Nominate Public Interest Law Blogs for the ABA Journal Blawg 100

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Matthew Burnett

For a few years now I’ve argued that the ABA Journal Blawg 100 should include a public interest law category. My slacktivist campaign has included annual tweets expressing my disappointment when the results are published and even an email sometime back to the ABA Journal. This year I intend go the extra mile! Rather than complaining about it after the fact, I want to encourage folks to proactively nominate some of the great blogs covering public interest legal issues for the Blawg 100 Amici (the Blawg 100’s online nomination process). Here are some examples of hard-hitting, informative, and prolific public interest blawgs that I plan to nominate this year:

ACLU Blog of Rights
American Constitution Society Blog
Brennan Center for Justice Blog
The Shriver Brief
Wired’s Threat Level

Of course, these are just a few of the many great legal aid and public interest law blogs out there, many of which can be found on our Blogroll. Hopefully this year a flood of submissions will prompt the ABA Journal’s editors to consider including a category that recognizes the important contributions that legal aid and public interest advocates and organizations make to the legal blawgosphere. -M

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 7)

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Kate Bladow

This is the last National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up. Seventy-eight posts were published by 46 people, who signed up to publish a post recognizing providers of pro bono legal services during the National Pro Bono Celebration. This last list of posts includes those published from Friday, October 30 through today, November 5.

Bloggers who didn't sign the pledge also published quite a few posts about the Celebration. A total of 33 bloggers drafted 46 posts. Those posted between last Friday and today include the following:

The National Pro Bono Celebration and "pro bono" were even highlighted in the Blawg Review #288 on Paul B. Kennedy's The Defense Rests.

Thank you to everyone who participated. You created an inspiring slate of posts. If you missed any of them, you can go back and read the previous National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Ups:  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6.

And if you are sad to see the end of these round ups, you're in luck. The UK National Pro Bono Week starts on Monday, November 8 and runs through November 12, and their bloggers are warming up, so you should have several blog posts from their celebration to read.  - K

Tags: , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 6)

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Kate Bladow

This is the second to last round up of National Pro Bono Celebration posts, where I've been listing those who published a post to recognize providers of pro bono legal services. At the end of Thursday last week, a total of forty-two bloggers had fulfilled their pledge! Thursday's posts are as follows: 

Bloggers who didn't sign the pledge continued to post, too.

If you missed them, go back and read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 of the National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Ups. You can also subscribe to technola by email (on the top right side of the page) or by RSS to be notified when the new round ups are posted. - K

Tags: , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 5)

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Kate Bladow

On Thursday, eight new bloggers joined the ranks of those who fulfilled their promise to publish a post recognizing those who provide pro bono legal services, making the total number thirty-six. Thursday's posts are as follows:

Bloggers who didn't sign the pledge also continued to post articles about the National Pro Bono Celebration.

If you missed them, go back and read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of the National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Ups. You can also subscribe to technola by email (on the top right side of the page) or by RSS to be notified when the new round ups are posted. - K

Tags: , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 4)

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Kate Bladow

Another eight bloggers published a post recognizing those who provide pro bono legal services, fulfilling their pledge on Wednesday. This brings the total number of participants to twenty-eight. Wednesday's posts, and a few that were missed earlier in the week, are as follows:

Bloggers who didn't sign the pledge also continued to post articles about the National Pro Bono Celebration.

If you missed them, go back and read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of the National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Ups. You can also subscribe to technola by email (on the top right side of the page) or by RSS to be notified when the new round ups are posted. - K

Tags: , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 3)

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Kate Bladow

[Want to join in? It's not too late. Just sign up on PledgeBank and then, before the end of the week, post your article about pro bono legal services on your blog.]

By Tuesday evening, three more bloggers had published a post recognizing those who provide pro bono legal services, fulfilling their pledge. This brings the total number of participants to nineteen, and many of them have published more than one post! Tuesday's posts are as follows:

Bloggers who didn't sign the pledge also continued to post articles about the National Pro Bono Celebration.

If you missed them, go back and read Part 1 and Part 2 of the National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Ups. You can also subscribe to technola by email (on the top right side of the page) or by RSS to be notified when the new round ups are posted. - K

Tags: , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 2)

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Kate Bladow

[Want to join in? It's not too late. Just sign up on PledgeBank and then, before the end of the week, post your article about pro bono legal services on your blog.]

