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- LASP's Community Engagement Unit addresses collateral consequences of contact with criminal justice system
- Recent expungement clinics in Darby, Collingdale & Wayne
- Longtime LASP Doylestown volunteer Mardi Busanus to receive PLAN Excellence Award
- MLK, Jr. Memorial Breakfast - Philly Barristers
- In the news: Chester County mobile home tax assessment appeal project in Philadelphia Inquirer
- How YOU can get involved in 2020 to help reach 1,000 more mobile home owners! Pro bono clinics scheduled into March
- In the news: Lauren Dentone joins LASP Board of Directors
- CHESCO: Pro bono volunteer Kristin Molavoque honored by Chester Co. Bar Assoc.
- MONTCO: Expungement clinic in Conshohocken Feb. 6
- Susan Strong to present at Generations of Indian Valley senior center on March 2 in Souderton
- Sometimes, you need a lawyer: Laurie's story
- LASP job openings
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LASP's new Community Engagement Unit
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Addressing collateral consequences of contact with criminal justice system
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LASP’s new
Community Engagement Unit, launched in September, is headed by Supervising Attorney
Erica Briant. Based in Norristown, the unit serves Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. With a focus on community outreach, collaborating with community partners, coordinating clinics and more, Deputy Director for Advocacy Kesha James noted, "The unit has continued the regional expungement work that Erica has been doing for the last several years." The unit will gradually expand the practice to other collateral consequences of contact with the criminal justice system.
Daniel F. Cortes (pictured above with Erica) joined the unit in October as Community Engagement Staff Attorney. Attorneys in LASP's other offices also assist clients with expungements and record-clearing, which help people secure affordable housing and public benefits and get back to school and work.
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Outreach efforts take legal aid to neighborhoods
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
DARBY - An expungement clinic, held Jan. 20 in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, provided legal information about expungements, record-sealing and pardons one-on-one to 29 Delco residents. LASP attorneys and volunteers joined forces with State Sen.
Anthony Hardy Williams
and PA Rep.
Joanna McClinton
to present the clinic at Darby Borough Recreation Center.
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Marissa Schwartz (at left), student volunteer from University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School;
Erica Briant, Supervising Attorney, LASP Community Engagement Unit; PA Rep.
Joanna McClinton;
Shawn Boehringer, LASP Executive Director;
Cortez Patton, Chief Counsel for State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams; and
Rudy Taylor III, Darby Borough Council member.
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Marissa Schwartz (at left), Sen.
Anthony Hardy Williams,
Erica Briant,
Cortez Patton, and
Hope Foy, Legislative Assistant for Rep. Joanna McClinton.
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Collingdale & Wayne expungement clinics
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COLLINGDALE - Braving wintry weather, 24 people learned about their record-clearing options at a Community Expungement & Pardon Clinic Jan. 18, hosted by PA Rep.
David M. Delloso in partnership with LASP. Pictured (from left): Collingdale Mayor
Felecia Coffee;
Erica Briant, Supervising Attorney for LASP's Community Engagement Unit, and
Rep. Delloso. Magisterial District Judge
Lee C. Grimes also attended the event, held at the Collingdale Community Center.
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WAYNE - LASP attorneys worked with Rep. Melissa Shusterman's office to present a Jan. 11 expungement clinic at First Baptist Church of Wayne.
Ginger Murphy (second from left), Constituent Services Advisor for Rep. Melissa Shusterman, and
Rev. Rashad Grove (at right), Pastor, were on hand to facilitate the clinic.
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Mardi Busanus, LASP Doylestown volunteer for 20 years, to receive a PLAN Excellence Award on March 31
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HARRISBURG - Longtime LASP volunteer
Mardi Busanus
will be honored on in March with a Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) Excellence Award. In September, Mardi celebrated her 20th year of volunteering in the Doylestown office and was featured in
October e-news
.
The
PLAN Excellence Awards Banquet
will be
Tuesday, March 31
at the
Hilton Harrisburg Hotel
. The ceremony will feature a video tribute of each honoree highlighting their accomplishments.
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Barristers' Assoc. of Philadelphia
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MLK, Jr. Memorial Breakfast
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PHILADELPHIA -
Hon. Cheryl L. Austin (center), Court of Common Pleas judge in Montgomery County, accepted the
Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Woman of Distinction Award at the Philly Barristers' 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial breakfast.
Patrick Kurtas (at left), Montgomery Bar Association President; and
Shawn Boehringer, LASP Executive Director, joined Austin at the breakfast.
Congratulations also to our friends at
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, who received the Outstanding Organization Award, and to the other honorees.
