild LLP, 2000 Market St., 10th Floor. Two free CLE credits anticipated for volunteers. Register with Sue Wasserkrug at swasserkrug@seniorlawcenter.org.
- Homeless Advocacy Project Legal Clinic: 6 to 7 p.m. at Eliza Shirley Shelter, 1320 Arch St. Register with Marsha Cohen at marsha@philalegal.org.
Friday, October 30
- Pro Bono: Where Do We Go From Here?, a Capstone CLE Forum: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, 34th and Chestnut Sts. Three CLE credits. The fee is $25 for public interest attorneys and $30 for all others (includes lunch). Register with Arlene Finkelstein at arfinkelstein@law.upenn.edu.
- Personal Planning 101: Wills, Living Wills, and Powers of Attorney for Older Pennsylvanians, a pro bono training program presented by the SeniorLAW Center: 12 to 3 p.m. at Duane Morris LLP, 30 S. 17th St. Three free CLE credits are available in exchange for handling a case. Register with Roxane Crowley at rcrowley@seniorlawcenter.org.
- Homeless Advocacy Project Legal Clinic: 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. at St. John’s Hospice, 1221 Race St. Register with Marsha Cohen at marsha@philalegal.org.
For more information on the public interest legal agencies mentioned above and details on the Philadelphia Bar Association’s pro bono efforts, visit the Public Interest Section of the Bar Association’s web site at
www.philadelphiabar.org.
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