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Allegheny County Pro Bono Information

Program on Navigating the Naturalization Process, Pittsburgh, Dec. 15, 2016
The Allegheny Bar Association offers a CLE program titled �The Road to U.S. Citizenship: Navigating the Naturalization Process� on Dec. 15, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the Koppers Building Conference Center, 9th Floor, 436 Seventh Ave., Pittsburgh. This fundamental-level CLE is designed to provide volunteer attorneys with the skills needed to represent clients through the naturalization process in front of Department Homeland Security-USCIS. Program registration closes on Dec. 13. Get more information on the PAProbono.net website.

Treatment-Courts Event in Pittsburgh, Nov. 17, 2016
The University of Pittsburgh School of Law will host Problem-Solving Justice: Treatment Courts in Pennsylvania, on Nov. 17 starting at 7 p.m. at the The University Club, 123 University Place, Pittsburgh. Get more information on the PAProbono.net website.

'Helping Domestic Violence Victims Obtain Protection Orders' Program in Pittsburgh,
Nov. 4, 2016

Neighborhood Legal Services Association will be holding its Fall 2016 Seminar titled �Helping Domestic Violence Victims Obtain Protection Orders� on Nov. 4, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. The event will be hosted by Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote PC, Two PPG Place, Pittsburgh. CLE CREDITS: 3 substantive credits, 1 ethics credit. REGISTRATION FEE: No registration fee for attorneys or paralegals volunteering to take PFA referrals; $150 for non-volunteers; $500 for non-volunteers who do not want CLE credit. PRESENTERS: Lorraine Bittner, Esq., legal director, Women�s Center; Shelter Beth Keenan, Esq., director, PFA Division, Family Court, Allegheny County; Sabrina Korbel, Esq., staff attorney, Women�s Center and Shelter. The course has been approved for the listed CLE credits by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board. Dickie, McCamey is the CLE provider. For more information about the seminar, contact Mary Ann Troper-Malley at 412-586-6134. Space is limited Please make sure to bring photo ID with you to the CLE, as this seminar is being held in a secure building and photo ID may be required for admittance to the building.

Expunging and Sealing Criminal Records to Remove Employment and Housing Barriers � CLE, Oct. 28, 2016
Noon- 1:30 p.m., Koppers Building, 9th Floor. Many Pennsylvanians are caught in a vicious cycle of dreams deferred based upon past criminal offenses. Because of their criminal record they face barriers to enable them to secure viable employment, safe and secure housing, or federal student loans for advanced educational opportunities. Learn about how the Pennsylvania expungement and new sealing laws may serve as a tool to assist individuals with reentry, restoration, and a reduction of recidivism. This training is free to attorneys who volunteer at the city-wide expungement clinic on Nov. 14 or who take a pro bono expungement case from a legal aid program within one year. Regular ACBA rates apply to non-volunteers.

Jeans for Justice Day, Pittsburgh, Oct. 28, 2016
The Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation invites you to Celebrate Pro Bono Week by holding a casual Friday to benefit the Pro Bono Center and its programs, which match volunteer attorneys with low-income individuals in desperate need of legal help. Here�s how it works: Employees of participating law firms and corporate legal departments make a small donation ($5, $10, etc.) for the right to dress in casual attire for the day instead of traditional business wear. Each office collects the donations from employees and submits the donations to the bar foundation. Don't miss out! To let us know that your firm or legal department will include Jeans for Justice in its fall plans, contact Barbara Griffin at [email protected] or 412-402-6622.

Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership Annual Meeting, Oct. 27, 2016
4:30-6 p.m., Reed Smith. The meeting will feature a presentation by Dr. Jim Withers regarding the work of Operation Safety Net (OSN), which provides men and women living on the streets in Pittsburgh with access to health care, hope, and dignity. Dr. Withers will also discuss the collaboration between OSN and the Partnership�s H.E.L.P. Project, which provides pro bono legal services to clients of OSN.

Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, Oct. 24, 2016
Noon-1:30 p.m. at the Rivers Club. The Public Service Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association will thank and recognize volunteers who provided pro bono services to low-income clients in the past year through Pro Bono Center member organizations and projects. This event is free to Pro Bono Center volunteers. Join us for a fun, interactive, buffet lunch. No long speeches, just an opportunity to celebrate with fellow volunteers, recognize the winners of the 2016 Pro Bono Achievement Awards, and discover new opportunities to give back. Plus door prizes! RSVP by Oct. 17 at http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/00f0129c9261884ce0c5.

Allegheny County Bar Foundation Honors Individuals, Law Firm with Pro Bono Awards, Oct. 20, 2016
Through its 2016 Pro Bono Achievement Awards, the Allegheny County Bar Foundation will recognize six individuals and one law firm dedicated to the cause of providing free legal service to those in need. The awards will be presented at the ACBF's Fellows Reception, scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 20 at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Pittsburgh. Get more information at https://www.paprobono.net/news/article.619311-Allegheny_County_Bar_Foundation_to_Honor_Six_Individuals_One_Law_Firm_with.

