Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. Pro Bono Program Spring 2018

CELEBRATING THE VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE THE PRO BONO PROGRAM AT LASSD SUCCESSFUL!

Thanks to volunteer attorneys, law students and legal professionals, LASSD’s Pro Bono Pro-gram helped more low-income San Diegans in 2017-2018 than ever before. We extend our sincerest thank you to the wonderful volunteers who assisted self-represented litigants at clinics, represented our clients in important legal matters and provided mediation services and training over the last year. At the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on June 8, 2018, 82 individuals and 7 organizations will receive the Outstanding Service Awards. The Wiley W. Manuel Award from the State Bar of California will be presented to 130 individuals.

OUTSTANDING AWARDS 2017-2018O R G A N I Z AT I O N S :California Western School of LawThomas Jefferson School of LawUniversity of San Diego School of Law

Earl B. Gilliam Bar AssociationFilipino-American Lawyers of San DiegoPan Asian Lawyers of San DiegoSan Diego La Raza Lawyers Association

I N D I V I D U A L S :Sheena AlvesEvan ArmstrongBrian AttardGregory BabbittKimberly BattagliaAlex BehzadeHilda BetancourtAurora BewickeJoanna BlattbergJoshua BruserJerome ChangJoseph ChengAlara ChiltonNatalie CollinsErin ConwayCameron DavidsonKrina DesaiMichelle Dinh-TranWendy DoBeverly DundonFrank Ferrone

Steven FleisherKristen FriedmanDiane GentryNicole Gerard-BuonomoMichelle GlasserJorge GonzalesCassandra GutierrezBrooke HalliseyBrian HarpSamuel HendersonRosvelia HernandezEmory HingoraniJazzmin HughesLalo IlladesCassidy JensenCharles JohnsonPauley KimDorian KingAdam KregerShivani KumbhojkarPablo Lobenberg

Nicole LoganZoe MenkhoffSteve MilgromJocelyn MillsArman MostaghimiRobert MulcahyEricka MunozSiobhan Elizabeth Stade MurilloCindy MuroMisty NickZahabiya NuruddinNarie OhErika OrjalesPunita PatelPaula PeelingAndrew PhariesDavid John RausaAugustin RazoSteve RecordonBrian Rickling

Julian RoblesAmalea RomeroClinton RooneyGabriela RosalesLeah RosarioSamer SabeihScott SanchezBill SchenkLeonard SchneiderZachary SchumacherKathleen ShafferIrene StewartJacob SubbotinJosh SwigartPatrick TellesAsia ThompsonDiana TorresLeilani VigilMara WaligurskiPatricia Wormwood

WILEY W. MANUEL AWARDSThe following volunteers will receive the State Bar’s Wiley W. Manuel Award for donating more than 50 hours of legal services to Legal Aid Society of San Diego over the past 12 months.

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Stephen AherneMario AlvaradoSheena AlvesEvan AndersenGrecia AraujoEvan ArmstrongBrian AttardNachiketa BaruKimberly BattagliaAlex BehzadeHilda BetancourtAurora BewickeJoanna BlattbergJoshua BruserWilliam BurkettRichard CahillJohn CastelloLizette CervantesSharmistha ChakrabartiJerome ChangStacy ChangJoseph Cheng

Alara ChiltonNatalie CollinsErin ConwayLindsay CraftCara CroftsAlanna D’AlessandroTrinity DanielMatthew DartCameron DavidsonKrina DesaiMichelle Dinh-TranWendy DoDaya DorseyBraden DrakeRaymond DuerBeverly DundonMaureen EnmarkLeehee FalekFrank FerroneSteven FleisherKristen FriedmanDiane Gentry

Nicole Gerard-BuonomoJorge GonzalesCassandra GutierrezBrooke HalliseyBrian HarpNadia HartuigsenSamuel HendersonRosvelia HernandezErick HernandezEmory HingoraniSarah HuffJazzmin HughesLalo IlladesAshton InnissCassidy JensenCharles JohnsonNancy JuarezBritany KabakovYasmine KalhorPauley KimDorian KingPaulina King

Adam KregerShivani KumbhojkarLee LawlessNoam LeeadPablo LobenbergHelen LockettNicole LoganHilda MazariegosLeticia McCoyIvan MedinaMichael MeltonZoe MenkhoffPatricia MilberySteve MilgromJocelyn MillsArman MostaghimiRobert MulcahyEricka MunozCarola MurgiaSiobhan Elizabeth Stade MurilloCindy MuroPrincy Nechikat

