Springtime across the 4 counties, 2023! From left: Montgomery County Courthouse, Chester County

NORRISTOWN - Team members from Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (LASP) and the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) joined in a walking tour of Norristown April 25 to see some of the locations flooded by Hurricane Ida on Sept. 1, 2021.

The walking tour also passed by the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, where Multi-Agency Recovery Centers (MARCs) and mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (mDRCs) were deployed in September and October 2021 in response to the storm, as well as local landmarks such as the Norristown Transportation Center, Montgomery County Courthouse, Montgomery Bar Association, and a Magisterial District Justice (MDJ) court.

Pictured (from left): Shawn Boehringer, LASP Executive Director; Kristine Hansen, LSC Disaster Grants Program Counsel; Carolyn Johnson, LASP Chief Counsel; Ann Tydeman-Solomon (in back), LASP Development Director; Mytrang Nguyen, LSC Program Counsel for Pro Bono Innovation; and Jennifer Pierce, LASP Pro Bono Director.

LASP is currently implementing a disaster relief supplemental grant from LSC, which allows LASP to continue efforts related to Hurricane Ida in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. Legal impacts from the storm, like other natural disasters, are expected to continue for years. In addition, LASP is implementing a Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF) grant from LSC, to encourage and expand pro bono efforts and partnerships to serve more low-income individuals with civil legal issues. The tour was part of LSC's April 25-26 site visit for both the disaster relief and pro bono grants.

LAFAYETTE HILL - Registration is now open for the Montgomery Bar Foundation’s 2023 Legal Aid Golf Classic. This year's event will be held Monday, June 26 at Green Valley Country Club, 201 W. Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444. 

It will once again be held in the afternoon with lunch and registration beginning at 11:30 a.m., a shotgun start at 1 p.m., followed by a special dinner at 6:30 p.m. featuring golf awards, raffle prizes, and the presentation of the Montgomery Bar Foundation's Community Service Awards.

Learn more at the Montgomery Bar Association’s webpage: bit.ly/golf-classic-2023.

NORRISTOWN - Phillip D. Hammond joined LASP in March as Interim Director of Operations, with responsibility for finance and accounting, grants and compliance, technology, human resources, and buildings and facilities. He is based in the Administrative Office in Norristown and serves all nine LASP offices.

In addition to his professional achievements, Phillip is devoted to his family. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife Lauren, their four children: Damian, Soulsun, Satchel, and Gracie; two dogs, Zora and Ace, and his cat Snoop. He volunteered on the Multicultural Academy Charter School Board of Trustees as secretary, treasurer, vice president and president. He is committed to social justice, making a positive impact on his community and providing equal access to resources for those who have been underserved. He currently volunteers to provide career and business coaching to a formerly incarcerated individual who has started his own business.

Phillip has started his tenure at LASP by visiting local offices to meet with staff and learn about technology and operations needs. He has convened a new LASP technology committee to receive feedback on LASP technology needs and recommended enhancements. The committee also will be tasked with planning and implementing staff trainings on Outlook, LegalServer, and Dialpad and reviewing, updating, amending, and adding to LASP policies related to technology. Phillip can be reached at 484-206-8017 or phammond@lasp.org.

DOYLESTOWN - Jill W. Duffy joined LASP on April 3 as Doylestown Managing Attorney. Before joining LASP, Jill worked for eight years at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children of Mercer and Burlington Counties in Ewing, NJ, where she served as Advocate Recruiter. In this role, she worked with the CASA team to fulfill CASA’s mission to recruit, train and supervise community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children in the foster care system with the ultimate goal being a safe, stable and permanent home for each child served.

Jill holds a J.D. from California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. She has lived with her family in Washington Crossing, PA for over 25 years and looks forward to serving the Bucks County community. Jill can be reached at 215-770-4056 or jduffy@lasp.org.

Kesha James, who previously served as LASP's Deputy Director for Advocacy, was elected to LASP's Board of Directors in February and joined her first meeting as a Member-at-Large on April 14.

She is Executive Director at the Management Information Exchange (MIE) as of June 1, 2022.

From 2013-May 2022, Kesha's work at LASP included overseeing the program’s legal services delivery system and impact advocacy while supporting all aspects of senior management. She also formerly served as LASP Pro Bono Director and staff attorney for LASP’s mortgage foreclosure and predatory lending prevention unit.

