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New in PA: Groundbreaking Clean Slate legislation
took effect Dec. 26
 Offering a second chance for Pennsylvanians with minor convictions who have no further offenses, PA's first-in-nation Clean Slate law became effective Dec. 26, 2018.
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or the first time, Pennsylvania residents convicted of some first-degree misdemeanors can petition for record-sealing. Depending on the number and severity of their convictions, they will need to wait 10-20 years after their convictions to start the process.To petition for record-sealing, they also must be free of additional misdemeanor or felony convictions during those 10-20 years. Beginning in June 2020, the law will provide automatic record-sealing of many non-convictions, summary offenses and nonviolent ungraded, second- or third-degree misdemeanors.
Erica Briant, Regional Expungement Attorney for LASP, noted that in the past, a petition had to be filed with the court in order to seal records in Pennsylvania. With automatic record sealing, attorney fees and court costs will no longer impede individuals seeking a fresh start.
LASP's work in expungements will remain important, Briant said. For instance:
- Expungements for summary convictions can be filed after five years with no further arrests or charges.
- Sealed records still can be accessed by law enforcement.
LASP has Clean Slate and expungement events scheduled
Friday, Jan. 25 and
Saturday, Feb. 9. Please scroll to Chester and Delaware counties below for details.
For more information about Clean Slate, see Community Legal Services' link:
http://bit.ly/2RY9bUw.
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Overcoming barriers to employment & housing
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service clinic helps 40+ start the expungement, sealing or pardon process
In a Delaware County collaboration, LASP attorneys and pro bono volunteers provided free legal services to more than 40 Delco residents in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Expungement Clinic. LASP, together with the offices of State Sen. Anthony Williams and State Rep. Joanna McClinton, co-sponsored the event, held Jan. 21 at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill. Each attendee met one-on-one with a LASP or pro bono attorney to determine "next steps" they'll need to take to expunge or seal their record, or pursue a pardon, based on their individual situation.
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| Phillip Simon (at left), Esq.; Erica Briant, LASP Regional Expungement Attorney; Deon Browning, Esq.; Lloyd Long, Esq.; U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Esq.; Guy Marinari, LASP Staff Attorney; and Cortez E. Patton, Esq., Chief Counsel for State Sen. Anthony Williams. |
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| Deon Browning (at left); Kevin Fassett, Community Outreach Liaison for State Sen. Williams' office; State Rep. Joanna McClinton; Erica Briant; Cortez Patton; and Guy Marinari. |
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| Federal government shutdown |
PA already distributed Feb. SNAP benefits in Jan. due to gov't shutdown -
- but THESE ARE NOT ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps, received their February benefits early, on Jan. 18, 2019. The funds were available for use beginning Jan. 19. Normally, the benefits would not be distributed until the beginning of February,
said Morgan Kay Palermo, LASP staff attorney.
"It's important for people to understand that they are getting all of their February SNAP benefits early. This isn't an additional benefit," Palermo said.
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"If SNAP applications or renewals are denied, or benefits are reduced for eligible clients, a LASP advocate can review the decision and appeal it if there are grounds to do so," she noted.
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Importance of PRO BONO VOLUNTEERING
David Keller Trevaskis, Esq. (pictured at right),
Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Coordinator
, met Jan. 11 with some of LASP's regional team to discuss expanding access to justice through pro bono volunteering and to share new research, supporting the importance of having a lawyer in cases involving basic human needs.
To learn more about pro bono volunteering with LASP, please contact Kesha James, Deputy Director for Advocacy, at 610-275-5400, ext. 131 or kjames@lasp.org. Pro bono attorneys and paralegals DIRECTLY expand access to justice!
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| ACCESS TO JUSTICE: Designing Legal Services for the 21st Century |
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American Academy of Arts & Sciences devotes winter issue
of 'Daedalus' journal to ACCESS TO JUSTICE
"
ACCESS TO JUSTICE" is the sole focus of the Winter 2019 issue of Daedalus, the journal of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. The Academy offers unprecedented
FREE online access
to all 24 essays at:
http://bit.ly/2Fg64R9.
Among the topics addressed: Rising income inequality and its effect on access to justice | Why judges support civil legal aid | Need for corporate support of legal aid | Pro bono service | Community law practice | Children & families with unmet needs, including legal & health needs | And more!
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| Highlights from the counties |
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Chester County
Free Clean Slate Workshop Friday, Jan. 25 in Exton
LASP, United Way of Chester County, and PA CareerLink Chester County will present a
Clean Slate Workshop Friday, Jan. 25
at 10 a.m. The workshop will be held at PA CareerLink Chester County,
479 Thomas Jones Way, Exton
, PA 19341.
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Chesco Attorneys: THANK YOU
FOR MEETING THE CHALLENGE!
Because the attorney campaign raised $50,000+, the Chester County Bar Association and the Chester County Bar Foundation EACH will donate $20,000 to LASP!
