On April 17 and 18, the S.J. Quinney College of Law host a workshop aimed at developing the new Law for America initiative. As envisioned by Dean Hiram Chodosh, Law for America will help to close the gap in access to legal services through innovative low bono service and professional training. The program will also broaden and strengthen clinical placements for students and introduce a post-graduate residency program to incubate small firm lawyers and solo practitioners in the months immediately after graduation.
Workshop participants include national experts and leaders. The objective of the workshop will be to create a sustainable economic model for combining new forms of clinical and professional training with direct services (in return for modest fees) to the country’s under-served lower and middle classes as well as small businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs.
“The Law for America workshop is the first strategic step in creating what we expect will become a signature program here at the College of Law,” notes Kristin Erickson, Director of the Pro Bono Initiative and one of the workshop’s planners.
Workshop panelists include co-convener Luz Hererra of Community Lawyers, Inc.; M. Sue Talia, Private Family Law Judge, California; Fred Rooney of the Community Legal Resource Network; Jeanne Charn of the Bellow Sacks Access to Civil Services Project, Harvard Law School; Susan Jones, George Washington University; Jeffrey Hughes, Legal Grind; Bill Tanner, Legal Resolutions Center; Will Hornsby, American Bar Association; Wayne Moore, Moore & Associates; Mary Jane Ciccarello, Utah State Courts Self-Help Center Attorney; Virginia Sudbury, Law Office of Virginia Sudbury, Salt Lake City; Carla Lee, Law Office of Carla Lee, Seattle; and TomMcCormack, Heisler, Feldman, McCormick & Garrow, PC.