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    16Apr, 2024
    Bar Council of Bhutan encourages Pro Bono legal aid for vulnerable

    The Bar Council of Bhutan is urging its members to provide free legal services, more often, to the marginalised and vulnerable population. This was discussed during the Bar Council’s first annual general meeting in Paro, today. Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck graced the opening of the three-day event. The United Nations Development Fund is supporting the meeting.

    One of the primary objectives of the general meeting is to advocate Bar Council members of the significance of pro bono services, especially for the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

    According to the Bar Council’s vice president, pro bono legal advice and representation enhances access to justice for all.

    “In these three days, we are bringing together the bar and bench, which is the core justice service provider to work on how to improve the accessibility to the justice system in the country. This is why the first annual general meeting of the Bar Council is being held,” said Rinzin Penjor, vice president of the Bar Council of Bhutan.

    Legal representatives and firms that provided pro bono services to clients were recognised during the meeting. The Latin phrase “pro bono” refers to legal services provided to a client without fee.

    Records show that the Bar Council received 85 cases requesting pro bono legal aid. After review by the National Legal Aid Centre, 16 of the total requests were provided pro bono legal aid.

    The records date back to October 2022, when the Bhutan National Legal Aid Centre was established. There are 300 attorneys registered with the Bar Council of Bhutan.

    “Before the cases arrive at the Bar Council of Bhutan, it has to undergo scrutiny from the Bhutan National Legal Aid Centre to see if they merit pro bono services. Only people who meet certain criteria are sent to the Bar Council

    … Read the rest
    11Jun, 2023
    IBP rolls out pro bono legal aid via web portal

    By Rey E. Requejo

    The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has launched its Pro Bono Portal (PBP) where indigent litigants nationwide can now avail themselves of free legal services online through the IBP’s “web-based legal aid platform.”

    In its advisory, the IBP said its lawyers and legal aides nationwide have started their training.

    “To avail of legal aid services, a potential client can apply for legal assistance through the PBP which can be easily searched by typing ‘IBP pro bono portal’ or ‘IBP free legal aid,’” the IBP stressed.

    “The system then sends the application to the IBP Chapter concerned which can filter out the application and assign it to the member,” it said.

    It also said the other important features of the PBP include “the integration of the means and merits test and its language translations to Pilipino and Cebuano.”

    The IBP assured that “the PBP is free, secure, inclusive, and designed to be responsive to the needs of indigent Filipinos while highlighting the competence and integrity of the Bar’s pro bono legal aid programs.”

    It said the training of lawyers and their legal aides is being done by the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI).  The training started last April 20.

    “The PBP was developed by Justice Connect, a non-profit company based in Australia which supports organizations in various jurisdictions including inter alia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Germany,” the IBP said.

    “The development of the PBP was made possible through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported ‘Access to Justice and Support for the Rule of Law’ program of ABA ROLI,” it added.

    It also said that the technology of Justice Connect “effectively and efficiently connects clients and pro bono lawyers and law firms in a system

    … Read the rest
    2Jun, 2023
    IBP’s free legal aid now online thru ‘Pro Bono Portal’

    Indigent litigants nationwide can now avail themselves of free legal services online through the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP) “web-based legal aid platform.”

    The IBP launched its Pro Bono Portal (PBP) and lawyers and their legal aides nationwide have started their training.

    “To avail of legal aid services, a potential client can file an application for legal assistance through the PBP which can be easily searched by typing ‘IBP pro bono portal’ or ‘IBP free legal aid,’” the IBP said in its advisory.

    “The system then sends the application to the IBP Chapter concerned which can filter out the application and assign it to the member,” it said.

    It also said the other important features of the PBP include “the integration of the means and merits test and its language translations to Pilipino and Cebuano.”

    It assured that “the PBP is free, secure, inclusive, and designed to be responsive to the needs of indigent Filipinos while highlighting the competence and integrity of the Bar’s pro bono legal aid programs.”

    It said the training of lawyers and their legal aides is being done by the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI).  The training started last April 20.

    The IBP said “the PBP was developed by Justice Connect, a non-profit company based in Australia which supports organizations in various jurisdictions including inter alia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Germany.”

    “The development of the PBP was made possible through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported ‘Access to Justice and Support for the Rule of Law’ program of ABA ROLI,” it said.

    It also said that the technology of Justice Connect “effectively and efficiently connects clients and pro bono lawyers and law firms in a system that draws from an understanding of the

    … Read the rest
    21May, 2023
    Top lawyers should provide the needy free legal aid: Rijiju

    Itanagar, April 23 (UNI) Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday urged the top lawyers to provide free legal aid to the needy people who can not afford to pay a lawyer.

    The Union Minister was addressing a gathering including members of legal fraternity in a function at Jarbom Gamlin Govt Law College (JGGLC) at Jote in Arunachal Pradesh’s Papum Pare district after inaugurating a Mega Legal Services Camp and Seva Aapke Dwar 2.0 programme at the college campus, according to official sources.

    During the programme, Rijiju also inaugurated a Pro Bono Club at JGGLC, Jote. While laying the foundation stones for three projects namely, construction of court building for Judicial Magistrate First Class at Namsai, court building for District & Sessions Judge at Khonsa and court building for Judicial Magistrate at Bomdila, he congratulated the people of these three districts and promised to take responsibility for the construction of all the courts in Arunachal Pradesh.

    On the occasion, Rijiju lauded the judges of district courts of Arunachal Pradesh for efficient and timely delivery of justice, thereby resolving many pending cases.

    He called JGGLC a state property and said “it being the premier law institute of Arunachal is our pride and we need to put concerted efforts for its overall development”.

