The This workshop featured a range of online options available to bar associations seeking to further the delivery of legal services to the poor. Moderated by John Cruden, past president of the District of Columbia Bar and member of the NCBP Executive Council, the session featured panelists Gabrielle Hammond, executive director of the Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project; Mark O’Brien, director of probono.net; and Melvin White, president of the District of Columbia Bar.
 

Ms. Hammond focused primarily on XML technology, a standard data format used for text files and information in computer memory that allows more effective communication and transfer of data. When XML is used, clients can be more efficiently served and cases are more easily transferred. She cited Maine State Bar Association as an example of a bar that successfully uses this technology.

Mr. O’Brien cited numerous Web sites available for the general public as well as lawyers including www.probono.net  www.npado.org  and www.katrinalegalaid.org  Probono.net   connects legal aid and pro bono attorneys, law professors and students, and social services advocates with information about opportunities, training events, and mentors. The site also contains searchable libraries of practice resources. NPADO.org allows subject matter experts to create interview templates that can be used to assemble court documents and other legal forms as PDF or RTF files. Katrinalegalaid.org  alerts hurricane survivors about matters related to FEMA, bankruptcy, housing, insurance and health as well as other areas of interest. Information is available for legal aid programs and private sector lawyers who want to assist in local pro bono efforts.

Mr. White discussed www.lawhelp.org  and its use for pro se litigants. LawHelp provides free legal aid referrals pertaining to housing, work, family, bankruptcy, disability, immigration and other issues. Mr. White indicated the site has a useful FAQ section and said that the DC Foundation has helped fund the LawHelp project in DC.

Article written by Joy Phillips, past member of the NCBP Communications Committee

Panelists:

Gabrielle Hammond, executive director, Legal Services National Technology Assistance (NTAP), e-mail: gabrielle@lsntap.org 

Mark O’Brien, director, probono.net  e-mail: mobrien@probono.net 

Melvin White, president, the District of Columbia Bar, e-mail: mwhite@mwe.com 

Handouts:

Click on the following link, http://tinyurl.com/2e8rsq  to review handouts from this workshop.