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 Happy New Year from VLSP!
Happy 2006! This is your chance to start anew – to reaffirm your commitment to our community and to pro bono work. We at VLSP would like to introduce ourselves to those of you who do not know us, and re-introduce ourselves to those of you who do.
Who are we? The Volunteer Legal Services Program, or “VLSP,” is the pro bono program of the Bar Association of San Francisco. We have provided services to the San Francisco community for over 27 years.
What is our mission? VLSP strives to enhance the income, self-sufficiency and general quality of life of poor and low-income San Francisco residents, by increasing legal and related social services available to this population, and by reaching out to traditionally underserved client groups, primarily through the use of volunteer resources.
What is our track record? Last year, VLSP, with it’s BASF partner the Lawyer Referral and Information Service, together served 18,786 poor and low-income people in San Francisco. Of these, VLSP staff and 1,311 volunteers helped 7,511 with legal consultation and representation in every area of civil law. VLSP volunteers provided $9,882,883 in legal services.
What pro bono opportunities are available? VLSP has numerous projects that need pro bono attorneys to provide advice and representation. These include:
- Family Law Project
- Eviction Defense Project
- Homeless Advocacy Project
- Community Organization Representation Project
- Courthouse Landlord / Tenant Project
- Consumer Project
- Tort Defense Project
- Legal Advice and Referral Clinic
What can VLSP provide to volunteers?
- Free training and MCLE credit
- Malpractice insurance for pro bono cases
- Access to meeting rooms
- A mentor support system
- Full and limited scope opportunities in litigation and transactional pro bono work
- A chance to make a difference in someone’s life
Interested in getting involved? Contact VLSP’s Volunteer Coordinator at vlsp@sfbar.org.
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CORP Volunteers Win Award
The Berkeley Food and Housing Project (BFHP) will honor several volunteers from VLSP’s Community Organization Representation Project (CORP) this March at its annual gala. The 2005 Humanitarian Award will be presented to CORP and its volunteers for their support of BFHP’s mission to ease and end the crisis of homelessness in Berkeley. CORP is VLSP’s transactional pro bono project, and is Northern California's leading provider of pro bono business law services to community-based organizations.
CORP volunteers to be honored include Robert Borton, Sam Ernst, William Neuman, and Maya Solo from Heller Ehrman LLP, solo practitioner Tracy Barrett, Sara Finigan from Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP, Herrin Hopper and Todd Toral from Reed Smith, Byron Mellberg from Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel, Matthew O’Toole from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and Walter Stella from Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP. Congratulations to all and thank you for your hard work!
Tickets to the Humanitarian Award Dinner, on March 9, 2006, in honor of VLSP, can be purchased by visiting www.bfhp.org.
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Thanks to Recent Volunteers
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We'd like to say THANK YOU! to the following volunteers who took cases or participated in VLSP's projects and clinics in December 2005.
Family Law and VAWA Projects
Nick Baran, Ai Mori, Alan Rothstein, Catherine Rubald, William Shapiro and Toby Sherwood.
Eviction Defense Project
Tanya Ashur, Laura Chapman, Cary Kletter, Joel Liberson, Yosef Peretz, Trina Roderick and Steven Miller.
Courthouse Landlord/Tenant Project
Jessica Beckett, Paul Behrend, Belia Bennett, James Coy Driscoll, Richard Hurlburt, Marilyn Izzi, Jonathan Joiner, Adhita Nagraj, Susan Petro, Patricia Price, Jennifer Prusak, Brenda Posada, Steve Rodriguez, Tim Shannon, Heather Tewksbury and Jeff Zinsmeister.
Special thanks to the following firms who recently participated in the Courthouse Project: Farella Braun + Martell LLP.
Community Organization Representation Project
Oswald Cousins, Lynne C. Hermle, Gary J. Mugg, Steven Plevin, Greg Schopf and Melissa Wright.
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Community Lawyering Project
Will Fitton, Amira A. Jackmon and Andrew P. Johnson.
Social Services Project
Dr. Al Ferrer, Judi Iranyi, LCSW and Ralph Notor, MFT.
Downtown Legal Advice and Referral Clinic
Attorneys: Brenda Altman, Marie Appel, Ray Bernstein, Jessica Chylik, Frederick Craw, Matthew Mallet, Bernardo Merino, Jessica Metoyer, Richard Roisman, Shawn Salehieh, Mike Turner.
Interviewers: William Andersen, Cathy Blackstone, Anne Costin, Jo Heinan, Brett Kaufman, Tracy Reed, Aja Walter.
Interpreters: Christopher Curran (Spanish), Asucena Davila (Spanish), Ricky Leung (Cantonese, Mandarin), Ada Lowe (Cantonese, Mandarin).
Social Worker: Tom Hagan and Lisa Schore.
Caller: Ruth Estrada.
Letter Writer: Catherine Gillespie.
Interpreter Project
Jose Cardoza (Spanish) and Connie Chan (Cantonese / Mandarin).
Volunteers and Their Firms...
Click here to see a list of firms who recently took cases with VLSP.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Attorneys Jason Wolford and Joel Liberson
Since they began volunteering with BASF’s Volunteer Legal Services Program in 2003, attorneys Joel Liberson and Jason Wolford have established themselves as reliable volunteers. They frequently represent tenants pro bono through VLSP’s Eviction Defense Project and are already familiar faces with the recently launched Courthouse Project. Joel and Jason consistently go above and beyond the call of duty in their pro bono work, and are January’s Volunteers of the Month.
When asked about why they are so committed to doing pro bono work, they respond: “Lawyers undergo extensive training and are equipped to utilize their skills and knowledge to improve lives…Through commitment to pro bono, lawyers give a voice to those who are typically neglected in the complicated world of the legal system.”