Allegheny County Bar Foundation Fellows Reception, Oct. 20, 2016
The Board of Trustees and Fellows Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation host a Fellows Reception on Oct. 20, 5:30-7 p.m., at the Hotel Monaco, Pittsburgh. The evening celebrates the members of the ACBF Fellows Program, including induction of the fellows class of 2016, presentation of the 2016 Pro Bono Achievement Awards and comments by fellows grant recipients who are making an impact in the community. Cost: $25 for fellows; $40 for non-fellows. Newly inducted fellows, awards winners and their nominators will be offered complimentary tickets. For more information, contact Erin Rhodes at [email protected] or 412-402-6641.

Sixth Annual Judicial, Government and Public Interest Law Reception, Oct. 18, 2016
Public interest and pro bono attorneys will be on hand to talk with students from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Duquesne University School of Law at the annual Judicial, Government and Public Interest Law Reception at the Duquesne University Power Center Ballroom, 5-7 p.m. Students at Pitt and Duquesne law schools are encouraged to attend and network with attorneys while celebrating the bench and the public interest bar. Enjoy drinks and hors d�oeuvres with colleagues while networking and celebrating the bench and the public interest bar. Share with students interested in careers in the judiciary, government, and public interest law about clerkships, externships, pro bono initiatives, and other opportunities in our region.

Pittsburgh Lawyer McCarthy Receives 2016 PBA Ernico Award, June 29, 2016
Carol Mills McCarthy, a partner with the Pittsburgh-based McCarthy McDonald Schulberg & Joy and a past president of the Neighborhood Legal Services Association (NLSA) board, was honored by the PBA with a Jeffrey A. Ernico Award on June 29, in recognition of her exceptional pro bono advocacy efforts. The award celebrates the pro bono accomplishments of Harrisburg attorney Jeffrey A. Ernico and his long-standing commitment to equal justice. It is an occasional award of the PBA Legal Services to the Public Committee, given to honor those whose efforts have �resulted in significant improvement in the provision of legal services to the neediest among us.� McCarthy was recognized for her extraordinary volunteerism benefitting the clients of NLSA and the Allegheny County Bar Association�s Pro Bono Center. Read the NLSA news release. Read more about the Ernico Award and past winners. Shown below, McCarthy receives the award from David K. Trevaskis, PBA pro bono coordinator, left, and Robert Racunas, NLSA executive director.

Pro-Bono Name Change Project Training, Pittsburgh, June 10, 2016
The Pro Bono Name Change Project of the Allegheny County Bar Association will be holding a name-change training on June 10, 10-11 a.m. at the Koppers Building Conference Center, Pittsburgh. For many transgender people, securing a legal name change is an important step toward making their legal identities match their lived experience. But securing a legal name change can be challenging and involve interaction with the court system, a foreign experience for many people. The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) pro bono Name Change Project provides transgender individuals with adequate legal representation, ensuring they can successfully complete the process and move forward with their lives. At this event, the pro bono Name Change Project - recipient of the 2015 New Initiative Award at the Allegheny County bar Association Pro Bono Achievement Awards - is offering training to all Allegheny County attorneys interested in providing a valuable service to Pittsburgh's transgender community. Get more information on the PA probono.net website or contact Barb Griffin at the ACBA, [email protected].

Dickie McCamey Announces Associate Mazzarese as 2016 Pro Bono Award Winner, May 4, 2016

The law firm of Dickie McCamey & Chilcote PC has announced that Amee L. Mazzarese is the 2016 recipient of the firm�s David B. Fawcett Pro Bono Service Award. Ms. Mazzarese, an associate with the firm, is recognized for giving her time to those in need � a tradition and attribute of the award�s namesake, David B. Fawcett. Shown above along with Ms. Mazzarese are the firm�s five other associates who were finalists for the award, from left, Paul A. Roman Jr., Ashley E. Sharek, Ms. Mazzarese, Genevieve A. Pecharka, Maureen K. Cosgrove and Jason L. Ott. Read more about the award on the firm's website.

ACBF Seeks Nominations for Red Tie Gala Awards to Be Presented March 12, 2016
The Allegheny County Bar Foundation is seeking nominations for two special awards to be presented at the ACBF's 35th Anniversary Red Tie Gala on March 12, 2016. The Heart of Justice Award will be presented to an attorney who has consistently adhered to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession, particularly service to the public. This award recognizes an attorney who has an unwavering passion for community service and displays outstanding character and integrity. The recipient must be a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association who has been actively engaged in the practice of law for many years, during which substantial time has been dedicated toward service to the public. The ACBF Young Professional Award of Excellence celebrates the initiative and outstanding contributions of a young lawyer to the legal profession and the community. The award shall be presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to pro bono work and community service. For criteria and nomination forms, please visit http://acbfgala.swellgives.com/awards.

Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership Annual Breakfast Meeting, Oct. 30, 2015
The Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership annual breakfast meeting will be held on Oct. 30, 7:30-9 a.m., at the law firm of K&L Gates, 210 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh. One hour of CLE credit is available for this program, which is free for attendees. To RSVP for the breakfast or to learn more about the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership, contact Barbara Kern at [email protected] or 412-586-6138 with your attorney ID number.

Jeans for Justice, Oct. 30, 2015
Jeans for Justice is back! Join the Allegheny County Bar Foundation in celebrating Pro Bono Week and the 35th Anniversary of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation by holding a casual Friday to benefit legal services programs. Employees of participating offices make a small donation ($5, $10, etc.) for the right to dress in casual attire for the day instead of traditional business wear. Each office collects the donations from employees and submits the donations to the Allegheny County Bar Foundation. Your office can hold its Jeans for Justice day on Friday, October 30, 2015--during national Pro Bono Week--or on any other convenient date. 100% of the proceeds support programs that match volunteer attorneys with low-income residents of Allegheny County desperately in need of legal assistance. For more information or to just let the ACBF know know that your firm or legal department will include Jeans for Justice in its fall plans, please contact Erin Rhodes at [email protected] or 412-402-6641.

Annual Judicial, Government, and Public Interest Reception, Pittsburgh, Oct. 29, 2015
The Fifth Annual Judicial, Government, and Public Interest Law Reception, hosted by Pitt Law Dean William M. Carter Jr. and Duquesne Law Dean Ken Gormley, will be held on Oct. 29, 5-7 p.m., at the Duquesne University Power Center Ballroom, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh. Enjoy drinks and hors d�oeuvres with colleagues while networking and celebrating the bench and the public interest bar. Share with students interested in careers in the judiciary, government, and public interest law about clerkships, externships, pro bono initiatives, and other opportunities in our region. RSVP by Oct. 23 by calling 412-396-6559 or e-mailing [email protected].

Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Oct. 26, 2015
The Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation will be holding a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on Monday, Oct. 26, noon-1:30 p.m., at the Fairmont Pittsburgh, 510 Market Street, Pittsburgh. The Public Service Committee would like to thank and recognize volunteers who provided pro bono services to low-income clients in the past year through Pro Bono Center member organizations and ACBA/ACBF projects. Thanks in part to the generous hospitality of Fairmont Pittsburgh, this event is FREE to Pro Bono Center volunteers. The event will feature remarks from our 2015 ACBA Pro Bono Awards Winners, plated lunch, and door prizes. Join your fellow volunteers in celebration of your commitment to helping low-income residents of Allegheny County. RSVP by Oct. 19.

Meet, Greet & Train, Oct. 23, 2015
Join Transgender Legal Defense & Fund and Reed Smith LLP for a CLE training for the Name Change Project, which provides pro bono name change representation to transgender community members in Pittsburgh. The training will be followed by a tour of BNY Mellon's art gallery and a cocktail reception, and is hosted by Prism, BNY Mellon's LGBT employee resource group.

Wills for Heroes Clinic, Oct. 10, 2015
The Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Wills for Heroes Foundation, with sponsorship by Ballard Spahr LLP, are hosting upcoming events across Pennsylvania. At these events, free wills and powers of attorney are prepared for police officers, firefighters and other first responders who risk their lives every day to make sure our communities are safe. Programs are staffed by lawyer volunteers and are conveniently offered to first responders at meeting halls and police and fire stations. On Saturday, Oct. 10, volunteer lawyers will be conducting a Wills for Heroes Program for all Pennsylvania first responders (active and retired), all sworn personnel and their spouses, partners or significant others. The event will be held at the Pittsburgh Firefighters Local 1 Union Hall, 120 Flowers Ave, Pittsburgh. If you have questions about this event, contact Amy Rees at [email protected] or Julianne Beil at [email protected].

Racunas Honored at 2015 G.I.B.S.O.N Awards & Negro League Gala, September 2015
Robert V. Racunas, director of Neighborhood Legal Services Association, Pittsburgh, was honored by the Josh Gibson Foundation at its biannual G.I.B.S.O.N Awards & Negro League Gala, recognizing Racunas in the G.I.B.S.O.N Awards Community Service category for his work providing civil legal aid to victims of domestic violence and low-income families in southwestern Pennsylvania. Read more about the award.

PBA Pro Bono Awards Presentations, Photos in Allegheny County, Summer 2015

Nominations Sought for 2015 Allegheny County Bar Association Pro Bono Achievement Awards; Nominations Due By July 31
Get more information.

