tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:35:50 +0000Pro bono and equal justice news in Wisconsinhttp://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)Blogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-7488642059748576583Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:03:00 +00002009-09-28T18:04:20.794-05:00 On Saturday, September 26, I had the opportunity to participate in a small way in an early morning forum organized by Community Brainstorming in Milwaukee on the subject of a civil right to counsel in certain cases (aka Civil Gideon).  It was remarkable to see so many members of the Milwaukee community come out to engage in this discussion on a morning where they could just as easily have slept http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/XqQct_l2Djo/community-brainstormin-on-civil-gideon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/09/community-brainstormin-on-civil-gideon.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-3080671204044560736Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +00002009-09-23T08:56:57.211-05:00uwcowsspd By Kathleen Croker, 3L University of Wisconsin Law School I'm from St. Louis, so when I moved to Madison for law school I liked its “small town” feel. After this past summer, my idea of a “small town” has changed a bit. Over the summer I interned at the Office of the State Public Defender in Eau Claire, and lived on a steer farm in New Auburn, WI. In order to help with chores, I would feed thehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/MbfYy06OJ1Q/guest-post-my-summer-with-state-public.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/09/guest-post-my-summer-with-state-public.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-962129749867396878Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:12:00 +00002009-09-28T14:02:33.548-05:00health carehealthwatchbadgercareabc By Elizabeth Behnke, 2L University of Wisconsin Law School I spent the summer working as one of the legal interns at ABC for Health in Madison, Wisconsin. ABC is a non-profit law firm that specializes in health care advocacy for Wisconsin’s low income population. Working at ABC, I felt that I was able to provide a valuable service to people on a daily basis. The main focus of my summer http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/2LomK1swoas/guest-post-my-summer-internship-at-abc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/09/guest-post-my-summer-internship-at-abc.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-34078779997442884Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:16:00 +00002009-09-10T09:23:22.326-05:00equal justicemarquettemilwaukeepredatory lendingequal justice workspublic interest lawlegal aid societylasmmvlc ByScott LuziJ.D. Candidate 2010Marquette University Law School This past summer I served as an intern at Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee (LASM). I spent the majority of my time in the Civil Litigation Department working alongside Peter Koneazny, LASM’s Civil Division Litigation Director. LASM’s Civil Division provides free legal assistance to needy Milwaukee residents with serious legal http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/GVaiCAzAIMA/guest-post-my-summer-at-legal-aid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/09/guest-post-my-summer-at-legal-aid.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-1337622111766775656Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:58:00 +00002009-09-09T12:59:02.636-05:00ethicslimited scopeunbundlingA recent ethics opinion from the State Bar’s Professional Ethics Committee addresses in part the issue of limited scope representation. The new opinion addresses the issue of how lawyers should communicate the scope of the representation to the client.Since the actual language of SCR 20:1.2(c) that authorizes limiting the scope of the attorney's representation is so short, this is a small but http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/h0Hp6pWYTxY/limited-scope-representation-gets-boost.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/08/limited-scope-representation-gets-boost.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-7250170455410444070Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:51:00 +00002009-08-27T13:53:05.746-05:00supreme courtmarquetteatjwistafuwsenateassemblySome late summer news on two more outstanding nominees for the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission. Senator Fred Risser has nominated Senator Jim Sullivan of Wauwatosa to be the Senate's representative on the new commission and Dean Kearney at Marquette Law School has nominated Rebecca Blemberg for membership.With the previous nominations, that brings us up to to six out of the maximum http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/L0PwzDWjFz8/more-atj-commission-appointments.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-atj-commission-appointments.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-6905707735186151756Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:47:00 +00002009-07-16T09:35:40.741-05:00re-entrynladaabamichiganprisonersinmatesOne of the wonderfully maddening things about living in Madison is our very own WORT radio station. An outside observer might cringe but it's a lively, informative, often amateurish, and definitely left-wing alternative to what everyone seems to be calling the "mainstream media" these days. That openness to nontraditional programming is on display in WORT's "A Public Affair" program, which has http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/8xTYx5VPr-w/it-takes-village-to-do-lot-of-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/07/it-takes-village-to-do-lot-of-things.