Kesha received her bachelor’s in Political Science from Florida A&M University and received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. After law school, Kesha spent a few years in the civil litigation department of a Philadelphia law firm before following her passion into the public interest sector by joining LASP in 2005.

Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Kesha now resides in Philadelphia with her husband, Pastor Cean James, and their three teenage sons.

We are looking for volunteers to assist with pro bono opportunities through LASP, in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties!

Learn more:

Pro bono attorneys needed for PFA hearings Wednesdays (in-person)

Volunteers are especially needed for Wednesday, May 24 & 31 and/or June 21 & 28!

** LIMITED SCOPE opportunity, with no expectation of continued representation beyond the day of volunteer service.**

Hearings are at the Bucks County Justice Center, 100 N. Main St., Doylestown, PA 18901.

To volunteer to represent plaintiffs, please contact Durene McCarty, LASP Bristol Office Manager and Assistant Pro Bono Coordinator, at dmccarty@lasp.org or 215-398-6757.

CHESTER COUNTY: Volunteer attorneys, paralegals, law students & community members needed for 2023 mobile home project

The 2023 Mobile Home Tax Reassessment Project began in February and will continue through summer. Volunteers are especially needed from May through the end of July.

Volunteer opportunities are available for attorneys, paralegals, law students and community members. Multiple opportunities are available, and you do NOT need to volunteer for all months of the project.

DELAWARE COUNTY: Pro bono attorneys needed for custody cases

Volunteer attorneys have the opportunity to represent clients in a limited scope, pursuant to the PA Rules of Professional Conduct and Delaware County’s limited entry of appearance rule for pro bono attorneys. Delaware County's Rule 1012 permits attorneys to withdraw by praecipe after representation at the number of custody conferences agreed to in advance.

To learn more or to volunteer, please contact Thomas Kerstan, LASP Staff Attorney and Delaware County Pro Bono Coordinator, at tkerstan@lasp.org or 484-206-7808. Or register at lasp.org/volunteer-signup.

CLE for attorneys: "Be a good person & gain valuable skills by volunteering for EPIC"

NORRISTOWN - The award-winning Eviction Prevention & Intervention Coalition (EPIC) program helps to stabilize vulnerable families and individuals in Montgomery County who are facing eviction by providing them with free legal and social services support on the day of their eviction hearing.

Volunteer attorneys appear in court to help those facing eviction. **It is anticipated that the need for volunteers will skyrocket in coming months.** This CLE will teach you the basics of appearing in landlord-tenant court and how to volunteer for EPIC.

Please join the Montgomery Bar Association Pro Bono, Access to Justice & Community Service Committee for this CLE, which includes coffee and refreshments.

Speaker: Michelle R. Dempsky, Esq., Legal Aid of Southeastern PA Staff Attorney & Lead Attorney for EPIC.

Moderators: Montgomery Bar Association Pro Bono Committee co-chairs Timothy M. Knowles, Esq. & Kathryn M. Palladino, Esq., Legal Aid of Southeastern PA Staff Attorney & Montgomery County Pro Bono Coordinator.

Wills/Advanced Planning Clinic ~ limited scope volunteer opportunity in Abington Township ~ May 11, 2023

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP - Volunteer attorneys with experience in wills/advanced planning documents!

Several pro bono attorneys are needed to help with simple wills, durable Powers of Attorney & healthcare directives for low-income seniors (60+) at a legal clinic:

Pro bono signup through MBA: https://bit.ly/pro-bono-5-11-2023

To learn more, contact Kathryn Palladino at 484-209-0892 or kpalladino@lasp.org.

Divorce cases | Custody cases

More details are at lasp.org/pro-bono. Please contact Kathryn M. Palladino, LASP Staff Attorney and Montgomery County Pro Bono Coordinator, at 484-209-0892, or kpalladino@lasp.org, or register at lasp.org/volunteer-signup.