Linh NguyenMisty NickZahabiya NuruddinNarie OhErika OrjalesWilliam O’RoartyPunita PatelPaula PeelingDivya PithiyaDavid John RausaAugustin RazoHaleh RazzaghiBrian RicklingJulian RoblesAmalea RomeroGabriela RosalesLeah RosarioSamer SabeihScott SanchezBill SchenkLeonard SchneiderZachary Schumacher

Phillip SelioKathleen ShafferMaryam SonboliIrene StewartJacob SubbotinGulan TahirPatrick TellesAsia ThompsonDiana TorresPhunog TranSamanta TrejoLeilani VigilMara WaligurskiYing WangAlexandra WarfieldSamuel WilsonPatricia WormwoodBrittany WunderlichElma ZapataAlicya Zdaniukiewicz

A very special thank you to our dedicated and talented computer tutors at the GARY AND MARY WEST SENIOR WELLNESS CENTER. Our volunteers help manage the successful Cyber Café, which is used by hundreds of low-income seniors every month. The tutors provide computer lessons and all-around technical support, facilitating seniors’ access to important information that helps them maintain their inde-pendence. These hard-working individuals make the Cyber Café a vital and dynamic part of the senior community.

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Kyle KimEllen ZelnickerStephen JohnsonMike Marin

Lonnie LindsayGeorge OliverFred DavisAudrey El

Staff SpotlightBRIDGET HOMER

The Pro Bono Program welcomes its newest member, Bridget Homer. Bridget is the staff attorney for the exciting In-Home Supportive Services Pro Bono Project. Bridget is not new to LASSD. She began in 2008 on LASSD’s SSI Team. As lead attorney, she represented clients before administrative agencies and in federal court with Social Security Disability, SSI, Medicare and Medi-Cal issues. Bridget was also a contributing editor for the Medicare Chapter of the Elder Law Resources, Benefits and Planning for the Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), California from 2010-2012. Bridget received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Bridget is married to an attorney and spends her free time with her two young daughters.

for IHSS denials or reductions in hours. Case documents and a library of training materials, including redacted ALJ deci-sions, sample briefs and training videos are accessible through the case manage-ment site. The site also alerts attorneys of available cases and makes it easy to accept or decline, depending on their availability. IHSS cases generally take 5-10 hours from start to finish. Mentor-ship and training materials are provided. Clinics for volunteer attorneys are held monthly to provide an opportunity to meet with LASSD staff and other volun-teer attorneys to discuss issues and have questions answered. Contact Bridget Homer at BridgetH@lassd.org if you would like to participate.

CONSERVATORSHIP CLINICA Conservatorship is a protective court proceeding where a judge, based on clear and convincing evidence, appoints a re-sponsible person (Conservator) to care for another adult (Conservatee) who cannot properly provide for their personal needs. General Conservatorships are for adults who become disabled due to advanced age or brain injury. Limited Conservatorships are for adults with developmental disabili-ties, such as Autism, Down syndrome, and intellectual disability.

LASSD runs a walk-in clinic for self-rep-resented individuals seeking help with conservatorship. Self-represented clinic participants normally return to the clinic approximately six times. Return visits are necessary for the different stages of the conservatorship process, from gathering the necessary information for the forms, to drafting the petition and other supporting

You can help the elderly and disabled community solve important legal problems. Here are a few of the projects you can get involved in and make a real difference in our community.

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ELDERLY AND DISABLED SAN DIEGANS NEED YOUR HELP!

IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES (IHSS) PRO BONO PROJECT IHSS is a Medi-Cal program authorizing up to 283 hours per month of in-home caregiving services to low income sen-iors and disabled people so they can re-main safely in their homes, rather than be forced to move to a nursing home facility or group home. Services can in-clude domestic services such as vacuum-ing, dusting, cleaning the kitchen, bath-rooms, taking out the garbage, as well as personal care services such as grooming, bathing, bowel and bladder care, medica-tion administration, help with dressing, grocery shopping, laundry, meal prepa-ration, paramedical services, and trans-portation. IHSS also includes paramed-ical services such as insulin injections, help with nebulizer machines, as well as protective supervision services for those suffering from a mental condition that af-fects an individual’s memory, orientation and/or judgment such as Alzheimer’s or dementia that need 24-hour assistance.

