TO: Law&JusticeInterimCommitteeFROM:PaulF.Kirgis,DeanRE: BlewettSchoolofLawAccesstoJustice&ProBonoInitiativesDATE: November3,2017TheBlewettSchoolofLawattheUniversityofMontanahasalonghistoryofprovidinglegalservicestotheMontanacommunitythroughourextensiveclinicalprogram.Thisyear,weexpandedourin-houseclinicsbylaunchingaVeteransAdvocacyClinicthatgrewoutoftheprobonorepresentationofveteransbyProfessorHillaryWandler.StudentsintheVeteransAdvocacyClinicworkonarangeoflegalissuesonbehalfofMontana’sveterans,includingdisabilitycompensationclaims,appealstotheBoardofVeteransAppealsandtheCourtofAppealsforVeteransClaims,characterofdischargedeterminationsbytheVA,anddischargeupgradeapplicationsandappeals.ThelawschoolalsoworkswithotherinstitutionsaroundMontanatopromoteaccesstojusticegenerally.LawschoolrepresentativesontheSupremeCourt’sAccesstoJusticeCommissionhaveplayedanintegralroleinboththeruralpractice/incubatorproject,designedtoincreasethenumberoflawyersincurrentlyunderservedcommunities,andtheE-RAMPmediationproject,designedtoreducethebacklogofprosedivorcecasesbytraininglawyerstoperformprobonofamilymediation.TheSchoolofLawalsohasfourrepresentativesontheWesternMontanaBarAssociationProBonoCommittee–afull-timefacultymember,twostudentsappointedbytheStudentBarAssociation,andtheLawSchoolProBonoCoordinator.Moredirectlyintheareaofprobono,theSchoolofLawsupportstwomajorProBonoinitiatives:aProBonoProgramthatfacilitatesstudent,staffandfacultyProBonoService;andamonthlyLowIncomeFamilyLawClinicthatprovidesdirectlegalservicestolow-incomeMontanans.Thesearedescribedbelow.ProfessionalResponsibilityProBonoProject(2015,2016,2017)→SchoolofLawProBonoProgramIn2015theSchoolofLawinstitutedaProBonoProjectasacomponentofProfessionalResponsibility,arequiredcourseforsecondyearlawstudents.TheProfessionalResponsibilityProBonoProjectincentivizedstudentstoengageinlimitedprobonoworkinconjunctionwiththeircoursework.TheSchoolofLawisintheprocessofsun-settingtheProfessionalResponsibilityProBonoProjectandreplacingitwithaninstitutionally-supported,yearlongProBonoProgram.Tosupportthisprocess,theSchoolofLaw,incollaborationwithMontanaLegalServicesAssociationandtheFamilyLawSectionoftheStateBar,createdadedicatedProBonoCoordinatorpositionattheSchoolofLaw.TheLawSchoolProBonoCoordinatorpositionbeganinAugust2017.ItiscurrentlyfilledbyanAmeriCorpsServiceMember,whoisunderthedirectsupervisionofafull-timelawfacultymember.TheProBonoCoordinator’sprimaryfocusistobuildontheProfessionalResponsibilityProBonoProjecttomakeitasustainableschool-wideProgram.TheProBonoCoordinatorwillidentify,promote,andcoordinatepro

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bonoplacementsforfirst,secondandthirdyearlawstudents,andforstaffandfacultythroughouttheacademicyearandthesummer.TheprimarygoaloftheProgramistosupportthedevelopmentofstudentawarenessoftheirprofessionalobligationtoengageinprobonolegalserviceandtoprovidehands-onlearningopportunitiesforstudents.TheProgramfocusesonthepromotionanddevelopmentofprofessionallegalvalues.Thus,itislimitedtolegalwork;itdoesnotincludenon-legalvolunteerwork.In2015,2016,and2017,secondyearlawstudentscontributedover300hoursofprobonoservicetothecommunityeachSpringsemesteraspartoftheProfessionalResponsibilityProject.StudentsprovidedlegalassistancetoestablishedorganizationslikeMontanaLegalServicesAssociation,MissoulaFamilyLawSelfHelpCenter,andCrimeVictimsAdvocate,aswellasassistingindividualpractitionersinawiderangeofmatters,includingaNinthCircuitappealofanimmigrationorder,draftingIRSdocumentstoestablishanon-profit,advisingahuntersandanglersnon-profitorganizationontaxandaccessissues,andend-of-lifedocumentpreparationforindigentelderMontanans.WiththenewProBonoProgram,weexpecttoextendboththegeographicalreachandsubjectmattervarietyofworkstudentsareableto.

LawSchoolMonthlyLowIncomeFamilyLawClinicIn2016,theSchoolofLawbeganhostingamonthlyLowIncomeFamilyLawClinicduringtheacademicyear(exceptJanuary)inpartnershipwithMontanaLegalServicesAssociationandtheWesternMontanaBarAssociationProBonoCommittee.TheLawSchoolClinicoperatesasasatelliteclinicforMontanaLegalServicesAssociation,whichscreensandrefersclientstotheLawSchoolClinic.TheLawSchoolClinicservesclientswhocannotbetimelyservedatthemonthlyMontanaLegalServicesAssociationDowntownClinic.InAcademicYear2016-2017,theSchoolofLawhostedeightClinicsthatservedatotalof74lowincomeMontanans.TheLawSchoolClinicprovidesvolunteerprobonoopportunitiesforuptofivelawstudents.AteachClinic,studentsperformclientintakeinterviews,participateintheclientcounselingsession,anddebriefwiththeadvisingattorneyfollowingtheappointment.TheLawSchoolClinicisbasedonateachinghospitalmodel–clientappointmentsarescheduledfor45minutes(asopposedto30minutesattheDowntownClinic)tocreatespacefordiscussionandmentorshipbetweentheadvisingattorneyandthestudentattheendofeachclientappointment.TheLawSchoolClinicisimmenselypopularwithstudents–morestudentsseektovolunteerateachClinicthancanbeaccommodated.