LASP very much appreciates the support of CCBA, CCBF, and every donor who made it possible!
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| Mary-Ellen Allen (at left), 2018 President of the Chester County Bar Association, presents the Attorney Campaign challenge at the annual meeting in December, alongside Rachel Houseman, LASP Chester County Managing Attorney. Photo courtesy of the Chester County Bar Association. |
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| Christine Zaccarelli (at right), 2018 President of the Chester County Bar Foundation, with Rachel Houseman, announces CCBF's challenge for attorney campaign. Photo courtesy of Brian Doyle, LASP Staff Attorney. |
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Jean Speiser honored for pro bono service
Congrats to Jean Speiser, who received a Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Award at the
Chester County Bar Association
President's Dinner Jan. 18. She was recognized for her commitment and devotion to the Chester County Access to Justice program and to LASP
. Speiser pioneered the handling of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases which gives lawful permanent residency to minors who were abused, neglected and abandoned by their parents.
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| Jean Speiser with CCBA President Patrick M. McKenna (left), PBA President Charles Eppolito (center back); and PBA Pro Bono Coordinator David Keller Trevaskis. Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. |
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William Gallagher (at left), 2016-18 LASP Board of Directors President; William Baldwin, Delaware County Bar Association Executive Director and member of the LASP Board of Directors; John McKenna, LASP Board of Directors; Kesha James, LASP Deputy Director for Advocacy; Catherine Voit, LASP Board of Directors; Brian Doyle, LASP Staff Attorney; Rachel Houseman, LASP Chester County Managing Attorney; and Shawn Boehringer, LASP Executive Director.
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Bucks County
Rodlena Sales elected to Bucks County NAACP board
Rodlena Sales (at left)
, LASP Bucks County Bristol Managing Attorney, has been elected to the 2019-20 Bucks County NAACP's executive board. She, along with other new officers and board members, will be sworn in by Judge Joseph Falcone at the Middletown Township Municipal Center in Langhorne Monday, Jan. 28.
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Delaware County
Free Expungement Clinic Feb. 9 in Chester city
LASP advocates and pro bono volunteers will provide legal services at an Expungement Clinic on
Saturday, Feb. 9. State Rep. Brian Kirkland's office and LASP are sponsoring this free event, to be held from
noon to 4 p.m. at
Chester City Hall,
1 E. Fourth St., Chester, PA 19013. Training for pro bono volunteers will occur beforehand. For volunteer training details and/or to sign up for pro bono volunteering, please contact Tom Kerstan, Esq., LASP Delaware County Pro Bono Coordinator, at 610-874-8421 or tkerstan@lasp.org.
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Delaware County
Apply online by Feb. 28: Chester city Section 8 Vouchers
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Thomas Dreyer receives PBA Pro Bono Award
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| Thomas Dreyer (second from right) received the Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Award for his consistent efforts in the pro bono program handling divorce matters. The award was presented at the Delaware County Bar Association's annual President's Dinner Jan. 11. Pictured (from left): Thomas Kerstan, LASP Delaware County Pro Bono Coordinator; David Keller Trevaskis, PBA Pro Bono Coordinator, Shawn Boehringer, LASP Executive Director; Dreyer; and Charles Eppolito, PBA President. Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. |
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Montgomery County
Montco court video prepares clients for filing a custody order
To prepare residents to file a custody claim, Montgomery County Courts posted a five-minute YouTube video at
http://bit.ly/2FzcV9x. The video outlines step-by-step procedures and discusses the needed paperwork.
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Making a difference during winter break:
Rebecca Lamb on her experience at LASP
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| Michael Kelley, LASP Norristown Managing Attorney, discusses a case with Rebecca Lamb. |
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"I volunteered with LASP for a winter break pro bono program with my law school. All the attorneys were incredibly gracious in allowing me to shadow them and to help with their current cases.
I attended court hearings, met Montgomery County judges, and helped with client intake, among other projects in criminal expungement and Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders. I would definitely recommend this experience to any law student who wants to learn more about legal aid or who is generally unsure what he or she wants to do. The attorneys provided a great overview of the various areas of law within legal aid, and they allowed me to focus on whichever areas most interested me. Overall, even after a short time in the office, I saw how truly rewarding legal aid work can be."
Rebecca Lamb
University of Virginia School of Law,
Class of 2021
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YOUR support for LASP & civil legal aid
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LASP'S Annual Giving Campaign needs YOUR support!
Did you know? LASP's Annual Giving Campaign is under way. Your support makes an impact! To support free civil legal aid for low-income and vulnerable people in Bucks, Chester, Delaware & Montgomery counties, please visit:
http://bit.ly/LegalAidHelps
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Your donation changes lives. Thank you!
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CHESTER City: Applications are now being accepted online for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list. DEADLINE: Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. To apply: English 