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-8208536349241335975Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:15:00 +00002009-07-14T11:03:13.004-05:00The Dane County Foreclosure Prevention Taskforce has been working diligently this summer to put on their first event: Fix Your Loan, Keep Your Home. The event will be on August 1, 2009, at MATC's Truax campus in Madison. Volunteers will help eligible homeowners complete Making Home Affordable applications and provide counseling and education for all homeowners who attend. If you want to volunteerhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/xxIZJHZ6M_M/dane-county-launches-fix-your-loan-keep.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/07/dane-county-launches-fix-your-loan-keep.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-5302682229259499563Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:24:00 +00002009-07-14T17:35:33.837-05:00wistaffundingcomparable interestioltabudgetlegislatureWith Governor Doyle's signature, the final Wisconsin state budget passed by the Legislature for civil legal aid increased to $4.6 million for the 2009-11 bienium, up from $1 million in the previous budget period. I'm sure that will be a welcome bit of good news for legal aid programs that are seeing steadily rising client needs in the midst of a challenging funding environment. There are many http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/Td4lomMELac/state-funding-for-civil-legal-aid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/07/state-funding-for-civil-legal-aid.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-2960561271370270344Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:08:00 +00002009-07-14T17:44:59.311-05:00state bar of wisconsinaccess to justiceAfter approving a resolution endorsing LSC funding for civil legal aid to the poor without restrictions, the State Bar of Wisconsin's Board of Governors unanimously approved the first four members of the new Wisconsin Access To Justice Commission: Howard Bichler, Hannah Dugan, Mike Gonring and Judge Margaret Vergeront. The four will serve as the State Bar's designees on the new 17 member http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/Q3WeCdcFl_8/great-start.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/07/great-start.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-3846429079591099439Thu, 28 May 2009 21:53:00 +00002009-05-28T18:02:14.335-05:00wistafioltaIt appears likely that state funding for civil legal aid in Wisconsin will be substantially increased in the current budget. That's a terrific acknowledgment by state leaders of the value that they place on providing access to justice for Wisconsin families facing civil legal needs without the means to pay an attorney during the most precarious economic times of our generation. It should help http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/CFK_SbFYnnk/state-funding-for-civil-legal-aid-is.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/05/state-funding-for-civil-legal-aid-is.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-2356642244432431262Wed, 27 May 2009 20:21:00 +00002009-05-27T16:07:02.981-05:00foreclosureWisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that he will be directing up to $310,000 in funding to support a new mediation effort focused on foreclosures. The funding will come from the department's successful legal proceeding against Countrywide Financial. This program has been in development for some time now and partners Marquette University Law School and the City of Milwaukee http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/f6yRZo8aOCc/wisconsin-foreclosure-mediation-on-roll.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/05/wisconsin-foreclosure-mediation-on-roll.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-7330858236967807988Fri, 22 May 2009 18:04:00 +00002009-05-22T13:11:37.924-05:00If you attended the conference at the Pyle Center in Madison on April 28, you know how much we were able to learn about innovations and collaborations that are expanding access to justice here as well as in other states. If you missed it, we will have streaming video of the sessions available for you to view soon along with the materials. In the meantime, enjoy some photos of our attendees. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/XlIF8nA9MrY/wisconsin-equal-justice-conference.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/05/wisconsin-equal-justice-conference.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-1473110702208470597Fri, 22 May 2009 14:54:00 +00002009-05-22T13:19:33.874-05:00 This year's conference in Orlando was terrific. Materials from the conference will soon be posted by the ABA here. You can search for #09ejc at Twitter to see the stream of postings by conference attendees at the various sessions (my posts are @wiprobono). I have a few photos posted here at Picasa.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/ZRYGVVsg_rI/national-equal-justice-conference.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/05/national-equal-justice-conference.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-7264398879403888274Fri, 22 May 2009 14:41:00 +00002009-05-22T09:54:22.987-05:00It's almost a reality! Wisconsin will soon be joining the growing number of states with a collaborative, statewide commission with a mission to "develop and encourage means of expanding access to the civil justice system for unrepresented low income Wisconsin residents." We are expecting the final order to be issued soon by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/hiBb0kVWCpc/wisconsin-access-to-justice-commission.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/05/wisconsin-access-to-justice-commission.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-2040348045316691571Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:27:00 +00002009-02-12T15:27:32.773-06:00Here is an interesting take on the economic and professional development arguments for pro bono work. New Deloitte Whitepaper Examines Impact of Pro Bono Work in Improving Law Firm ROIhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/ZFXc0YoXJss/new-deloitte-whitepaper-examines-impact.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-deloitte-whitepaper-examines-impact.