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Consequences of Criminal Convictions for Individuals and Families Seeking U.S. Citizenship – sponsored by Immigrant Outreach Committee of the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference CLE on December 3, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia.

National Legal Services Corporation (LSC) – Recent Developments

 

VSB Special Committee on Access to Legal Services

• Members
• Mission Statement
• Resolution to Enhance Pro Bono Publico in Virginia
• ABA Standards for Provision of Civil Legal Aid (PDF version of the Standards. Note: the doc is 290+ pages.)

VSB Indigent Defense Task Force

• Members
• Indigent Defense
  See home page on the VSB Criminal Law Section Website

Select Supreme Court of Virginia Resources

Court's website

 

Virginia Indigent Defense Commission

Court Appointed Attorney Application, etc.

Private Practice (Small Firm) Employment for Law Students

Public Interest Employment and Related Resources for Lawyers and Law Students

• Summer Intern Recruitment – In an effort to remain competitive with major private and public sector employers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is getting an early start on its 2013 Summer Intern recruitment!  Vacancy announcements will be opening in November. If you have any questions about the internship program contact jobs@cfpb.gov.
• ABA Resources for Economic Recovery (includes: Job Search / Networking, Career Transitioning, Savings, Insurance and Complimentary Programming, CLE, Practice Management, Professional Development, Stress Management, Hot Recession Topics, and Student Loan Repayment and Forgiveness
• Strategies for Pro Bono and Public Service During the Recession (ABA website)
• Public Interest Job Fairs
• Eleventh Annual Government and Public Interest Interview Program – The law schools at the University of Richmond, Washington and Lee, and William & Mary invite government and public interest legal employers to participate in the 11th Annual Government and Public Interest Interview Program at the University of Richmond on Friday, February 15, 2013. Employers will be able to interview first- and second-year students for summer 2013 positions, and May 2013 graduates for entry-level positions.
• Posted Staffing Vacancies – Supreme Court of Virginia
  Judicial Branch Recruitment Register (Employment Opportunities)
• Virginia Indigent Defense Commission
• Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council
• National Center for State Courts
• National Legal Aid & Defender Association (see “Latest Job Postings”)
• Law School Career Center Reciprocity and Related Approaches to Economic Downturn
• Virginia State Bar classifieds

 

Training Opportunities for Pro Bono and Public Interest Lawyers

(Civil Legal, Public Interest Law and Indigent Criminal Defense — low-, no-cost and VA CLE)

• Free Webinar for Legal Professionals: Advance Care Planning with People with Dementia — December 4, 2012, 2-3:30 p.m. EST, hosted by the Administration on Aging. The webinar covers legal issues of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their caregivers. Persons with AD are particularly vulnerable to financial exploitation, physical or emotional abuse, and neglect both at home and in care facilities.  | registration required

• Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, training schedule

• ABA Pro Bono Military Project – more information

• District of Columbia Pro Bono Programs and Services

• National Veterans Legal Services Program — Advocate Training

• Special Complimentary ABA Online CLE Programs Available: The American Bar Association offers online ABA-CLE programs. Although access to some programs is limited to ABA members, many programs are open to any interested user. | Go to ABA website
   

Sample Volunteer and Public Service Opportunities:

Pro Bono

• Special Assistant United States Attorney (volunteer position) at DOJ/VA-WD
• Federal Public Defender Eastern District of Virginia Internship Program
• Project 2025: Enhanced Access to Legal Assistance for Older Virginians
• VPLC Virginia Legal Services Map and Index
• Virginia Medical-Legal Partnership Network
• Lawyers Helping Warriors — Resources for Assisting Service Members, Veterans (Article from the February 2008 issue of Virginia Lawyer. PDF file)
• Pro Bono Screening + Referral - Veterans Appeals; VSB Military Law Section/VLRS Pro Bono Project; National Veterans Legal Services Program
• VSB Speakers Bureau
• ABA/LAMP (Legal Assistance to Military Personnel)
• Young Lawyers Emergency Legal Services
• Low-income Taxpayer Assistance (CTLP)
• LINC, the Legal Information Network for Cancer
• International (ABA)
• Emeritus Rule “Approved Legal Assistance Organizations" (e-mail for more info)

