Technola : Public Interest Law & Technology Updates & Commentary : Matthew Burnett & Kate Bladow : Tech Advice for the Non-Profit Legal Sector

Legal information website coordinators, a post especially for you. I've collected several items that may be appropriate for your public or advocate sites.

• A Practical Guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act - A document from the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) that introduces the Indian Child Welfare Act, answers common questions, and lists additional resources. Also, check out NARF's National Indian Law Library and blog.
• Locating the Law: A Handbook for Non-Law Librarians - An introduction to legal research from the Public Access to Legal Information Committee of the Southern California Association of Law Libraries (SCALL) In its fifth edition, this publication covers how to read a legal citation (PDF), basic legal research techniques (PDF), and several other important topics.
• Supreme Court's Decisions 2008-2009 (PDF) - Summaries of Supreme Courts decisions as published in the November-December 2009 edition of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law's Clearinghouse Review. Documents from previous years are also available.
• Foreclosure Rescue Scams - Materials from the FTC about foreclosure rescue scams, including legal information, a short video, public service announcements, and additional resources. The FTC has also made the information available in Spanish. (h/t to Claudia Johnson for pointing this out.)

Have you come across any other legal information sources recently that others should know about? Let us know in the comments.- K

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At 2 pm Eastern today, Matthew and I are presenting "Using Social Media to Network with Other Advocates and Promote Your Work," a webinar hosted by the Shriver Center and based on our Social Networking Primer for Poverty Law Advocates and Organizations article that was published in the July-August 2009 issue of Clearinghouse Review Journal of Poverty Law and Policy.

If you're interested in attending, you can still register. And if you want to follow on Twitter, search for the tag #povlawnet. - K

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For those of you on Twitter or who are considering joining Twitter, I've created a Legal Aid and Pro Bono Pack on TwitterPacks. TwitterPacks contains lists of who is talking about what on Twitter. I've added quite a few people to the list, but if your name isn't there and it should be, go ahead and add it. A couple of new additions to the legal aid and pro bono community that you might not be aware of  - the Shriver Center and Immigration Advocates Network. - K

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A great free online training opportunity from the Shriver Center:

The Editorial Team of Clearinghouse Review: Journal of Poverty Law and Policy, published by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, invites you to attend this free, 75-minute webinar on Thursday, October 2, 2008, at 11 a.m. Pacific time, noon Mountain time, 1 p.m. Central time, 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Learn about how you can help clients who are tenants (including Section 8 tenants) in rental properties subject to foreclosure. (Please note a slight change since our "save the date" announcement--this webinar will focus primarily on strategies in nonjudicial foreclosure states.)

Presenters will be:

• Judith Liben, Senior Housing Attorney, Massachusetts Law Reform Insititute
• Esme Caramello, Clinical Instructor, Harvard Law School's WilmerHale Legal Services Center
• Maeve Elise Brown, Executive Director, Housing and Economic Rights Advocates, Oakland, California

Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/488827822 After you register, you will receive the website address and call-in phone number that you will need to join the webinar.

If you have questions, please contact Shriver Center Staff Attorney-Legal Editor Catherine Dorn Schreiber at 909.793.2578.

-M

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The July-August issue of Clearinghouse Review includes an article entitled "Increasing Automation in State Computer Systems: Preventing Technological Barriers to Successful Public Benefits Administration," which argues that "new computer systems in several states have created serious barriers for applicants, and designing technology that works accurately across benefit programs has proven to be a challenge." Also included in the same issue is an article by Peter Edelman entitled "A Challenge for Lawyers: What We Must Do to End Poverty and Reduce Inequality." (A subscription to Clearinghouse Review is required to view both articles.) -M

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From the Shriver Center:

Advocates who are pursuing a right to counsel in civil cases, as well as those who simply want information about the issue, now can access a new online source: the website of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel at www.civilrighttocounsel.org. The site, which is updated regularly, contains news of recent developments; descriptions of advocacy efforts and links to relevant documents; information about the justice gap, the coalition, and how to become involved in its work; the need for a right to counsel in civil cases; links to journal and newspaper articles; and much more.

-M

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Ok, this is a little complicated, but here's the deal: The Shriver Center's Clearinghouse Review is piloting a project that will provide 6 months of free access to all of the articles on their website to advocates working for subscribing organizations that they select to participate. If your organization would like to participate, email Jason Vail for more information. They want to know specific information about your program and staff and, based on this information, will select programs to participate in the pilot. Staff at the participating programs will be required to complete short surveys during the six-month pilot so that they can evaluate the project. - M

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The Shriver Center's Clearinghouse Review is hosting an online discussion of the foreclosure crisis and legal strategies. To join, go to the discussion group website and sign up using your Google account. For more information, e-mail Martin Stainthorp. -M

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The Shriver Center launched a new blog called Step Forward today. It features developments in poverty law and highlights from their various advocacy efforts. Posts are written by Shriver Center staff. - M

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The editorial team of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law's Clearinghouse Review is hosting an online discussion about the future of affirmative advocacy and leadership development in legal aid. Ross Dolloff and the Leadership Institute Fellows from the Center for Legal Aid Education will moderate the discussion centering on articles they have written for the March-April 2008 issue of Clearinghouse Review. -M

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