On Monday, another seven bloggers fulfilled their pledge to publish one post recognizing those who provide pro bono legal services during the National Pro Bono Celebration. This brings the total number of participants to fourteen. The posts published on Monday are as follows:

I also found several posts about the National Pro Bono Celebration from bloggers who aren't official participants.

If you missed it, go back and read National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 1). You can also subscribe to technola by email (on the top right side of the page) or by RSS to be notified when the round ups for Tuesday and Wednesday are posted. - K

Tags: , ,

National Pro Bono Celebration Blogging Round Up (Part 1)

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Kate Bladow

In early September, I challenged bloggers to publish one post recognizing those who provide pro bono legal services during the National Pro Bono Celebration. I had hoped that ten people would sign up to join me, but more than thirty people pledged a blog post for pro bono!

It seems like they are following through, too. On October 24, the first day of the Celebration, eight of the people who signed up had already written at least one post about pro bono legal services. The posts that had been published on Sunday (or prior) are as follows:

I also found one blog post about the National Pro Bono Celebration from a reporter who hadn't signed up to participate.

Want to join in? It's not too late. Just sign up on PledgeBank and then, before the end of the week, post your article about pro bono legal services on your blog.

Stay tuned. I'll be posting the links to Monday's and Tuesday's posts shortly. - K

Tags: , ,

Online Video Series Wrap Up

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Kate Bladow

Two last resources to wrap up my online video series:

That's all I have to say about online videos, at least for now. If you have anything you'd like to say, you can say it in the comments below.

And if you haven't read the other posts in this series, check them out: Creating Videos for Your Nonprofit Website, Are Legal Aid Programs Posting Videos Online?, and The 8 Types of Videos Programs Post Online. - K

Tags: ,

Update on Blogging During the National Pro Bono Celebration

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Kate Bladow

Thank you for your fantastic response to yesterday's "Will You Blog With Me?" post. Currently, 15 people have signed up to blog with me, and another three or four have emailed to say that they'll blog. But that doesn't mean that the rest of you can't join in. If you are interested, you can sign up here. - K

Tags: , ,

Will You Blog With Me?

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Kate Bladow

Bloggers, I challenge you to publish one blog post between October 24 and October 30 in honor of the 2010 National Pro Bono Celebration. I am, and Tim Eigo, Scott Kuhagen, and Mike Monahan have pledged to join me. You should, too.

The National Pro Bono Celebration is a big deal. Last year, every state participated. Nearly 600 events were held. A number of legal aid organizations, pro bono programs, and bar associations created videos. Hundreds of people posted messages to Twitter and Facebook. But only a few bloggers published posts to recognize the lawyers and paralegals who provide free legal services to those who can't afford to pay.

I had hoped that more bloggers would reflect on their experiences, recognize their colleagues, and use the opportunity to talk about pro bono legal services. So this year, I want to see bloggers involved. Will you pledge to publish one post during the National Pro Bono Celebration? (And if you don't have a blog but want to sign up, let me know. Perhaps I can find a blog interested in a series of guests posts.)

Your post doesn't have to be elegant or elaborate. Just tell us what pro bono means to you. Perhaps you could tell us

  • why you take pro bono cases;
  • why access to the courts is important;
  • about a memorable pro bono case;
  • why you admire a colleague's pro bono service;
  • about the pro bono program you work with;
  • about a legal issue faced by low-income people that is related to your blog's topic;
  • where lawyers can sign up for pro bono cases; or
  • where people can find free legal help.

And you don't have to be a lawyer to join this challenge. Feel free to sign up if you were helped by a pro bono attorney, know that your clients or customers have benefited from free legal assistance, or if your business supports pro bono or legal aid organizations.

At the end of the week, I'll gather all of the posts together and list them on techno.la. (This will be in addition to my National Pro Bono Celebration post.)

Bloggers, you know that you'll be blogging that week. Why not join the celebration? Sign up here.- K

Tags: , ,

2010 EJC Plenary Speech Available Online

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Kate Bladow

Sonia Nazario, who's spent 20 years examining and reporting on social issues like hunger, drug addiction, and immigration, opened the 2010 Equal Justice Conference. In an emotional speech, she explained the difficulties faced by children immigrating to the United States to join their parents and her experiences on El Tren de la Muerta (the train of death) as she traced their journey. For those who couldn't attend in person, the ABA streamed this session live and have posted a recording online. Also available is a short interview with Ms. Narazio about Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), an organization that represents immigrant children, who otherwise would have to negotiate the US immigration system alone.