Public Service and Hybrid Initiatives

• Conference of Virginia Local, Statewide and Specialty Bar Associations (CLBA)
• VSB Publications: Immigration Fraud, Legally Informed ( CLBA statewide directory of pro bono and other bar service projects including help for nonprofits) etc.
• Virginia Lawyer Referral Service (nominal-fee initial consults) 
• Court-Appointed Work: GAL; Appointed Counsel
• Lawyers Helping Lawyers
• VACorps (VA Dept. Emergency Mgmt. Training)
• Communities In Schools of Richmond Volunteer Opportunities
• VSB Access/Pro Bono Page (Resources for the Public)

 

Support for Advocates and Legal Nonprofits

• VSB On-line Legal Research (FASTCASE)
• www.valegalaid.org
• www.ProBono.net/VA
• Attorney Access to Certain Revisable Court Forms: http://www.vsb.org (log in as a VSB member, click on “Forms and Downloads.” See link to Supreme Court of Virginia revisable Circuit and District Court Forms at bottom. Public forms are available on the Court’s site at http://www.courts.state.va.us/forms/home.html
• VSB Ethics Hotline
• ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service
• Jazz4Justice - September 29, 2012, annual fundraiser presented by the Fairfax Law Foundation and George Mason University Jazz Ensemble
• Greater Richmond Bar Foundation Pro Bono Clearinghouse – Free Legal Service for Nonprofits, http://www.grbf.org
• GuideStar - IRS Charity Check Data Base (includes legal nonprofits) http://www.guidestar.org
• VSB Pamphlets for Attorneys (Includes separate brochures on opening and closing a law practice)
  

   

Virginia Law Foundation

• Current Grantees
• Grant-Making Guidelines
• Gifting Options for Donors

 

Fundraising Initiatives for Legal Aid and Law School Clinics

• LSCV Needs Support for Civil Representation of the Poor | voluntary contributions form (PDF file)
• http://www.valegalaid.org; http://www.vplc.org/legalindex.html
• http://law.wlu.edu/alumni/page.asp?pageid=906

 

Mentoring

• Virginia Law Foundation Fellows Project
• Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (VACDL) Mentor Guide (PDF file)
• Inns of Court

 

Legal Malpractice and Other Insurance for Volunteers and Legal Nonprofits

• ALPS - VSB Endorsed and Affiliated Professional Liability Insurer
• NLADA (National Legal Aid & Defender Association)
• VSB Member Insurance Center

 

Awards & Honors:

• Virginia Legal Aid Award Information
  • 2012 Legal Aid Award to Recognize Abigail Turner of the Legal Aid Justice Center and R. Peyton Whiteley of Legal Services of Northern Virginia
  • 2011 Legal Aid Award Recognizes Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society director
  • 2010 Legal Aid Award Recognizes Kathryn L. Pryor of Richmond
  • 2009 Legal Aid Award Recognizes Freddie L. Goode of Richmond
  • 2008 Legal Aid Award Recognizes Virginia Poverty Law Center Director
     
• Judicial Circuit Awards: Service to the VA Supreme Court by Appointed Counsel
  Pro Bono, Court-Appointed Work in Brunswick, Fairfax, and Franklin Counties Recognized in 2009
   
• Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award Information
  • Robert F. Redmond Jr. to Receive 2012 Powell Award
  • Gail Starling Marshall Is 2011 Powell Pro Bono Award Designee
  • William B. Reichhardt of Fairfax County Receives 2010 Powell Award
  • Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr. Receives 2009 Powell Award
  • Phyllis Katz Receives 2008 Powell Award
     
• Oliver White Hill Law Student Pro Bono Award Information
  • University of Virginia Law Student Wins 2012 Hill Award
  • Washington & Lee Law Student Wins 2011 Hill Award
  • William and Mary Law Student Wins 2010 Hill Award
  • University of Richmond Law Student Wins 2009 Hill Award
  • GMU Law Student Wins 2008 Hill Award
    

     

Conference of Local Bar Associations (CLBA)

• Conference of Virginia Local, Statewide and Specialty Bar Associations (CLBA)
• Legally Informed (PDF) a reference guide to legal and public services programs sponsored by Virginia local and specialty bars (updated March 2008)

 

IOLTA Trust Fund Guidelines

• Legal Services Corporation of Virginia

 

VSB Committees

 

VSB Sections

 

“Public Service" Rules

(See VSB Rules of Professional Conduct Rules 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, etc. and http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/scv/rules.html)

 

Virginia Board of Bar Examiners

Reading the Law

 

Updated: Nov 28, 2012