Using a new case management system that was designed for this project, volun-teer attorneys from the local San Diego legal community are paired with disabled clients who have hearings set before the California Department of Social Services

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forms, serving the citation and notice, pre-paring the order and letters, attending the court hearing, and drafting the notice of conservatee’s rights and determination of appropriate level of care.

Most clinic participants seek to petition the court for a conservatorship over an adult child with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, or another developmental disability, or they are seeking a conserva-torship over a parent or other family mem-ber who has dementia, has suffered a stroke, or suffered a brain injury due to an accident. Representing a low income peti-tioner in a conservatorship case can have a dramatic benefit on the life of both the petitioner and the proposed conservatee.

New volunteers are always sought for the Conservatorship Clinic. Pro Bono attorneys may also represent a low in-come petitioner in a conservatorship case. Training and guidance is available. Please contact Barbara Treash-Osio at barbara-to@lassd.org if you are interested in vol-unteering at the Conservatorship Clinic or representing a low income petitioner in a conservatorship case.

ELDER ABUSE & DEPENDENT ADULT RESTRAINING ORDERS Help to protect the elderly and disabled population from violence, neglect and financial abuse by volunteering at one of LASSD’s Restraining Order Clinics or by representing a client at a restraining or-der hearing. In a one year period, more than 13,000 suspected abuse cases were reported in San Diego County. Many cas-es involve financial abuse, physical abuse and neglect. Most commonly, the perpe-trators are family members. Helping this vulnerable population with restraining orders can help prevent further harm and abuse. Volunteer opportunities are availa-ble in LASSD’s self-help clinics at the Hall of Justice, South County Courthouse and East County Courthouse. We provide training, mentorship and malpractice in-surance. If you would like to volunteer at one of those clinics, or are willing to repre-sent a client at a restraining order hearing, please contact ChristineP@lassd.org.

POWERS OF ATTORNEY & ADVANCED HEALTH-CARE DIRECTIVESPro Bono attorneys are sought to assist low income clients with Powers of Attor-ney and Advance Health Care Directives. To execute these documents, the person signing (the principal) must have legal mental capacity. A relative cannot seek AHCD or POA for their disabled love one. Only a principal with capacity can execute these documents. However, executing these planning documents is a great way to hopefully be cared for the way you want to be cared for at a future date if you lose capacity, and avoid expense and confusion for your loved ones. Training and guid-ance is available. Please contact Barbara Treash-Osio at barbarato@lassd.org if you are interested in volunteering to represent low income individuals who still have ca-pacity to plan for the future.

Zahabiya NuruddinZahabiya Nuruddin is a second year Economics student at UC San Diego. She began volunteering at the Domestic Violence clinic in September 2017 as an undergraduate JusticeCorps member. She is actively involved in student gov-ernment at UCSD, recently being elect-ed President of Warren College Student Council; she previously served as Coun-cil Senator for two years. Her experience at the DV Clinic inspired her to raise money for the Legal Aid Society of San Diego by hosting a benefit dinner.

The benefit dinner was held at the UCSD campus on April 27, 2018; all proceeds directly benefited Legal Aid Society of San Diego. It was a formal event with a goal of raising awareness about domes-tic violence. Despite the serious nature of the event, it was a fun evening with a raffle, good food, and student led jazz & rock band performances. The event was marketed primarily through social media and distribution of posters and flyers on campus. The event was a huge success, raising $3,000 for the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.

LASSD lauds Zahabiya’s dedication to helping DV survivors and is proud to present her with an Outstanding Service Award for volunteer hours donated to the DV Clinic.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Irene StewartIrene Stewart began volunteering for LASSD in 2016, helping at the UD/TRO Clinic at the Hall of Justice. She has 20+ years litigation experience and is cur-rently in private practice. Irene was one of the first attorneys to volunteer for the In-Home Supportive Services Pro Bono Project. Irene represented a disabled man who suffers from an acquired brain injury, visual impairment, difficulty walking, and other disabling conditions. Irene successfully argued the individual was improperly denied protective super-vision services. Protective Services is an IHSS service for people who, due to a mental impairment or mental illness, need to be observed 24 hours per day to protect them from injuries, hazards or accidents. Irene was successful at her hearing and the judge awarded the client protective supervision, entitling him to the maximum allowable hours for IHSS. Irene has successfully argued two cases and is now representing a woman suffering from mental illness in her appeal for additional monthly hours. Irene is very generous with her time, donating her valuable skills to an underserved and vulnerable population. LASSD is proud to present Irene with an Outstanding Service Award for all her efforts.