Both attorneys recognize that there are few issues that are more fundamentally important to people than having a place to call home, and they emphasize how the process of representing individuals and families who are faced with eviction is intrinsically rewarding. They explain why there is a critical local need for free legal assistance: “Due to rent control in San Francisco, the unfortunate reality is that long-term tenants who pay the least rent are frequently facing eviction on dubious grounds.” Recently, Joel and Jason have also become regular volunteers with VLSP’s Courthouse Landlord/Tenant Project. The Courthouse Project began in May 2005 as a way to address the huge need of pro per litigants in eviction cases and to enable busy attorneys to volunteer with a minimal time commitment. In this project, volunteer attorneys provide limited scope representation to unrepresented litigants during their court mandated settlement conferences. The attorneys say the experience is “extremely gratifying because the mere appearance of a lawyer significantly alters these hearings and results in a level playing field with landlords.”
Click here to continue reading "Volunteer Spotlight."
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Calendar of Upcoming Trainings
**Special note for Social Services volunteers: we now have our social services trainings available on videotape! See below for details.
All trainings are held at BASF/VLSP offices, 465 California Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco except where noted.
Harm Reduction Practices: Working with Substance Using Clients
Taped Training
January 18, 2005, 5:00 - 6:30pm
MCLE Credit: 1 hour detection / prevention substance abuse, .5 hours general credit
This taped training provides an overview of the current issues affecting those with HIV/AIDS, particularly focusing on the physical and cognitive effects of the HIV drug ‘cocktail,’ and will explore issues pertinent to attorneys who are working with clients who are using drugs and/or alcohol. This training is open to active VLSP volunteers only. Pre-registration is required. Registration will close at 5:00 pm the day before the training.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 to register, or for more information.
Introduction to Landlord/Tenant Law
Annual LIVE training!!
January 25, 2006, 5:30 – 8:00pm
MCLE Credit: 2.5 hours
This training teaches the basics of representing low-income tenants who are facing eviction. This is a great way to gain courtroom and litigation experience. A commitment to take two pro bono cases for VLSP's Eviction Defense Project within the next year of the training is required to attend. Participants must be licensed with the California State Bar and have active status, or be an emeritus attorney at the time of the training. Pre-registration is required. Registration will close at 5:00 pm the day before the training. This training is the first of two trainings necessary to volunteer with VLSP's Courthouse Landlord/Tenant Project.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 to register, or for more information.
Introduction to Family Law
Live Training
January 26, 2005, 5:30 - 8:30pm
MCLE Credit: 3 hours
A live training for attorneys on simple dissolutions, custody and child support disputes taught by expert attorneys. This program provides a great way to learn about family law. A commitment to take two pro bono cases for VLSP's Family Law Project within the next year of the training is required to attend. Participants must be licensed with the California State Bar and have active status, or be an emeritus attorney at the time of the training. Pre-registration is required. Registration will close at 5:00 pm the day before the training.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 to register, or for more information.
Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) Taped Training
Tape available for check out.
MCLE Credit: 7 hours
This taped training provides an introduction to poverty law and general homeless issues in San Francisco. Primary topics covered include public and disability benefits, immigration and eviction defense. Other topics include psychosocial issues related to homelessness and a description of HAP and how our holistic services work. We utilize volunteer legal and social service professionals to make a real difference in our clients' lives.The training is open to attorneys, paralegals and law students who can make a commitment to provide representation to three HAP clients in the next year. This commitment is required to view this training.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 for more information.
Homelessness & Social Work
Taped Training
Provider #991, 2 hours of CEU for ASWs, LCSWs and MFTs.
Learn what distinct difficulties homeless individuals and families face. What can you as a provider do to address homelessness and advocate for those who are homeless? What legal remedies are available for those facing eviction and possible homelessness? This training examines many issues of homelessness in San Francisco and what you can do to better help your clients. Presented by Paul Boden and Dave Crow. This training is open to current VLSP volunteers and LCSWs, MFTs and ASWs who can commit to working with one VLSP client over the course of the next year.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 for more information.
Alternatives in Psychotherapy: How to Use Expressive and Visual Arts in Therapy
Taped Training
Provider #991, 2 hours of CEU for ASWs, LCSWs and MFTs.
This two-hour workshop discusses Expressive Arts Therapy and how it is used. Case studies will be discussed as well. Presented by Mena Zaminsky, MFT. This training is open to current VLSP volunteers and LCSWs, MFTs and ASWs who can commit to working with one VLSP client over the course of the next year.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 for more information.
APS and Guardianship
Taped Training
This training describes the services of Adult Protective Services - identifying elder abuse and neglect. When is it appropriate to call APS? What services will be provided? The training will also describe the use of a public guardian -- when should one be called and what is their role? Presented by Cindy Bircher, LCSW and Sharon Aurora. This training is open to current VLSP volunteers and LCSWs, MFTs and ASWs who can commit to working with one VLSP client over the course of the next year.
Email VLSP or call 415.782.8958 for more information.
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Double Your Impact - Donate!
This year, VLSP, with its partner the LRIS, together served 18,786 poor and low-income people in San Francisco. Of these, VLSP staff and 1,311 volunteers helped 7,511 clients with legal consultation and representation in every area of civil law. VLSP volunteers provided $9,882,883 in legal services.
Please make a donation today.
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VLSP's Annual Live Landlord/Tenant Law Training |
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VLSP’s annual live training, Introduction to Landlord/Tenant Law, will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 at 5:30pm. MCLE credit is available. This training is a great way to gain courtroom and litigation experience while learning the basics of representing low-income tenants who are facing eviction.
A commitment to take at least two pro bono cases within the next year of the training is required to attend. For more information, please see the training calendar above or contact VLSP's Volunteer Coordinator at vlsp@sfbar.org.
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