Poverty Simulation, July 28, 2015
The Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services will present a poverty simulation, a unique experience designed to empower volunteers to assist families living with very low incomes. Participants will assume various roles in families who are struggling to survive from week to week on very little. They will be given "play" money and fictional scenarios, and then must navigate through four 20-minute "weeks," balancing and negotiating the basic needs of daily life: food, housing, employment, child care, transportation, doctor visits, emergencies, etc. Go to https://www.acba.org/CLE-Events/Event-Info/sessionaltcd/NON150728PBCPovSim to register. Registration deadline: July 27.

23rd Annual ACBA Golf Tournament and 3rd Annual Bocce Tournament, July 20, 2015
Plan to join the Allegheny County Bar Association for its 23rd Annual Golf Tournament and 3rd Annual Bocce Tournament on Monday, July 20, 2015 at the Diamond Run Golf Club, 132 Laurel Oak Drive, Sewickley, Pa. The event offers a day of golf, food, prizes and camaraderie � all for a great cause! Not a fan of golf? That�s okay, because a bocce competition is also being offered for the third consecutive year. Don�t miss out on what promises to be a wonderful event! Proceeds benefit the pro bono legal programs of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and Neighborhood Legal Services Association. For more information, see http://www.acbf.org/Attorney_Services/GolfTournament/2015_Tournament.asp.

Pro Bono Fair in Pittsburgh, April 15, 2015
The Allegheny County Bar Association/Allegheny County Bar Foundation Public Service Committee will be holding its second annual Pro Bono Fair on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 5-7pm, at Olive or Twist! in Pittsburgh. Please plan to attend this happy hour to discover all of the volunteer possibilities that await you through the Pro Bono Center. Representatives from many of the programs will be on-hand to answer any questions that you have about their volunteer opportunities. Current volunteers who bring a non-volunteer with them to the event will be entered into a special drawing. The committee also will be recognizing the pro bono efforts of law students from both Duquesne University School of Law and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Please RSVP by April 8, 2015. For more information, visit the Pro Bono Center webpage or contact Liz Gaetani, pro bono coordinator, at [email protected].

PBA 2015 A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Cooper Meets with Students, April 10, 2015
Diversity law consultant Carl G. Cooper, center, is shown below with students from Manchester Academic Charter School (MACS) of Pittsburgh (students, left to right, are Kira Joseph, Zhaemar Washington, Dorian Boyce and Micah Baldwin), on April 10 at the PBA�s 27th Annual Minority Attorney Conference in Pittsburgh, where Cooper was awarded the A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award for his work promoting diversity in the legal profession. Cooper champions a diversity pipeline law-related education program at MACS and the school is in the process of implementing the PBA's Project PEACE Program. Project PEACE, a partnership of the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the PBA and the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, is a peer mediation, anti-bullying and youth court training program that in Pennsylvania schools and communities enhances the skills of non-violent conflict resolution and active civic engagement that are necessary for productive citizenship. This public-private partnership introduces dispute resolution techniques first to elementary school students throughout the commonwealth while promoting anti-bullying prevention education in the schools. Youth courts, where students serve as jurors, judges and attorneys handling real-life cases involving their peers, are then introduced as students move into middle school.

Allegheny County Events During National Pro Bono Week, Oct. 19-25, 2014
    Oct 20: Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership Annual Breakfast Meeting: The Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership annual breakfast meeting will be held on Oct. 20, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., at the law firm of K&L Gates, 210 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh. A one-hour CLE credit is available for this program, which is free for attendees. The program this year will focus on the partnership's numerous and ever-growing projects, with discussion on how its collaborations have enabled its programs to help hundreds of families gain access to legal services despite tremendous funding cuts to legal services. To RSVP for the breakfast or to learn more about the partnership, contact Barbara Kern at [email protected] or 412-586-6138 with your attorney ID number.
    Oct 21: Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon - ACBA/ACBF: The Public Service Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association will thank and recognize volunteers who provided pro bono services to low-income clients in the past year through Pro Bono Center member organizations and ACBA/ACBF projects. A luncheon will be held on Oct. 21, noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, Pittsburgh. This event is FREE to Pro Bono Center volunteers and will include a buffet luncheon and remarks from Chief Judge Jeffery A. Deller of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Pennsylvania. Join your fellow volunteers in celebration of your commitment to helping low-income residents of Allegheny County. RSVP by Oct. 14 to Linda Fletcher at [email protected].
    Oct. 22: Law Day 2015 Planning Meeting, Allegheny County Bar Association Public Service Committee
    Oct. 23: Pro Bono Rocks! Get more information.
    Oct. 24: Jeans for Justice Day

2014 Pro Bono Achievement Awards Presented Sept. 16, 2014
The Allegheny County Bar Association recognized the winners of the ACBA 2014 Pro Bono Achievement Awards at the 2014 Fellows Grand Reception and Dinner, which was held on Sept. 16 at the LeMont restaurant in Pittsburgh. The awards recognize individuals, law firms, legal departments and organizations making significant contributions to enhancing the provision of free legal services to low-income residents of Allegheny County in the past year. The award recipients are:

