Beth Harrison and the Future of Legal Aid
19 January 2017 Blog, East River of the River Profiles, Featured | Tags: housing, legal aid, pro bono
By Craig Welkener As DC’s affordable housing crisis deepens, Beth Harrison and other advocates have created an innovative program for people on the brink of eviction, pushing the boundaries of what has been possible in legal aid. By identifying at-risk tenants even before their eviction notices arrive, the Housing Right to Counsel Pilot Project is making real help more available than ever before. Although housing laws in the District are complex, the vast majority of individuals facing eviction are too poor to pay for an attorney. Legal services have historically been limited to those with the time to track down a nonprofit lawyer ahead of time, or those who take advantage of last minute, on-the-spot help provided by the Landlord Tenant Court-Based Legal Services Project. That project, which provides housing attorneys on a same-day basis, was funded by the city in 2007. However, that paradigm has begun to change, with the start of the Housing Right to Counsel Pilot Project. Beth Harrison, the director of the project, has worked in the trenches from the beginning. After earning her law degree from Harvard, Harrison arrived at the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia in 2005 as an entry-level housing attorney. At that time, Legal Aid’s housing law program consisted of only three full-time staff attorneys, one fellow, and two loaned attorneys from law firms. The work received a boost in 2007, when the DC Council appropriated funds to subsidize legal counsel for the poor. Legal Aid’s housing work has grown since then to twelve permanent lawyers and three loaned associates. As Harrison explains, these changes have meant that advocates can serve more clients, and “a big piece of that has been the city’s choice to appropriate that funding.” But vast gaps remain. The DC Bar Pro Bono Center reports that currently 95% of tenants remain unrepresented, while 90% to 95% of landlords pay for an attorney. Systemic problems call for sustainable solutions. And the Housing Right to Counsel Pilot Project—run by Legal Aid, Bread for the City, Legal Counsel for the Elderly, and the DC Bar Pro Bono Center—is futuristic in its design. “We are reviewing all eviction cases as they are filed with the court,” Harrison explains. For approximately one out of every seven cases involving subsidized housing, “we send a letter saying we want to represent you.” If the tenant accepts the help, a lawyer begins working on their case pro bono—even before the tenant receives an eviction notice. The program began in 2015, and relies on a smorgasbord of local nonprofits and law firm pro bono work to accomplish the mission. By providing help exactly when people can use it the most, the Housing Right to Counsel Pilot Project has the potential to truly change the norm of the unrepresented tenant. Perhaps this is the wave of the future. Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie recently introduced the Expanding Access to Justice Act of 2016, which would increase funding for similar housing projects. Guaranteeing a broad “right to counsel … in civil cases involving fundamental human needs” is McDuffie’s long-term goal. Harrison is certainly inspired. “The legal work that we do here is incredibly challenging and rich. And the interaction with the clients of course is an ongoing benefit. It’s an ongoing inspiration to keep doing the work.” Craig Welkener is a volunteer with the Washington Council of Lawyers, a Ward 8 resident, and a Georgetown graduate clerking at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
Jobseeker Clinics East of the River
12 January 2017 Blog, East River of the River Profiles, Featured | Tags: clinics, jobseekers, pro bono
By Caroline Fleming
This January, Neighborhood Legal Services Program is partnering with DC Public Library to launch Unlocking Employment, a new series of free, community-based legal clinics. The clinics, which will be staffed by dedicated NLSP personnel, are supported by a grant from the LSC Pro Bono Innovation Fund; the grant will enable half-day pro bono legal clinics several times a month at two library branches: Bellevue/William O. Lockridge in Ward 8, and Benning/Dorothy I. Height Library in Ward 7. Volunteer lawyers will help low-income job-seekers address barriers to employment, including background checks, driver’s-license revocation, and discrimination.
2016 Legacy Award: Marsha Tucker
25 November 2016 Blog, Featured
By Nancy Lopez
This year is our 45th anniversary. When we got started back in 1971, we were run entirely by volunteers. Arnold & Porter’s Marsha Tucker, winner of our 2016 Legacy Award, was one of those volunteers, and she soon assumed many of the responsibilities for running the organization. Indeed, for many years our mailing address was Marsha’s office at Arnold & Porter. Marsha has made sustained, significant contributions to Washington Council of Lawyers, improving the organization by leaps and bounds along the way. As one of our board members observes, “it is hard to think of Washington Council of Lawyers without seeing Marsha Tucker in the background quietly figuring out what needs to be done and making sure it happens.” (more…)
2016 Presidents Award for Public Service: Kathryn Doan
20 November 2016 Blog, Featured
By Tanya Senanayake
With immigrants and vulnerable communities facing unique threats, it’s as important as ever to stay focused on equality and access to justice. And at times like these we need more people like CAIR Coalition’s Kathryn Doan—winner of our 2016 Presidents Award for Public Service. Kathy has served immigrants for more than twenty years, and has fought hard to get justice for members of underrepresented communities. (more…)
2016 Government Pro Bono Award: Katrina Rouse
17 November 2016 Blog, Featured
By Amy Senier
Katrina Rouse, is a Trial Attorney at the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the winner of our 2016 Government Pro Bono Award. It’s easy to see why: She has an uncommon commitment to pro bono work. Since she learned about DOJ’s Pro Bono Program when joining the government in 2011, she has handled six pro bono cases from the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Advocacy & Justice Clinic, drafted two wills through the D.C. Bar-Bread for the City Pro Bono Wills Clinic, and volunteered several times at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Advice & Referral Clinic. Katrina makes a point of taking on at least one pro bono case per year. And “if that case gets dismissed quickly, I take another. It is my personal commitment to being a good resident of the city.” (more…)
2016 Legal Services Award: Thomas “Skip” Mark
16 November 2016 Blog, Featured
By Jim Rubin
Thomas “Skip” Mark, winner of our 2016 Legal Services Award, has served many and achieved much as a managing attorney at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. Indeed, he’s spent his entire career helping others and expanding access to justice. (more…)
2016 Law Firm Award: Dechert
15 November 2016 Blog, Featured
Dechert, winner of our 2016 Law Firm Award, encourages all of its lawyers to do public-interest work. The firm maintains 26 offices around the world, and each office follows the passions of its lawyers and pursues pro bono work that is vital to their communities. (more…)
Crossing the Border: Global Pro Bono
14 November 2016 Blog, Featured
By Cheryl Polydor
“Think globally, act locally.” The two increasingly have become one in this age of the global village and the global economy. Local lawyers and judges interested in promoting justice beyond U.S. borders now can do so without leaving home. They also can work directly in the field—whether that means traveling to rural Mexico or North Darfur, Sudan. (more…)
Our 2016 Award Winners
02 November 2016 Blog, Featured
Every year we give out awards to recognize lawyers and firms who provided exceptional pro bono and public-interest service. This year’s Awards Ceremony will take place on December 1, and we’re pleased to announce this year’s winners: (more…)