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Chester Co. Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project:
Story in Philadelphia
Inquirer
The project, a partnership between
LASP
,
United Way of Chester County
,
Honey Brook Food Pantry
and
Chester County Paralegal Association
, is expanding in 2020! Please see below for information on how YOU can volunteer with this project.
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Make a difference in 2020! YOU can help reach 1,000
mobile home owners in Chester Co. in 2020
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Mobile homes are taxed like traditional real estate, but they depreciate like cars. The result? Chester County mobile home owners have been paying, on average, 400 percent more in real estate taxes than they should be every year. Whether you're an
attorney, paralegal, student or
community member, VOLUNTEER
at one or more of our outreach clinics!
For more information
, contact Brian Doyle, Staff Attorney and Chester County Pro Bono Coordinator, at 610-436-4510 x211 or
bdoyle@lasp.org.
In just a morning or an afternoon, YOU can help your neighbors!
More outreach dates will be added!
Upcoming February clinics
Wednesday,
Feb. 5 |
Friday,
Feb. 14
Wednesday,
Feb.19 |
Saturday,
Feb. 29
March clinics
Wednesday,
March 4 |
Friday,
March 13
Wednesday,
March 18 | Saturday,
March 28
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In the news:
Lauren Dentone joins LASP Board of Directors
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CCBA honors Kristin Molavoque for pro bono service
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WEST CHESTER - In honor of the tremendous amount of time and energy she dedicated to pro bono legal work this past year, the Chester County Bar Association presented
Kristin Molavoque
(second from left) with The Honorable Juan R. Sanchez Pro Bono Award. Pictured (from left):
Samuel Cortes
, CCBA President; Kristin;
Brian Doyle
, LASP Staff Attorney & Chester County Pro Bono Coordinator; and
Rachel Houseman
, LASP Chester County Managing Attorney.
Thank you, Kristin!
Photo courtesy of CCBA.
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Make a difference in 2020!
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Please see story above for outreach clinic dates for the Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project. YOU can
help reach 1,000 Chester County mobile home owners in 2020!
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Free expungement clinic in Conshohocken Feb. 6
CONSHOHOCKEN - LASP will hold an expungement clinic
Thursday, Feb. 6
from
7 - 9 p.m.
at
Conshohocken Borough Hall Meeting Room
, 400 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428
. The event is
sponsored by State Rep. Mary Jo Daley
. LASP attorneys will provide FREE information about criminal record expungements, record sealing, and pardons; explain eligibility requirements; and offer limited on-site application assistance. Rep. Mary Jo Daley and her staff will be on hand to provide information on state services.
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Susan Strong to present at Generations senior center, Souderton on March 2
SOUDERTON - LASP Staff Attorney Susan Strong will present legal information about powers of attorney and living wills
Monday, March 2
from
11 a.m. - noon
at the
Generations of Indian Valley
senior cente
r, 259 N. Second St., Souderton 18964. To register for this free, informational presentation, call 215-723-5841. Generations of Indian Valley is a nonprofit community center serving active senior adults in Souderton, Telford, Franconia and surrounding communities.
Susan also spoke about LASP services
at the
PALM (Positive Aging in Lower Merion)
senior center on Jan. 30.
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CLE Feb. 21:
Representing & Supporting Youth Charged as Adults in Montgomery County
NORRISTOWN - The Montgomery Bar Association will host a CLE presentation for defense attorneys about representing youth being charged as adults ("DFJs"). The
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP), a nonprofit organization that works to keep youth out of adult jails and prisons, will cover the relevant direct file statuses, as well as mitigation and reentry planning and how their free services can be an asset to your advocacy.
The CLE will be
Friday, Feb. 21 from
noon - 1:30 p.m. Credits: 1.0 Hour Substantive
Moderator will be
Steven Fairlie, Esq. Speakers:
Joanna Visser Adjoian, Co-Director, YSRP; Emily Robb, Esq.;
Annie Ruhnke, Mitigation Expert, YSRP.
To register:
http://bit.ly/2vBDA1F.
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NORRISTOWN - LASP attorneys, paralegals and administrative team members gathered Jan. 28 for New Staff Orientation at the Experience Center. Located near the
Schuykill River in Norristown, the renovated space was, at one time, the Watts Woolen Mill.
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Photo above:
Kesha James, Deputy Director for Advocacy, discusses case priorities.
Photo at left:
Christina Drzal (at left), Supervising Attorney for the Regional Housing Unit, and
Erica Briant, Supervising Attorney for the Community Engagement Unit, following their presentations to new staff.
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Free civil legal aid
for low-income and vulnerable people helps level the playing field in our courts in
Bucks, Chester, Delaware & Montgomery counties. Please visit
our secure Network for Good page:
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Legal Aid of Southeastern PA
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Copyright ©2020. All Rights Reserved.
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