A side note: As you listen to the beginning of Ms. Nazario's session, several people will refer to protesters. While it's likely not a surprise that the ABA's decision to continue holding the Equal Justice Conference in Arizona was controversial, you may be surprised to hear that on Thursday local advocates protested the ABA's decision. azfamily.com has a short segment on the protesters as well as a quick shot of their song and dance. Was anyone at the conference able to capture the whole song? I couldn't find a recording on either Vimeo or YouTube. - K

Tags: , , ,

Another ABA Techshow Resource

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Kate Bladow

Yesterday, after I posted about the resources available from the ABA Techshow, I noticed ABA Site-tation's great round up of blog posts and resources, including posts from several notable law blogs like 3 Geeks and a Law Blog and Above the Law. - K

Tags: ,

ABA TechShow Wrap Up

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Kate Bladow

 The American Bar Association held its annual technology conference, ABA Techshow, last week in Chicago. The agenda was filled with interesting sessions, and fortunately for those of us who couldn't attend, the ABA did a great job of archiving sessions, resources, and tips online.

If you only have a few minutes to browse materials, head straight to the list of websites mentioned in 60 Sites in 60 Minutes, a session presented annually. You should be able to quickly find one or two new sites to try from the list of sites highlighted in 2010 or past sessions.

If you have some additional time, you can also check out coverage from the ABA Journal, the ABA Techshow Blog, videos from the Ignite Law session, and papers and materials from select sessions. - K

Tags: ,

Firefox Add-ons for Legal Research

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Kate Bladow

The ABA Legal Technology Resource Center scoured through the Firefox Add-on Directory and found four add-ons that lawyers can use to simplify research. Check out their blog post Firefox for Lawyers to learn more about CiteGenie, Jureeka, Iterasi, and Zotero. - K

Tags: , ,

ABA Looking for Top 100 Legal Blogs

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Kate Bladow

For its annual list, the ABA Journal is looking for the best 100 law blogs and is asking you to suggest your favorites. Want to see who's made the list previously or to look for some new reading material? Check out last year's top 100 or the ABA Journal Blawg Directory. - K

Tags: , ,

Nominations for the 2009 Brown Award for Legal Access

Posted on December 2, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

The ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services is currently seeking nominations for the 2009 Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access, which "recognizes programs and projects that have made innovative and/or substantial contributions toward meeting the legal needs of people with moderate incomes." Details about the Award and the nomination process are available here. The deadline is December 15, 2008. -M

Tags: ,

ABA Compares Major Blog Providers

Posted on December 1, 2008 by Kate Bladow

The American Bar Association Legal Technology Resource Center recently posted a comparison of three major blogging platforms. - K

Tags: ,

James I. Keane Memorial Award for Excellence in eLawyering

Posted on November 11, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

Nominations are open for the second annual James I. Keane Memorial Award for Excellence in eLawyering, which is awarded by the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association to law offices or legal organizations that have developed legal service innovations delivered over the Internet. The Award Guidelines and Nomination Forms can be found here. The deadline for submission is January 15, 2009. -M (Thanks, Marc.)

Tags: ,

Opportunities to Provide Legal Help to Veterans

Posted on November 11, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

In recognition of Veterans Day, we wanted to highlight opportunities for attorneys to get involved in assisting veterans and military personnel with their legal needs. Below are four projects that do just that. By providing opportunities and resources for lawyers to offer pro bono legal services, ranging from protecting veterans benefits to providing general civil legal assistance to active-duty military personnel, these projects help to ensure that those who serve our country are not left without legal representation on issues that fundamentally impact their livelihoods.

ABA Military Pro Bono Project - The American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project connects active-duty military personnel to free legal assistance for civil legal issues beyond the scope of services provided by a military legal assistance office.