  • Amy Carpenter, Esq., Lorraine M. Bittner Public Interest Attorney Award
  • Sarah Carlins, Esq., Jane F. Hepting Individual Pro Bono Award
  • Meyer Unkovic & Scott LLP, Pro Bono Achievement Organization Award
  • Heather Fink (Edgar Snyder & Associates), Paralegal Pro Bono Award
  • Jones Day Veterans Legal Clinic, Special Service Pro Bono Award
  • Emily Jeannette Kaufmann, Esq., Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award
  • Jill Lipman Beck, Esq., Outstanding Public Service Award

The keynote speaker at the event was Deirdri Fishel, Centre County domestic violence detective and narrator of �Telling Amy�s Story,� a documentary about events leading up to a 2001 domestic violence homicide in State College.

Learn to represent victims of domestic violence, April 25, 2014
"Helping Domestic Violence Victims Obtain Protection Orders"

This course trains attorneys to obtain final protection from abuse orders (PFAs) for victims of domestic violence. It is open to all attorneys interested in volunteering for NLSA's PFA program. The law firm of K&L Gates will host the training at 210 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15219, on Friday, April 25, 2014, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (registration from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.). CLE CREDITS: 3 substantive, 1 ethics. REGISTRATION FEE: Free for attorneys or paralegals volunteering to take PFA referrals; $80 for non-volunteers; $20 for non-volunteers who do not want CLE credit.

KD & You and the Law, April 15, 2014
The 30th annual KD & You and the Law telethon will be held in Pittsburgh on April 15, noon to 6 p.m. at KDKA-TV studios in Gateway Center. Volunteers from the Allegheny County Bar Association will provide free assistance to callers with legal questions. Whether you are a veteran volunteer of this event or a newcomer, event organizers can use your help. Attorneys in all areas of the law are needed, but those specializing in family law, elder law, bankruptcy, real estate, and employment are especially needed due to a high volume of calls in those areas. Fifteen volunteers are needed for each shift. The available shifts are noon to 2 p.m., 2 to 4 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. To volunteer, contact Denise Velez at [email protected] or 412-402-6687 and let her know which two-hour shift you can work and the areas in which you feel most comfortable receiving calls.

YLD's �Carnivale! Benefits Pro Bono Center, April 10, 2014
The Allegheny County Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division proudly announces the 2014 �Carnivale! to be held on April 10, 2014 from 5:30- 8:30 p.m. at the Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, Pittsburgh. �Carnivale! promises to be a festive and fun evening of Monte Carlo entertainment along with raffles, drinks and appetizers with all proceeds directly benefiting the Allegheny County Bar Foundation's Pro Bono Center. The center's mission is to provide well-trained attorney volunteers to help meet the legal needs of low income individuals in Allegheny County.

Custody Conciliation Pro Bono Project CLE, April 10, 2014
A training program will be held for new and current volunteers for the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership's Custody Conciliation Project, which provides attorneys to help low-income parents settle custody cases, thereby avoiding further litigation and relieving children of the difficult experience of a protracted custody dispute. The time commitment is very reasonable; attorneys enter an appearance in the case for the limited purpose of the conciliation only. The program will be provided by Neighborhood Legal Services Association and hosted by the Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Academy Room, City-County Building, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, on Thursday, April 10, 9-11:45 a.m. Presenters include experienced family law attorneys and project volunteers. The training will include a roundtable discussion of issues commonly encountered in custody conciliation cases.

Community Legal Clinic at Homewood-Brushton YMCA, March 29, 2014
Volunteer lawyers from the Homer S. Brown Division of the Allegheny County Bar Association will offer free legal consultations and education on Saturday, March 29, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Homewood-Brushton YMCA, 7140 Bennett Street, Pittsburgh. Attendees will have the opportunity to sit down with a licensed attorney and receive guidance on how to resolve legal problems they might be facing. Informational group sessions will also be offered on the topics of family law (11-11:45 a.m.); the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants (noon-12:45 p.m.); and clearing criminal records (1-1:45 p.m.). This annual legal clinic is named in honor of Derrick A. Bell, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Dr. Bell was a civil rights lawyer and professor who pioneered scholarship on the intersection of race and justice.

Pro Bono Fair, March 19, 2014
The Public Service Committee's Pro Bono Fair will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 5-7:30 p.m. at Olive or Twist, 140 Sixth Street, Pittsburgh. Representatives of the various Pro Bono Center programs will be available to explain how the programs work and answer questions on getting involved. The Pro Bono Center and other programs regularly offer training, mentoring, and shadowing opportunities for volunteers.