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-1839304490425004718Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:56:00 +00002009-01-23T12:20:09.832-06:00pro bonostate bar of wisconsinOne of the roadblocks that I sometimes hear about is just lack of awareness about what pro bono projects are out there. That's the need this new directory is designed to fill. On the State Bar pro bono page, lawyers will now find a searchable directory that gives them all the basic information they need to find pro bono projects that fit their interests and skills. We've even added information http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/k4OQpsVE0Tk/online-pro-bono-opportunities-guide.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/01/online-pro-bono-opportunities-guide.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-5434634714996355999Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:17:00 +00002009-01-16T11:20:08.147-06:00Starting February 3, 2009, the Volunteer Lawyers Project of Legal Action of Wisconsin will be launching a new pro bono project. Volunteer lawyers from Foley & Lardner and Northwestern Mutual will help to staff the project to help low income clients in evictions, security deposit and other landlord/tenant money claims cases. Training for these new volunteers starts January 30, 2009 (others are http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/kN1Pc8b4h_s/new-eviction-defense-project-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-eviction-defense-project-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-4516798408699460100Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:20:00 +00002009-01-06T16:44:21.393-06:00pro bonomilitaryabaThe State Bar of Wisconsin has become a supporter of the ABA Military Pro Bono Project. The effort seeks to match low income service members who are deployed with volunteer lawyers in the state where they need assistance with matters of local law. Requests are screened through the soldier's JAG office first and referred through the ABA. Wisconsin lawyers are encouraged to visit the project's http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/snHHRGfDFfc/military-pro-bono.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/01/military-pro-bono.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-2199727346719954744Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:43:00 +00002009-01-15T16:52:22.789-06:00equal justiceobamalegal servicesLSClegal needsBrennan CenterThere is a set of proposals put together by the Brennan Center for Justice on what direction the incoming Obama administration should take on civil legal services for the poor. Their suggestions: strengthen the Legal Services Corporation by increasing funding, eliminating restrictions on the use of federal/private funds and eliminating the restrictions on the types of cases that LSC grantees can http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/yxMZWHDFBmY/ideas-for-new-administration-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2008/12/ideas-for-new-administration-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-4884691620401566185Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:22:00 +00002008-12-18T17:29:07.134-06:00equal justicelegal serviceswistafioltalegal action of wisconsinaccess to justiceWe all know the economy is in terrible shape. Well, here's another casualty for you. Equal justice under law depends in large part on access to legal assistance from a dedicated group of legal aid attorneys and staff all over Wisconsin. Here's the story of how just one of those organizations has become another casualty of the economic meltdown.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/xjZZDhpRxB0/bring-on-pain.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2008/12/bring-on-pain.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-7125322719805903474Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:53:00 +00002008-12-23T13:34:40.664-06:00equal justiceatjaccess to justiceYou can watch the video of yesterday's Wisconsin Supreme Court hearing on Wisconsin Eye, which is our version of C-SPAN (only we make more references to cheese and beer).Presenters were State Bar President Diane Diel, Judge Rick Sankovitz (Milwaukee County), John Ebbott (E.D. @ Legal Action), David Russell (Legal Action board member), David Hanson (Equal Justice Fund), Mike Gonring (State Bar http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/ERUfALxIwyg/everyone-gets-hearing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2008/12/everyone-gets-hearing.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-3883018537061222138Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:29:00 +00002008-12-18T16:53:05.540-06:00access to justiceWell, it's finally here. Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 9:30 am the Wisconsin Supreme Court is holding a hearing on the State Bar's petition asking the court to order the creation of a Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission.We have big hopes that both the petition and the commission will be successful. There are certainly plenty of good examples that we can follow.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/KvCn4HdeZKU/big-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2008/12/big-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7043496627312297947.post-8310696921225122692Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:20:00 +00002008-12-16T21:30:05.529-06:00pro bonojusticeWelcome to Just Wisconsin, a news and discussion forum on issues related to equal justice, access to justice and pro bono in Wisconsin.I'll try to keep my posts varied and reasonably up to date. There will even be an occasional guest blogger just to liven things up a bit. This is supposed to be interactive but that's really up to you the reader. As my teenager frequently reminds me, I don't http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustWisconsin/~3/gSko8kUbzOk/welcome.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeff Brown)http://atjwisconsin.blogspot.com/2008/12/welcome.html