Legal Services State Support — Connecting the Legal Aid Community
In the News
Registration opens July 1st for Standpoint’s annual domestic violence training series, New Laws 2024, the most publicly visible of its training programs. New Laws 2024 is the single greatest source of up-to-date legal information on domestic violence for advocates and professionals. New Laws utilizes a "train the trainer" model, where critical information is provided to a core group of people who then disburse it in wider circles.
For each location on its Minnesota road trip itinerary, the series provides two days of impactful material on sexual and domestic violence. The first day provides attendees with special topic presentations, followed by a second day that focuses on changes in federal and Minnesota statutory and case law over the previous year.
The Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) recently announced the winners of its annual Bernard P. Becker Legal Services Staff Awards. Each of the four honorees has provided exemplary service to those in our community most vulnerable to injustice.
Legal Services of Northwest MN (LSNM) is harnessing the power of technology to connect with the local community, and beyond, through two new innovative services: The Legal Table and Virtual Legal Clinics.
Crystal Jamerson, community engagement & outreach coordinator for LSNM, launched The Legal Table virtual series earlier this year as a way to bring legal experts and community advocates together around a topic while inviting the public to “sit down” from the comfort of their home or office and join them. The hour-long “table” discussion includes brief presentations about the law, available community resources, and an opportunity to ask questions.
On May 10, 2024, Governor Tim Walz announced Veena Iyer, current executive director of Immigrant Law Center of MN (ILCM), as one of two new appointees to the Second Judicial District, which covers Ramsey County.
Veena Iyer and Jennifer Verdeja fill the vacancies created upon the elevation to the Minnesota Court of Appeals of the Honorable JaPaul Harris and the retirement of the Honorable Elena Ostby.
In December 2020, the Institute for Well-Being in Law was formed to carry on a grassroots movement launched by the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being at the American Bar Association (ABA) Annual Meeting four years prior. The task force was comprised of the National Organization of Bar Counsel, the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL) and the ABA Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs. Two national studies that demonstrated the unacceptably high rates of depression, anxiety, and problematic drinking among U.S. lawyers and law students were the impetus that started it all.
A2J Tech, Minnesota’s Reach Justice technology partner, presented a webinar last month to provide insights into the development, funding, and implementation of Legal Kiosks and how this innovative project is enhancing community access to legal resources and the internet. Dori Rapaport, executive director of Justice North, was on hand to talk about Minnesota’s kiosk experience and she was joined by Elliott Fontenette of Texas Legal Services Center, and Susan Meyers of Nevada Legal Services.
In its Breaking the Ice series, Minnesota Lawyer recently spoke with Milo Mumgaard, the new executive director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA). Mumgaard officially took the reins in late February following a nationwide search that began last October. He previously served as executive director for legal aid programs in Arkansas and Nebraska. In this interview-as-introduction to the larger legal community, Mumgaard talks about being an extrovert and how his values drove him in the direction of law.
Two years ago, Angela Davis with MPR News spoke with three guests about tackling Minnesota’s medical debt burden, and the State’s plans to change how that debt is handled by providers and the courts. One of the guests was Laura Orr, staff attorney with the Minnesota Elder Justice Center, and a former elder law attorney at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS). Laura was joined by Allison Sesso, president and CEO of RIP Medical Debt, a national nonprofit organization that uses donations to buy and forgive medical debt, and Kim Miller, a certified financial counselor with LSS Financial Counseling, a service of Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota.
Last month, the Hennepin County Attorney’s office announced a new policy that will ease and hasten the process of acquiring both U and T visas for noncitizen crime victims. To address the fear of deportation that keeps many noncitizens from reporting crimes, it is hoped the new guidelines will encourage those who may be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or trafficking, to contact authorities and seek help.
Legal Services State Support is happy to announce its newly redesigned website for the legal aid community — www.mnlegalservices.org. The new site brings a fresh appearance and fewer clicks to get to familiar content, as well as the ability to become a member of the site for access to on-demand training and other exclusive content when available.
Laura Isenor, staff attorney with the Education Law Advocacy Project at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS), logged an important decision for her client at the Minnesota Court of Appeals last month. Isenor filed a special education complaint to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) in August regarding the suspension of a student with an emotional disturbance for which no written notice was given.
On February 8, 2024, outstanding individuals and teams were honored for their exemplary legal work by Minnesota Lawyer. The 2023 Attorney of the Year Awards were presented at the Quincy Hall in northeast Minneapolis, where the winners were celebrated for their contributions. Sharon Jones, executive director of Legal Assistance of Dakota County (LADC), was among those individuals recognized as an Attorney of the Year.