�Wills for Heroes� Event, Feb. 8, 2014
The PBA Young Lawyers Division and the Wills for Heroes Foundation, with sponsorship by Ballard Spahr LLP, is holding a series of �Wills for Heroes� events across Pennsylvania. At these events, free wills and powers of attorney are prepared for police officers, firefighters and other first responders who risk their lives every day to make sure our communities are safe. Programs are staffed by lawyer volunteers and are conveniently offered to first responders at meeting halls and police and fire stations. At these events volunteer lawyers will be conducting a program for all active and retired Pennsylvania first responders, all sworn personnel and their spouses, partners or significant others (please note that proof of affiliation will be requested at the event). For more information on the program, visit the Wills for Heroes Foundation at www.willsforheroes.org or the PBA website at www.pabar.org/public/yld/Projects/willsforheroesyld.asp. Following is information on an event in Allegheny County. If you have questions about this event, contact Angel Revelant at [email protected].
     Feb. 8, for the City of Pittsburgh Police, at the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, 1203 Western Ave., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pro Bono Rocks! Battle of the Attorney Bands in Pittsburgh, Nov. 9, 2013
Tickets are now on sale for Pro Bono Rocks! Battle of the Attorney Bands to be held at The Showroom, Dave & Buster's at the Waterfront in Pittsburgh, Nov. 9, 6:30-11 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, which creates and manages programs that match low-income individuals facing critical legal issues with volunteer attorneys and legal services programs. Find out more about the event on the foundation website. To become a sponsor, or for more information about the event, contact Erin Rhodes at (412) 402-6641 or [email protected].

ACBA Pro Bono Achievement Award Winners to be Honored Sept. 17, 2013
The Allegheny County Bar Association has announced the winners of the 2013 ACBA Pro Bono Achievement Awards. The awards recognize individuals, law firms, legal departments and organizations for making significant contributions to enhancing the provision of free legal services to low-income residents of Allegheny County in the past year. The following awardees will be recognized at the 2013 Fellows Dinner, which will feature civil rights activist Bob Zellner as speaker at Pittsburgh�s LeMont restaurant on Sept. 17:

  • Janet Goode, Esq. (Christian Legal Aid of Pittsburgh), recipient of the Lorraine M. Bittner Public Interest Attorney Award;
  • Jane Charlton, Esq., recipient of the Jane F. Hepting Individual Pro Bono Award;
  • Tucker Arensberg PC, recipient of the Organization Pro Bono Award;
  • Jamie Lynn Roberts (FedEx Ground), recipient of the Administrative Assistant Pro Bono Award; and
  • Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership's Criminal Records Expungement Project, recipient of the New Initiative Pro Bono Award.

Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership Among Award Recipients Named by Super Lawyers, May 2013
Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, has named the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership among the seven recipients of its second annual Pro Bono Awards. Read about the awards. Read about the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership, as featured in the digital edition of Super Lawyers magazine.

Gaetani Joins Allegheny County Bar Foundation, January 2013
The Allegheny County Bar Foundation has announced that attorney Elizabeth Parker Gaetani has joined the foundation as assistant pro bono coordinator. Read more on the probono.net website. Gaetani can be reached at (412) 402-6628 or [email protected].

Ward, Hazlewood Receive 2012 Pro Bono Awards, Dec. 3, 2012
Thomas J. Ward and Jason E. Hazlewood each were presented with a 2012 PBA Pro Bono Award during a pro bono meeting in Pittsburgh, Dec. 3. Pictured below are Ward (first photo) and Hazlewood (second photo) receiving their awards from Allegheny County Bar Association Public Service Committee Chair Jonathan S. McAnney (left) and PBA Pro Bono Coordinator David J. Trevaskis. Read Trevaskis's remarks at the presentation.



2012 ACBA Pro Bono Achievement Award Winners to be Honored Sept. 27
The Allegheny County Bar Association has announced the winners of the 2012 ACBA Pro Bono Achievement awards. These awards recognize individuals, law firms, legal departments and organizations that have made significant contributions to enhancing the provision of free legal services to low-income residents of Allegheny County in the past year. Click here for more information, including the list of this year's winners to be recognized at the 2012 Fellows Grand Reception on Sept. 27, with the featured speaker to be Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch.

'The Wills Project' - Training in Essential Personal Document, Pittsburgh, June 22
Neighborhood Legal Services Association will be presenting its Summer 2012 Seminar titled "The Wills Project" - Training in Essential Personal Documents in Pittsburgh, June 22, 2012. The session offers 2.5 substantive CLE credits. Get more information.

Top 10 Reasons Lawyers Don't (and Do) Do Pro Bono, 2012
Top 10 PowerPoint; Responses to the Top 10 Reasons

Celebrate Pro Bono Volunteers, May 1, 2012
The Public Service Committee will thank and recognize volunteers who provide pro bono services to low-income clients through Pro Bono Center member organizations and projects. Save the date: May 1, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., SPACE Gallery, 812 Liberty Avenue.

