Pro Bono Center’s Advice & Referral Clinic Returns to Anacostia
April 14, 2023
侵权导师保罗·科尼尼建议志愿澳博app娜塔莉·哈里森
在COVID-19大流行期间，经过近三年的远程操作，D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Saturday Advice & Referral Clinic returned to in-person services.
The Advice & Referral clinic, 她是公益中心法律项目的中流砥柱，为该区低收入居民服务了25年, has been hosted by Bread for the City since its inception. 今年2月，这家诊所在“面包为城市”(Bread for The City)全新的米歇尔·奥巴马中心(Michelle Obama Center)重新开放了面对面服务, located in the heart of the historic Anacostia Washington D.C. neighborhood.
The clinic, directed by Managing Attorney Anitra Ash-Shakoor, 为有民事法律问题但请不起澳博app的华盛顿人提供上门法律咨询. 2月份的诊所吸引了38名志愿者——包括澳博app和澳博app助理——他们帮助了25名客户, many of whom came with multiple legal issues. Just one month later, 39 residents arrived for legal assistance, signaling a quick return to pre-pandemic numbers. Prior to the shutdown, 1,每年有500名居民向位于阿纳科斯蒂亚和肖的诊所寻求帮助.
哥伦比亚特区高等法院的法官史蒂文·维尔纳说, a participant in the clinic since its earliest days, attended the March clinic to express the Court’s appreciation, 对聚集在一起的志愿澳博app提供鼓励和强调公益工作的重要性.
Pro Bono Center Executive Director Kelli Neptune and
Superior Court Judge Steven Wellner
“这些诊所对任何澳博app来说都是一个为公共利益做出真正贡献的绝佳机会,” Wellner said. “当我还是一名对公益服务感兴趣的新澳博app时，它非常适合我, but no idea where to start. At the recent clinic I met new lawyers and law firm partners, government lawyers, and solo practitioners. 每个人都有自己的空间，我鼓励所有澳博app协会成员都参与进来.”
退伍军人和第一次做志愿者的人都排队为有需要的邻居提供法律建议. Rob Abrams, an associate in Sidley Austin LLP’s environmental law practice group, was quickly hooked after participating in the February clinic.
“It was the first time I volunteered at the Advice & Referral clinic, but definitely not the last,” Abrams said.
艾布拉姆斯说，他最喜欢诊所的一个方面是有机会与需要他的法律专业知识但缺乏资源联系澳博app的客户见面. 他也喜欢在他的典型执业领域之外的法律事务上提供建议. 该诊所的导师计划将经验丰富的澳博app与特定主题的专业知识配对，为志愿者澳博app提供正常执业领域之外的咨询服务.
“I have always enjoyed volunteering with the Advice & Regan Zambri Long PLLC的侵权顾问Paul Cornoni说. “I have been doing it for a decade or so, 让我惊讶的是，这家诊所给哥伦比亚特区的市民带来了这么多的好处.”
In February and March, 就业法和遗嘱认证是客户最常寻求的两个法律问题.
Volunteer Attorney Owen Agho
Another first-timer, volunteer attorney Owen Agho, practices technology and data privacy law at Honigman LLP.
“My experience at the Advice & 转诊诊所非常令人满意，我期待着再次参加，”Agho说. “My law firm is passionate about its attorneys investing their time, resources, and expertise in the communities in which we live and work, so the firm has been supportive of my participation in clinic.”
阿哥花了很多时间与一位带着几个法律问题来到诊所的客户打交道.
“At the end of our time together, 我们能够优先处理她的问题清单，并将她转介到能够帮助她前进的服务机构,” he said. “有机会与社区接触，并为那些可能无法接触澳博app的人提供免费的一般法律咨询，这是一种宝贵的资源。, 我强烈建议该地区的其他澳博app也参加这个项目.”
不只是私人执业澳博app偶尔在周六帮助有需要的人. According to Laura Klein, Pro Bono Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Access to Justice, 联邦政府的法律专业人员愿意在业余时间以个人身份自愿从事无偿工作.
Volunteer paralegals Kelly Edwards, Will Andriola,
John Sposito, Darrell Black, and Dourisse Ndongmo
联邦政府的澳博app和澳博app助理都在咨询中心工作 & Referral Clinic in large numbers for over 20 years,” Klein said. “We are excited that the clinic is in person again. The people working at the clinic are enthusiastic and inspiring, and the service they are providing is absolutely crucial. 这是一个真正令人满意的经验，成为这个社区努力的一部分.”
而客户们——他们通常来的时候希望很低，选择也很少——离开的时候会有一种新的方向感，并感激医生的帮助.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. One native Washingtonian, 谁在向其他地区机构寻求帮助未果后找到了这家诊所, expressed his gratitude.
“有很多像我这样的人不知道如何着手解决法律问题,” the client said. “I’m just grateful I had a place to come to come to. I hope you guys never go away.”