Local bar association calendars

Stay tuned for CLEs in your area of practice or pro bono service!

by Holly Herman | Patch.com | March 13, 2023 | bit.ly/chesco-tax-relief-2023

by Michele Haddon | Bucks County Courier Times | April 19, 2023 | https://bit.ly/bccc-clinic-4-29-2023-courier-times

Pottstown Mercury | March 9, 2023 | bit.ly/Pottstown-legal-clinics-3-2023

Sidebar Magazine from Montgomery Bar Association

Spring 2023 | https://bit.ly/sidebar-spring-2023

The Writs Magazine from Bucks County Bar Association

Spring 2023 | https://bit.ly/writs-spring-2023

by Sarah Holder, Kriston Capps & Mackenzie Hawkins | Bloomberg | April 27, 2023 | https://bloom.bg/41IF5Fk

by Matthew Desmond | New York Times Magazine | March 12, 2023 | https://nyti.ms/3l4Pg7b

Legal Services Corporation Housing Task Force | April 24, 2023

This year every household that qualifies for a LIHEAP cash grant will also receive a one-time $150 LIHEAP supplement approximately one to two months after their initial LIHEAP cash grant is issued.

FLYER with updated deadline (or click image at right)

Details, eligibility & links on our website:

As of April 1, 2023, if you receive healthcare coverage through Medical Assistance (also known as MA, or Medicaid) or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), you MUST renew every year to make sure you are still eligible.

Find out when your renewal date is:

Save your date & be ready!

IMPORTANT! Update your address and other information with PA DHS.

Steps to take + links & flyers:

Crime & victimization know no bounds. Anyone can be a victim. Everyone deserves help & to be heard.

LASP's VOCA team serves Bucks, Chester, Delaware & Montgomery counties. Advocates give our clients voices in the legal system.

We empower victims to feel comfortable enough to share their stories and get the legal help they desperately need.

View our campaign for National Crime Victims' Rights Week April 23-29, honoring survivor voices: 6-page PDF, or click image at right | YouTube Short (6 seconds)

EXTON - A free legal clinic is held on the second Wednesday of each month, through June 2023: Wednesday, May 10, and June 14.

To schedule a 30-minute appointment with a LASP attorney, contact Edwina at 610-429-9400, ext. 4115 or ejohnson@uwchestercounty.org.

COATESVILLE - LASP's monthly legal clinics with the Coatesville VA will be the second Wednesday of each month in 2023. A referral by social worker, clinician or case manager is suggested but not necessary. The clinics are part of the medical center's Veterans Justice Outreach Program, which connects Veterans with VA health care services.

Questions? Contact VA staff members Diana Zinnie (Chester County) at 484-744-3442, Rhonda Sanford (Montgomery County) at 484-667-1988, or Lily Thomas (Delaware County) at 610-496-5007.

CASA Pennsylvania y the Chester County Partnership to End Homelessness están organizando un Foro de Derechos de los Inquilinos el jueves 11 de mayo de 2023 de 7:00 p.m. a 9:00 p.m. El evento tendrá lugar en The Garage Community & Youth Center en Avondale.

El Centro de Igualdad de Vivienda de Pensilvania,

Asistencia Legal del Sureste de Pensilvania (Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania), Departamento de Policía Regional del Sur Chester, y Departamento de Policía de Kennett Square presentarán información importante sobre sus derechos como inquilino. Este será un espacio para que usted haga cualesquiera preguntas sobre su situación de alquiler.

BRISTOL - Stop by LASP's table at the third annual Armed Forces Muster in Bristol. Hosts are Salute2Service and the Bucks County Housing Group.

LASP will present a free, virtual Clean Slate and Expungement Workshop in partnership with the Coatesville Center for Community Health. The workshop will help individuals with criminal histories who may have been denied employment or other services because of their criminal record.

Questions? Email ccch@comcast.net. The workshop is open to the public.

PHOENIXVILLE - Get your mobile home taxes reassessed for free.

MORTON - The Delaware County Suicide Prevention and Awareness Task Force Subcommittee for Veterans will present this outreach. The program is open to Veterans and their families.

If you are interested in hearing more about how to upgrade your discharge from the military, how to apply for benefits with a less than honorable discharge, or how Veterans Treatment Courts help justice-involved Veterans, this is a must-attend event. Refreshments will be served. Refreshments will be served.

Richard A.J. Prebil, Supervising Attorney of LASP’s Veterans Advocacy Project, will present on discharge upgrades and VA benefits for veterans with less than honorable discharge.