Allegheny County Bar Foundation Pro Bono Center e-newsletter

"Special Protections for Immigrant Victims of Violence," March 23, 2012
Every day, immigrant women suffer domestic abuse from their spouses. Many of them are unaware that domestic violence is illegal in the United States, and most are unaware that there is assistance available to them regardless of their immigration status. Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), victims of domestic violence who are married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident are eligible to apply for immigration status and even a green card independent of their abusive spouses. If you are interested in helping a victim of domestic violence navigate the immigration processes to become a permanent resident, please attend our training on March 23, 2012, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the Allegheny County Bar Association. The program will be presented by Sheila Velez Martinez, Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Breakfast will be served.

Volunteers needed at NLSA
The Neighborhood Legal Services Association is in need of volunteer attorneys to assist at its Debt Advice Clinic. The clinic meets twice a month on Wednesday evenings. Attorneys are needed between 5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Assisting at these clinics is an excellent way for attorneys to fulfill pro bono obligations. The volunteer time is limited to two hours; it involves giving advice only. No preparation or follow-up is required and it does not interfere with normal business hours. NLSA is asking that attorneys volunteer only twice a year. Numerous other case-handling and civil legal volunteer opportunities are available at NLSA. You can help transform the lives of domestic violence victims as well as the lives of low-income individuals and families with urgent legal problems.

ACBA Disaster Legal Assistance Manual for Volunteer Attorneys, 2011

Nov. 5, 2011: In Pittsburgh, Pro Bono Rocks!
Pro Bono Rocks! returns to Pittsburgh with a Battle of the Attorney Bands. Get more information, including a link for ticket purchase.

The Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership's Annual Breakfast Meeting, Oct. 18, 2011
This year's program focuses on the pro bono programs of corporate legal departments and includes a panel of in-house attorneys from Alcoa, CBS, FedEx Ground, UPMC and others. Find out more.

ACBA Pro Bono Center e-newsletter of Oct. 12, 2011

ACBA Pro Bono Achievement Award Winners Honored at Fellows Grand Reception, Sept. 27, 2011
The Allegheny County Bar Association has announced the winners of the 2011 ACBA Pro Bono Achievement awards. Click here for information on the reception honoring the award winners. The awards and recipients are: Lorraine M. Bittner Public Interest Attorney Award - Eleanor Grainy, Esq. (to be awarded posthumously); Jane F. Hepting Individual Pro Bono Award - Frederick A. Miller, Esq.; Organization Pro Bono Award - FedEx Ground; Special Service Pro Bono Award - Jason E. Hazlewood, Esq.; Special Service Pro Bono Award - Thomas J. Ward, Esq.

Lunch and Learn About Pro Bono
The Pro Bono Center of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation held an informative session about pro bono programs and volunteer opportunities in Allegheny County with Pro Bono Coordinator Barbara Griffin on Sept. 16, 2011. Click here for information, as posted to PAprobono.net.

Law and Process of Refugee Adjustment of Status Applications, April 29, 2011

Allegheny County Bar Foundation Pro Bono Center Forms, 2011
    Survey Assessing Need for a Legal Clinic
    Application for Services

Allegheny County Bar Foundation Pro Bono Center e-newsletter

Allegheny County Bar Foundation Grants, 2011

2010 National Pro Bono�Week Allegheny County �Thanks a Latte�
Allegheny County Bar Foundation pro bono guru Barbara Griffin celebrated National Pro Bono Week by honoring volunteers at various legal aid sites with coffee and other goodies, all part of her "Thanks A Latte" effort.

Allegheny County Bar Association Pro Bono Achievement Award Winners Honored at Fellows Grand Reception, Sept. 27, 2010

18th Annual Allegheny County Bar Association Golf Tournament, July 26, 2010
Allegheny County Bar Foundation Accepting Pro Bono Achievement Award Nominations, June 2010

2010 Pro Bono Celebration of Volunteers Program; PBA News Release; Awards Photos from the Event, May 19, 2010

Letter of Aug. 3, 2009, Thanking the ACBA for Assistance through the Residents Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program

Pittsburgh NLSA�s Older & Wiser Program Wins 2010 Emil Gumpert Award
The Pittsburgh Neighborhood Legal Services Association�s Older & Wiser program is the winner of the 2010 Emil Gumpert Award of $50,000 funded by a grant from the Foundation of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Find out more about the award. Read about the award in the "The Journal of the Allegheny County Bar Association."

ACBA Volunteer Appreciation Event in Pittsburgh May 19, 2010
The Allegheny County Bar Association Public Service Committee will thank and recognize volunteers who provided pro bono services to low-income clients in the past year through ACBA Pro Bono Center member organizations and projects. The law firm of Reed Smith is graciously providing the venue for this event, which is free to volunteers. Event information: Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 5-7 p.m., Reed Smith Centre, 3 PNC Plaza, 225 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh. Join us on the outdoor terrace of the new Reed Smith Centre. The event will feature great food, spectacular city views, live music, door prizes, and more. The Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Office will present the 2010 PBA Pro Bono Awards to Pittsburgh-area winners.