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VOLUNTEEROPPORTUNITIES

VOLUNTEER AND MAKE OUR PROBONO PROGRAMPOSSIBLE!TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS, PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORMON THE BACK. WELOOK FORWARD TOHEARING FROM YOU!

We welcome new volunteers to join us at any time. No prior experience is necessary to participate in one of these programs and many are open to both attorneys and non-attorneys. We offer volunteer training and support.• Program Training Available with MCLE Credit• Training Materials Provided• Experienced Attorneys to Mentor Volunteers• Cases Prescreened Before Referral to Volunteer Attorneys• Volunteers are Covered by Our Malpractice Insurance

CONSERVATORSHIP CLINICPro per clinic, giving facilitator-like assistance to low-income litigants. A volunteer attorney may also provide representation to a client in a conservatorship action.• Probate Courthouse 1 409 Fourth Ave., San Diego Room adjacent to Dept PC-2 Mon 11:30 am - 3:00 pm Tues & Thurs 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC PROGRAM

• Advocate for low-income taxpayers who have disputes with the Internal Revenue Service. • Provide advice and representation to taxpayers trying to resolve tax controversies through the IRS appeals procedures or through litigation in federal court. • Assist at monthly clinics and represent taxpayer client before the IRS or in court. •Training and mentoring are provided. • Volunteer attorneys and certified public accountants are needed.

RESTRAINING ORDER CLINICDomestic Violence Restraining Orders• South County Courthouse, 500 Third Avenue, Room 155, Chula Vista, CA 91910 Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 4:30 pmCivil Harassment & Elder Abuse Restraining Orders• South County Courthouse, 500 Third Avenue, Room 155, Chula Vista, CA 91910 Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 3:30 pm• East County Courthouse, 250 E. Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92020 Mon, Wed & Fri 8:30 - 12:00 pm• Hall of Justice, 330 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101 Mon - Fri 8:30 - 12:00 pm

UNLAWFUL DETAINER CLINIC

• Hall of Justice, 330 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101 Mon - Fri 8:30 - 3:30 pm

HOMELESS ADVOCACY PROGRAMProvide legal information and referrals to San Diego’s Homeless by working alongside experienced volunteers to help this vulnerable population solve pressing legal problems that often effect their ability to gain housing, employment and get off the streets.

OPPORTUNITIES TO REPRESENT CLIENTSProvide advice or represent a client through the Pro Bono Program. Legal assistance can be provided over the phone, at LASSD’s offices or at your own office. Clients need help in a variety of areas including bankruptcy, probate, estate planning, non-profit corporate assistance and other civil and family matters.

Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. Pro Bono Program Registration Form

NAME

STREET ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE

TELEPHONE FAX E-MAIL

DATE OF BIRTH SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER LANGUAGES SPOKEN

(ATTORNEYS) STATE BAR NUMBER DATE ADMITTED TO CA BAR

AREAS OF LEGAL PRACTICE AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN EACH AREA HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS? ______ IF YES, PLEASE EXPLAIN:

AREAS OF SAN DIEGO IN WHICH YOU ARE AVAILABLE TO TAKE CASES:

ALL AREAS CENTRAL NORTH COUNTY SOUTH BAY EAST COUNTY

PLEASE INDICATE WHICH AREAS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING TRAINING AND TAKING PRO BONO CASES: MAIL, FAX OR E-MAIL YOUR FORM:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER CLINIC CONSERVATORSHIP Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. FAMILY LAW REPRESENTATION IMMIGRATION Pro Bono Program MEDIATION INVOLVING YOUTH CONSUMER 1775 Hancock Street, Suite 160 ECONOMIC IMPACT / CORPORATE AND HIGH IMPACT LITIGATION LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC San Diego, CA 92110 HOMELESS ADVOCACY PROGRAM IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROJECT

UNLAWFUL DETAINER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALL TYPES OF CASES

FAX: 619. 471. 2774 SARAR@LASSD.ORG

SIGNATURE: DATE:

Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. Pro Bono Program 1775 Hancock Street, Suite 160, San Diego, CA 92110