CHESTER City - Cassidy Heiserman joined LASP in March as Staff Attorney based in Chester City. She will focus her practice on custody matters, landlord-tenant cases, and public benefits. She previously was Associate Attorney in the Law Offices of Jennifer J. Riley in Wayne and served as Law Clerk in the New Jersey Superior Court in Bridgeton for the Criminal Division, for Hon. Cristen D’Arrigo. Cassidy holds a J.D., summa cum laude, from Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, where she was Drexel Law Review lead editor and earned a CALI Excellence for the Future Award/Best Student Performance in Civil Procedure, Federal Income Tax, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Introduction to Trial Advocacy, and Criminal Procedure: Prosecutions and Adjudications. She volunteered with the Criminal Record Expungement Pro Bono Project at Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity and Legal Aid of Southeastern PA. She earned her B.A. from Penn State, magna cum laude, in Criminology and Women's Studies. Her thesis addressed, "How the United States prison system disadvantages mothers." She served as a teaching assistant in the Penn State Criminology and Women’s Studies departments and as secretary for Penn State’s Justice Association. She interned for Philadelphia Legal Assistance in the Civil Litigation Field Clinic and for the Montgomery County Public Defender's Office. Outside hobbies and interests include reading and hiking with her partner and two rescue dogs. Cassidy can be reached at 610-230-6074 or cheiserman@lasp.org.

NORRISTOWN - The Montgomery Bar Association and the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas celebrated Law Day at the Courthouse in Norristown on April 28, with a theme of "Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration."

Montgomery Bar Association President Justin Bayer presented Kathryn M. Palladino, LASP Staff Attorney & Montgomery County Pro Bono Coordinator, with the Henry Stuckert Miller Community Service Award.

From left: Jennifer Pierce, Pro Bono Director; Shawn Boehringer, Executive Director; Guy Marinari, Staff Attorney; Leigh Fuga, VOCA Paralegal; Erika Felpel, Pro Bono & Helpline Paralegal; Kathryn Palladino; Carolyn E. Johnson, Chief Counsel; and Michael E. Kelley, Norristown Managing Attorney.

BRISTOL - The Bucks County Community College Paralegal Studies Program partnered with LASP to present an Expungement Clinic April 29 at BCCC's Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus in Bristol. University of Pennsylvania law students also assisted at the clinic. Thirty-eight people were helped at this event. From left: Michael Greenstein, law student; Jamie Suk, law student; James Browne, paralegal student; Charles Burrows, LASP Disaster Relief Staff Attorney; Erica Briant, LASP Director of Community Engagement & Training; Megan Reinprecht, LASP Community Engagement Unit Staff Attorney; Joseph Hughes, paralegal student; Jennifer Gibble, paralegal student; Sarah Dees, paralegal student; Jennifer Halberstein, paralegal student; Seth Wilson, paralegal student; and Chris Little Simcox, BCCC Professor and attorney at Begley Carlin Mandio. Chris is also a LASP pro bono volunteer.

In a Bucks County Courier Times news article announcing the clinic, Chris explained to reporter Michele Haddon some of the benefits of record-clearing: "Having an arrest record or a conviction or a juvenile offense affects an individual's ability to obtain employment, volunteer at their child's school, take out a loan, apply for benefits, apply for a college education, obtain an occupational license and rent an apartment or property,” Chris said.

“Expungement gives a person the right to protect their privacy and remove from their record old convictions and arrest records to reap the benefits of having rehabilitated from mistakes of the past.”

POTTSTOWN - LASP, the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP) and Villanova Law students partnered to present a legal clinic March 20 at the Christ Episcopal Church, Pottstown. The clinic provided legal information and services to people experiencing homelessness. A similar event also was held March 13. LASP Pottstown Managing Attorney Lisa Whalen noted that LASP has been holding a monthly outreach at the church since January 2022.

NORRISTOWN - LASP staff on Swede Street! After a March 8 lunch honoring Erik Hansen, Deputy Director for Operations, a large contingent of LASP's team, from multiple counties, braved a chilly but bright day for group photos. Erik departed LASP on March 10 to become Legal Director of Grants and Compliance at the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN). He joined LASP in 2014 as staff attorney. In 2016 he became Grants & Compliance Manager and was named Deputy Director for Operations in 2018.

Job descriptions & how to apply: lasp.org/careers.