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The State Bar has teamed up with Gov. Gray Davis
to form a partnership with local bars, state government agencies and a
number of private law firms to offer free legal services to victims of
the recent terrorist attacks on our country. Volunteer attorneys have
been specially trained to help surviving families identify potential
legal issues and assist in resolving them at no cost.
The State Bar, explains Executive Director Judy
Johnson, is providing coordination and assistance, linking the state
with local bar associations and private law firms to provide important
services.
"This is an opportunity for the bar to
coordinate efforts to provide a legal safety net" for people who
otherwise might have nowhere to turn, Johnson said.
Latham
& Watkins attorneys are assisting the Bolourchis and the woman
from southern California. Agencies and local bars participating in the
partnership are Public Counsel, the Bar Association of San Francisco
Volunteer Legal Services Program, the Los Angeles County Bar
Association, the California Victims Compensation and Government Claims
Board, and the State and Consumer Services Agency.
State Bar President Karen Nobumoto, calling it an
honor for the State Bar to be part of such a collective effort, noted
that many survivors of the terrorist victims face a host of legal
needs: immigration, tax and estate, workers' compensation,
interstate compensation, child custody and financial issues. In
addition, many must make decisions that potentially pit benefits from
one victim compensation program against another, such as the new
federal compensation program vs. the state of California's.
The pro bono initiative got its start in October
when Gov. Davis hosted a statewide Day of Remembrance to honor
families of victims as well as the firefighters, police officers and
many others who assisted in the aftermath of the attacks. More than
150 family members and survivors attended the ceremony and many met
with government officials that day.
Davis administration official Clothilde Hewlett,
a former State Bar employee, asked the bar to coordinate the effort of
recruiting bar associations and private law firms.
"Everyone was very focused on the task at hand
and unfailingly offered their time and skills," said Hewlett.
"Initiatives like this don't just happen,"
said Teveia Barnes, executive director of the Bar Association of San
Francisco. "California government agencies, nonprofit organizations
and law firms came together and worked hard and fast to put this
program together."
Nobumoto has appointed a special committee to
recruit additional attorneys who are willing to provide free legal
services through the bar's Disaster Legal Services Program. The
committee includes two former State Bar presidents, Alan Rothen-berg
and Harvey Saferstein of Los Angeles, current board member Marie
Weiner of San Mateo and aviation liability expert Cynthia Lebow.
In addition to Latham & Watkins, law firms
participating include Lawyers for One America; Brobeck, Phleger &
Harrison; Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass; Cooley Godward; Farella
Braun & Martel; Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein; McCutchen
Doyle Brown & Enersen; Munger Tolles & Olson; and Orrick
Herrington & Sutcliffe. |