    In his speech, Advisor to State’s Law & Justice Minister cum MLA Kento Jini said that the motto of Pro Bono Club is to instill in the minds of young lawyers the sense of responsibility of community services in the legal field.

    He exhorted the students of the Law College to volunteer as ‘Nyay Bandhu’ in the Club to provide free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of the society.

    During the day-long programme, organized by Arunachal Pradesh

    … Read the rest
    27Oct, 2022
    UI Center for Human Rights, Legal Clinics helps offer immigration legal services to Afghan immigrants

    Resources offered through the collaboration will be direct representation, pro se clinics, and a Virtual Help Desk.

    University+of+Iowa+Center+for+Human+Rights+office+located+in+the+Jefferson+Building+in+Iowa+City+Iowa+on+Oct.+14%2C+2022

    Johnny Jarnagin

    University of Iowa Center for Human Rights office located in the Jefferson Building in Iowa City Iowa on Oct. 14, 2022

    Soon after an influx of Afghan evacuees arrived in the US in August 2021the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights started working with the UI College of Law Legal Clinic to assist in legal service provision.

    the programs, ALL Iowa Afghan Legal League of Iowa, aims to address gaps in Iowa infrastructure surrounding immigration legal access. The program brings experts from the UI, Drake University’s Legal Clinics, and the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice.

    In August 2021, approximately 76,000 Afghans were airlifted from Afghanistan following the governmental takeover by the Taliban. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services allocated $1.1 million over two years to the collaboration in response to more than 900 Afghans resettling in Iowa by April 2022.

    UI Center for Human Rights Assistant Director Amy Weismann said she helps facilitate communication between the groups and create a statewide network for immigration services.

    “There are a lot of people in the state who are already providing legal services and other kinds of services, other kinds of support to Afghans who come to Iowa,” Weismann said. “We’re hoping that through this arrangement, we can help to elevate and expand those services.”

    The UI is offering refugees legal training and is representing some Afghans in their immigration cases.

    Weismann said she hopes UI community members will get involved, especially those with proficiency in Dari and Pashto, languages ​​spoken by Afghans.

    “We’re working with law students here at the University of Iowa, but also at Drake, to develop what we’re calling a refugee legal core to help train

    … Read the rest
    11Oct, 2022
    New pro bono director at Three Rivers Legal Services | Jax Daily Record | Jacksonville Daily Records

    Samantha Howell

    Samantha Howell | Three Rivers Legal Services Pro Bono Director

    I am the new pro bono director at Three Rivers Legal Services Inc.

    Since this is my first article in the Jacksonville Bar Association Bar Bulletin, I will share a little about myself.

    I was born in Kentucky and lived in New York state for 12 years before moving to Florida in 2019. I am admitted to practice in New York and Florida, and have managed pro bono programs for about a decade. I really enjoy the work.

    Over the next year, as we emerge from our COVID shells, I will be expanding Three Rivers’ pro bono opportunities, including restarting in-person clinics, expanding our virtual clinics and leaning up our volunteer recruitment, training and support efforts.

    Three Rivers provides training, support, client screening, liability coverage and reimbursements for litigation expenses.

    Some of the opportunities:

    Telephonic Eviction Clinic

    This advice-only clinic is offered 5-6:30 pm every Tuesday.

    Appointments are scheduled for 45 minutes. Staff screen and schedule clients, notifying volunteers of their assignments on the Friday (or Monday) prior to the clinic.

    Volunteers complete an online form so that Three Rivers knows what advice was given and if any follow-up is needed.

    Pro Se Divorce Clinic

    The next clinic at our Jacksonville office is 9-11 am Nov. 21.

    A volunteer guides participants through the pro se divorce packet for those with minor children.

    From 2-4 pm, a volunteer will guide participants seeking a simplified divorce, or filing for divorce without minor children. Three Rivers staff will be present to assist and notarize documents.

    Volunteers may participate in both sessions or only one.

    We also make limited scope and full representation referrals in a variety of areas such as bankruptcy, special education, family, housing/property, consumer, income maintenance and trusts

    … Read the rest
    10Oct, 2022
    Program of free legal services to journalists expands nationwide

    One consequence of the local journalism crisis is the loss of legal support available to reporters and news outlets.

    Hiring lawyers to review major investigative stories before publication or help secure public records used to be common at regional outlets.

    Now it’s a rarity as nearly every local newspaper struggles to cover costs, upgrade for digital competition and retain what’s left of their gutted newsrooms.

    That further reduces the amount of government transparency and hard-hitting accountability journalism.

    So it’s especially welcome to see a program providing free legal services to journalists expand from a pilot project in Washington and California to a national service.

    Attorneys at Microsoft and Seattle-based law firm Davis Wright Tremaine started this in 2020.

    They work together providing pro-bono legal services to local journalists at all types of outlets. As of May 2022, the program provided about 386 hours of services worth $240,000, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, a nonprofit that’s now coordinating the program.

    This week, the Knight Foundation announced a $1.3 million grant over three years to expand the program, called ProJourn.

    “ProJourn empowers local journalists and journalism organizations by providing accessible legal assistance to carry out their work effectively,” foundation CEO Alberto Ibargüen said in the announcement. “The law can be a weapon and a shield; journalists need both in a healthy democracy.”

    A bevy of white shoe law firms are also joining the program, including BakerHostetler, Covington & Burling, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Kilpatrick Townsend and McGuireWoods.

    In turn, the firms will work with their corporate clients’ in-house lawyers to provide pro-bono service to local journalists, following the model of DWT and Microsoft.

    Full disclosure: DWT has long represented The Seattle Times and Microsoft supports several of its journalism initiatives, but neither pitched

    … Read the rest