2010 ABA Award Goes to Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership
The American Bar Association has selected the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership as a recipient of a John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award for 2010. Click here for the ABA announcement.

Pro Bono Rocks! Raises More Than $6,400
The Allegheny County Bar Foundation hosted Pro Bono Rocks! on Nov. 6, 2009. It was a fun event that raised much-needed funds to maintain programs providing free legal services to low-income residents of area communities. Over 185 guests walked the red carpet past "screaming fans" to enjoy the music and moves of "Who's Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band." Special kudos to the members of the Pro Bono Rocks Steering Committee (Aaron Asher, Ellen Doyle, Ron Jones, Barbara Payne, Melaine Rothey, Jeff Weimer, Regina Wilson, Michelle Yarbrough) and to our sponsors: Reed Smith L.L.P.; USI Affinity; Dickie McCamey & Chilcote P.C.; Goehring Rutter & Boehm; Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti; and Thorp Reed & Armstrong, L.L.P.

Allegheny County Pro Bono Award Winners
PBA Zone Governor Hal Coffey, PBA Legal Services to the Public Committee Vice Chair Iva Munk and PBA Pro Bono Coordinator David Trevaskis made a special presentation before the Allegheny County Bar Association's Public Interest Committee to honor Pittsburgh based Pro Bono Award winners on Nov. 16, 2009. Click here for photos of the award winners. Photos by Drew Hardman; reprint permission granted by the Allegheny County Bar Association.

October 2009 is Pro Bono Month in Allegheny County
The Allegheny County Bar Association has taken the American Bar Association's National Pro Bono Celebration from a one week highlighting of pro bono to a month full of meetings, trainings and events, all designed to encourage, increase and support attorney participation in the provision of free legal services to low-income individuals and families. To add to the fun, several firms including Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti and Reed Smith are hosting "dress-down days," when attorneys and staff members may make a donation to the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and wear jeans or other casual attire to work. Then the ACBA will wrap up the month with Pro Bono Rocks! on Nov. 6 at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Pro Bono Partnership�s Wills Project Assists Local Low-Income Residents, ACBA 'Journal,' April 10, 2009
Bar Leadership Initiative Class Serves the Public on Pro Bono Day, ACBA 'Journal,' March 27, 2009
Attorney Form for Programs Not Covered by ACBA Insurance, 2009

Oliver Receives 2008 Jane F. Hepting Pro Bono Award
Lindsay Oliver, an attorney in the Pittsburgh office of Cohen & Grigsby, has received the 2008 Jane F. Hepting Individual Pro Bono Award from the Allegheny County Bar Foundation for her pro bono representation of indigent clients at a low-income legal aid clinic sponsored by Christian Legal Aid of Pittsburgh. The award honors her commitment to public service. "This honor speaks volumes about Lindsay�s dedication, character and compassion for serving others," said Jack Elliott, president and CEO of Cohen & Grigsby. "Lindsay�s efforts are a clear example of the culture of giving that we support at the firm. Oliver is an associate in the firm�s business practice group, focusing on financial transactions that include commercial lending, leasing arrangements and structured finance. She received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, her M.B.A. from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh and her B.S. in finance from the University of Pittsburgh.

Pro Se Help, 2008
The Pro Se Clinic is staffed by students the from the Duquesne University and University of Pittsburgh law schools who are supervised by experienced, volunteer family-law attorneys who are members of the Allegheny County bar Association's Family Law Section. The clinic run by a full-time family law attorney who is a court employee. The program, which provides advice and assistance but not direct representation, sees about 2,700 clients per year. The program director is Barbara Payne, [email protected].

Limited Appearance Praecipe for a Custody Conciliation (Form), January 2008
Custody Conciliation Limited Retainer Agreement (Form), January 2008
ACBA Pro Bono Resolution 2007
2007 ACBA LRAP Program Overview
2007 ACBA LRAP Program Application
Maureen Kelly Receives Susan B. Anthony Award, Feb. 20, 2007
2006 Allegheny County Pro Bono Award Winners
Racunas Receives Pitt Law's Distinguished Alumni Award, Oct. 21, 2006
Comments by Vincent J. Grogan, National Adoption Day Forum, Nov. 15, 2006
ACBA Disaster Legal Assistance Manual for Volunteer Attorneys
Article on the Disaster Legal Assistance Manual, August 2006
Pro Bono Partnership
Pittsburgh Corporate Pro Bono
Allegheny County Bar Foundation Presents Public Service Award for Pro Bono Legal Assistance
County Bar Contact Information
Lawyers on Loan Program
New Immigration Asylum Project
Formation of an ACBA Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
PBA Pro Bono Award
Pro Bono Award Presentation
Katrina Aid
PBA & ACBA Collaborate to Advance Pro Bono Work
Allegheny County Pro Bono Center e-newsletter Archive
KDKA Military and Veterans Legal Advice Day
ACBA Pro Bono Resolution 1990