Pro Bono Publico Summer 2002 Welcome to the first issue of Pro Bono Publico! This quarterly newsletter will highlight V enable’s participation in a wide variety of pro bono projects, as well as bring to your attention opportunities available to serve our communities in the future. This issue includes several projects, ranging from a death penalty case in A labama to a disaster legal services program established by the A BA ’s Y oung Lawyers Division to community wills and income tax clinics. V enable has enjoyed an outstanding reputation for its 100+ year history of pro bono service consistent with the highest standards of the profession. In the past 10 years alone, the firm has been recognized as the Pro Bono Law Firm of the Y ear by both the District of Columbia Bar A ssociation and the Fairfax Bar A ssociation. V enable recognizes the growing increase in the unmet legal needs of the disadvantaged in our communities, and is mindful that major law firms play a leading role in addressing these needs. Through the support of the firm’s management, pro bono service has become a part of the culture at V enable. In 1993, V enable became a charter signatory of the A BA Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, thus reaffirming our commitment to serve the legal needs of the poor. A s a part of the challenge, - V enable recognizes its obligation to encourage and support the participation by all Contents of its lawyers in pro bono activities. - To underscore its commitment to those activities, V enable has agreed to use its best efforts to ensure that our firm will annually contribute, at a minimum, an amount Welcome 1 of time equal to 3 percent of our total billable hours to pro bono work. This is in addition to the significant financial contributions by the V enable Foundation. How to Open a Pro Bono File 2 This lofty goal can be achieved only if a majority of both partners and associates partici- Venable Assists Alabama Death- pate in the effort. We will continue to bring to your attention opportunities to get involved. Row Inmate in State Habeas Petition 2 A nd always, you are encouraged to initiate pro bono matters yourself. To help walk you through the process, we have included in this issue an overview of how to open a pro bono Venable Assists Whitman Walker file. If you feel that you would like to have some training before taking on a pro bono C lients with Estate Planning Needs 2 project, training courses are available throughout the areas we serve. Young Lawyers Meeting the Legal The personal satisfaction that comes from assisting a poor person solve a problem is Needs of Disaster Victims 3 among the true rewards of pro bono work. On the last page of this issue, Brian Zemil Venable Assists Low-Income T ax Filers 3 recounts his own experience in helping a prisoner pursue his constitutional rights. I encourage each of you to consider accepting an assignment during the months ahead. My Venable in the C ommunity - assistant, Jackie Bottash (ext. 4914) and I (ext. 8115) look forward to supporting your D.C . C ares Servathon 2002 3 efforts and we encourage your suggestions and comments. In My Own Words - The Rewards of Gerry Treanor Pro Bono - by Brian Zemil 4 Pro Bon o Coordin a tor
Pro Bono Publico 2 How to Open a Pro Bono File Venable Assists Alabama Death-Row Inmate in State Habeas Petition Opening a pro bono file is no different than opening any other file. A conflicts check is V enable is representing 25-year-old Frederick Woods, who is currently on death row in absolutely necessary even if the possibility of a Donaldson prison outside of Birmingham, A labama. Mr. Woods was tried and convicted in conflict appears to be less than remote. If you A ugust 1997 of murder during a robbery (of a convenience store) that occurred in September are an associate, you will need to find a 1996. A fter a jury recommendation of death rather than life without parole by a vote of 10 to 2, responsible, knowledgeable partner willing to Mr. Woods was sentenced to death. He unsuccessfully appealed to the A labama Court of serve as the case supervisor. You should Criminal A ppeals, the A labama Supreme Court, and his petition for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court was denied October 1, 2001. A labama, unlike many other states, does not speak to our Pro Bono Coordinator, Gerry provide counsel to indigent, death-row defendants after they have concluded their direct Treanor, to describe the nature of the appeals. So like approximately 30 other death row inmates in A labama, Mr. W oods did not representation and get his approval (usually have a lawyer to help him pursue his additional post-conviction, habeas corpus remedies. an e-mail or written memo in advance will work wonders to expedite the process). You The V enable team includes partner Jerry Block, associates Damon Wright, Brian Flack, Julia should make clear that the terms of the Kiraly and Ron Jacobs, and paralegal Claudia Reyes. The team is currently reviewing and representation, such as responsibility for researching the trial record, conducting additional investigation, and preparing a Rule 32 disbursements, have been discussed and petition (a state habeas corpus petition) to be filed with the trial court in St. Clair County , in approved by the client. A shville, A labama in July . The petition will raise issues and allege errors that occurred both in the guilt phase and the penalty phase of the trial. The file opening form is the same for billable V enable took on the matter after being approached by the A merican Bar A ssociation Death and pro bono matters. You will need to Penalty Project, and the Equal Justice Initiative headquartered in Montgomery , A labama. describe the matter, specify the lawyers, estimate the likely disbursements, and Venable Assists Whitman Walker Wills Clients with indicate the client’s responsibility for some, Estate Planning Needs all, or none of the disbursements. If these are likely to be significant, be sure to let Gerry The Whitman Walker Clinic, Inc. offers a myriad of legal services to persons who are HIV know the details. Once filed, the matter will positive. One of the services offered is a wills clinic. Eligible individuals can come to the clinic receive the same tri-partite review as do all and receive free advice about estate planning. Lawyers from the Washington, D.C. area meet other cases. After the file is approved, you with clients and usually draft wills, durable financial powers of attorney , durable health care should be sure to send a retainer to the client powers of attorney and living wills. Clients also receive planning advice about life insurance, (if competent) or the client’s guardian/ retirement assets and guardianship of children. For many clients, the issue of who will care for representative setting forth the terms of surviving children is pressing. the representation. Each Monday night, up to four clients are scheduled for the wills clinic, which meets at 1701 14th Street, N.W . Several law firms in Washington, D.C. have a standing commitment to staff These steps are not materially different from several Monday night clinics. In 2002, V enable committed to staff two clinics in A pril. V enable opening billable files. If you have any associates Jeanne Newlon, Molly Delea, Jackie McCarthy and Gilda Zimmet volunteered at the questions, feel free to call Gerry Treanor or clinics and are currently completing estate plans for several clients. Jackie Bottash. Our plan is to increase our participation by staffing additional clinics. In addition, we often receive requests from Whitman Walker to do hospital or home visits. In these cases, the clients Members of Venable’s Pro Bono Committee: are too ill to come to a clinic. A volunteer lawyer meets with the client at their home or hospital to discuss their estate planning needs. Gerard Treanor, Lars Anderson, Shannon Bloodworth, Jacqueline Bottash, Rosemary Dailey, Kathleen Dolan, Y ou do not need to practice in the estates and trusts area to participate in the wills clinic. The Sarah Gudsnuk, Elaine Clark Jones, Julia Kiraly, Brock opportunity is wonderful for anyone, especially for business lawyers who may not be interested Landry, Mitchell Mirviss, Kali Murray, Otho Thompson, con tin u ed Meg Watkins, Brian Zemil, and Gilda Zimmet.
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