National Veterans Legal Services Program - NVLSP is an independent, nonprofit, veterans service organization dedicated to ensuring that the U.S. government honors its commitment to our veterans by providing them the federal benefits they have earned through their service to our country. NVLSP recently launched Lawyers Serving Warriors, which provides free legal representation in disability, discharge and veterans benefits cases to service members and veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program - The Veterans Consortium was created by a grant from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) as authorized by the U.S. Congress. It is an ongoing cooperative effort by four national veterans service organizations - The American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the National Veterans Legal Services Program and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Project SALUTE - Project SALUTE provides free assistance and/or representation to thousands of low-income veterans exclusively on federal benefits issues throughout the United States. -M

Tags: , ,

Harvard Law Loses Legal Services Client Data

Posted on November 6, 2008 by Kate Bladow

The ABA Journal reports that a computer technician at Harvard Law School Clinic in Jamaica Plain lost a backup tape in the subway. This tape contains over 8,000 records for legal services clients and 13,000 records for other people, which contained Social Security Numbers and other personal data. - K

Tags: , , ,

Advocacy, Technology, and the Elections

Posted on October 6, 2008 by Kate Bladow

Over the past few weeks, it has been amazing to watch how many organizations are using technology to advocate around the presidential elections, but a quick disclaimer before I start showing off examples: technola doesn't care if you vote for Obama, McCain, Mickey Mouse, or Ben, Kate's beagle, who runs on the platform of "More Meat!" We just want to show off a few examples of how technology is being used. So, now that we're done with that, we can get on to the fun stuff.

I know, I know. LSC-funded legal aid organizations are banned from any lobbying. But other non-profits aren't. In fact, Independent Sector has put together The Nonprofit Lobbying Guide to help non-profits figure out what they can and can't do.

And really, this post isn't about the elections and lobbying. It's about looking at how technology has been used to educate the public and move them to act. And don't even LSC-funded programs have to do that as a part of fundraising or community education or pro bono panel development? - K

Tags: , , , , , ,

ABA Journal Article on Cyber-Piracy and Legal Aid

Posted on September 12, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

If you haven't seen it yet (it was just featured in this week's LSC update), be sure to read "Who's Putting a Price on Free Legal Aid?" by Terry Carter in the September issue of the ABA Journal, which looks at the problem of legal aid domain cybersquatting. To learn more about how cyber-piracy impacts the legal aid community and how to protect your program, check out these resources available on LSNTAP. -M

Tags: , , , ,

Norton Gets a Ticket

Posted on September 9, 2008 by Kate Bladow

Within the self-help community, it is widely known that Tina Rasnow, the Coordinator of the Self-Help Legal Access Center at the Superior Court, County of Ventura, is passionate about increasing access to justice. In fact, this summer, the ABA recognized her with their 2008 Lawyer As Problem Solver Award.

What is not as widely known is that Tina is an author and has written a book to help increase access to justice in California - Norton Gets a Ticket. This short story is easy to understand and a cute way to help educate the public about traffic violations. - K

Tags: , , ,

Lawyers slow to adopt cutting-edge technology

Posted on September 3, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

An interesting article from the ABA Journal that discusses the results of the ABA's annual Legal Technology Survey Report. -M

Tags: , , ,

Security News Highlights

Posted on August 21, 2008 by Kate Bladow

Lately, I've been running across stories about computer security that run the gamut from trivial to terrifying. For example:

The good news is that TechSoup.org is currently putting on a Special Security Event, so you can learn about what you need to do to protect yourself. - K

Tags: , , ,

Regs Are Speed Bumps in Legal Services Drive

Posted on August 9, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

An ABA Journal article about the Standing Committee on The Delivery of Legal Services hearings on the delivery of legal services through technology at the ABA Annual Meeting in New York City. -M

Tags: , ,

Listen to the ABA Testimony on Technology and the Delivery of Legal Services

Posted on July 31, 2008 by Kate Bladow

As was mentioned on technola in April, the ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services is holding hearings on technology and delivery of legal services. The next hearing will be held during the ABA Annual Meeting on August 8, 2008.

For those of you who weren't able to attend the hearing that took place at the 2008 Equal Justice Conference, you can now listen to the testimony online. - K

Tags: , , , ,

2008 EJC Materials Now Available Online

Posted on July 30, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

Thanks Bill Jones at the ABA, all of the session materials available for 2008 Equal Justice Conference are now online. Materials from the last five years are archived here. Many of the technology related session materials for the 2008 Conference are also available on LSNTAP. Next year's conference is scheduled for May 14-16, 2009, in Orlando, Florida. -M

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Today's Special? A Smorgasbord!

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Kate Bladow

I've been collecting lots of little bits and pieces of information with the hope of turning them into full blog posts, but I haven't. So today, instead of depriving you of these valuable tidbits any longer, I'm throwing open the doors and inviting you to enjoy the smorgasbord.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Data Breach Affects Justice Breyer

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Kate Bladow

An interesting twist on what is becoming a familiar story -- An employee at the Wagner Resource Group installed LimeWire to share files. Unfortunately, at the same time as the employee was sharing music and movies, he or she also shared information that contained Justice Breyer's and several other prominent attorneys' social security numbers, birth dates, and names. The full story is available from the ABA Journal. - K

Tags: ,

Celtics Fans Damage Greater Boston Legal Services Office

Posted on June 23, 2008 by Kate Bladow

The Celtics win and the fans riot. Sad, but unfortunately it gets worse. Footage of fans happily destroying the windows of Greater Boston Legal Services has been posted on YouTube. Cops are scouring this and other videos to identify suspects. More information is available in the ABA Journal, and a great response video has been posted on YouTube. - K

Tags: , ,

American Bar Association Recognizes Pro Bono Net

Posted on June 20, 2008 by Kate Bladow

This is a post that I've been patiently waiting to write for some time now. The reason: Pam Weisz, PBN's Director of Corporate Sponsorship, would have been upset if I had announced the news ahead of her. So, until now, I've had to keep quiet. But as of today, the press release is out, and I'm free to go ahead. So here it is:

The American Bar Association has recognized Pro Bono Net and several of its partners for contributing to the understanding of professionalism among lawyers and will be presenting them with one of three E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Awards at the ABA Annual Meeting in New York City on August 8.

Pro Bono Net's application focused on how programs are leveraging technology to promote and support pro bono involvement in underserved, frequently rural, regions. Examples include an online pro bono manual in Mississippi that helps lawyers doing volunteer work outside their area of expertise; the use of online mailings tools to place pro bono cases in Wyoming; and pro bono trainings done via webcast in Georgia.

So let's hear it for everyone involved in these efforts. Go team! - K

Tags: , , ,

ABA Journal Blawg Directory Adds First Pro Bono Blog

Posted on June 12, 2008 by Kate Bladow

The ABA Journal has a directory of law-related blogs, the Blawg Directory. Hang out there long enough, and you can find blogs dedicated to everything from consumer law to legal theory to trusts and estates. But until today, they didn't have a pro bono category, which was added when we submitted technola. However, we feel a little bit lonely, and the list still doesn't have a poverty law or legal aid category. Matthew and I know that you are out there. So if you're a legal aid blogger, submit your blog and get listed. Let people know that you have something to say. - K

Tags: ,

ABA Journal Offers Headline Widget

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Kate Bladow

Looking for a way to add current legal news to your website? The ABA Journal, winner of this year's 2008 Webby Awards People's Voice Winner, has a new widget available that lets you add their headlines to your site or blog.

And if that doesn't give you enough legal news, you can also check out their Twitter feed and get updates pushed your way all day long. - K

Tags: , , ,

ABA Teleconference on "Why Virtual Worlds Matter for Lawyers"

Posted on June 2, 2008 by Matthew Burnett

For those of you with a taste for virtual law, an upcoming teleconference on "Why Virtual Worlds Matter for Lawyers." Panelists include:

  • Benjamin Duranske (Moderator), Author, Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds, Boise, ID
  • David Elchoness, Executive Director, Association of Virtual Worlds; Founder and CEO, VRWorkplace.com, Boulder, CO
  • Lauren Gelman, Executive Director, Stanford Law Center for Internet and Society; Lecturer in Law, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
  • Steve Mortinger, VP & Associate General Counsel, IBM Systems & Technology Group, Somers, NY
  • Francis Taney, Chair, Technology Litigation Practice Group; Shareholder, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC, Philadelphia, PA

More information is available on the ABA website and Virtually Blind. -M

Tags: , ,

ABA Looks at Legal Services and Technology

Posted on April 15, 2008 by Kate Bladow

The ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services, which focuses on increasing access-to-justice for moderate-income people, is holding hearings on technology and delivery of legal services. They will look at who is providing services using technology, how these services have benefited or harmed recipients, what technologies are being used, and what policies and rules exist.

The Committee is looking for people who want to testify or submit materials. If you are one of those people, check out the Committee's announcement for more information. - K

Tags: ,