March 10, 2006
Access to Justice Commission
March 10, 2006
Present: Kate Arganese, Kathleen Schoen, Greg Martin, JoAnn Vogt, Dave Butler, Pam Gagel, Diana Poole, Constance Talmage, Jon Asher, Karen DuWaldt, John Zakhem, Darla Benford, Fred Baumann, Dan Taubman, Ilene Bloom, Greg Hobbs. By Phone: Barney Iuppa, Bill Alexander, Aaron Clay. Guest: Cynthia Honssinger.
I. Introductions
JoAnn Vogt, Chair of the Access to Justice Commission, welcomed newly appointed Commissioner Fred Bauman, appointed by the Colorado Legal Aid Foundation. Also, she welcomed Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Honssinger.
II. Approve January 13, 2006 Minutes
The minutes from January 13, 2006 were approved by the Commission.
III. Reports
A. Jon Asher, Colorado Legal Services, reported for Justice Greg Hobbs that the law firm pro bono kick-off event on February 27, 2006 was very successful. Speakers at the event included: JoAnn Vogt; Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey; Jon Asher; Justice Greg Hobbs; and Constance Talmage, Colorado Lawyers Committee. Over fifty attended the event, some traveling from out of town, to attend. Currently, thirty firms have agreed to participate and support the amended CRPC 6.1’s annual goal of fifty hours of pro bono legal service per attorney per firm performed primarily for indigent persons and/or organizations serving indigent persons This list will be published in the April Edition of The Colorado Lawyer In addition, beginning in 2007, the Court will recognize annually those law firms and solo practitioners who inform the Court by February 15th of each year that their attorneys, on average, performed fifty hours of such pro bono legal service during the prior year.
B. Greg Hobbs reported that the Ad Hoc Committee will continue to follow-up with law firms and consider ways to approach corporate and government attorneys. JoAnn Vogt will write a letter to Alan Ogden asking CLE Board for their support. In addition, the Committee will be contacting John Gleason, Attorney Regulation Counsel, to inquire about possible collaboration.
C. Cindy Honssinger informed the Commission that the Colorado Attorney General’s Office was pleased with the amendment to CRCP 6.1 and offered their support of this amendment. Briefly, she discussed some of the restrictions that government attorneys encounter in trying to provide pro bono services. She is open to suggestions from the Commission that will help address these issues.
1. Ilene Bloom, Chair of Access to Justice Education Committee, suggested several resources that will help clarify the guidelines for government attorneys.
2. Darla Benford, Access to Justice Commissioner, suggested that government attorneys contact the CBA Paralegal Committee for assistance.
3. Constance Talmage, Colorado Lawyers Committee, suggested that government attorneys contact the Colorado Lawyers Committee for a listing of programs that would fulfill the requirements of 6.1.
D. Dan Taubman reported on the progress of the upcoming Local Access to Justice Support Committee Conference to be held on May 19th and 20th. Since the last meeting, the Committee has secured the Warwick Hotel in Denver as the venue and has secured another keynote speaker, Deborah Hankinson from the Texas Access to Justice Commission. Also, Dan handed out copies of the tentative agenda to Commissioners. In addition, Kathleen Schoen informed the Commission that the CBA will be offering $200 reimbursements to Local ATJ Support Committee members that are traveling long distances to partake in the Conference. The flyer/invitations for this event will be ready by March 22, 2006 for distribution. For more information on this event, please visit the following link: http://www.cobar.org/group/display.cfm?GenID=7726.
IV. Other Committee Reports
A. Education Committee
1. The Committee has secured two scholarships from the Bar BRI for the Colorado Bar Refresher Course that will be given to students that show an interest in public interest law. JoAnn Vogt will write a letter thanking them for their donation.
2. Ilene informed the Commission that CU is organizing a Pro Bono Recognition Ceremony in the beginning of April to recognize the students involved in the Lend-A-Law Student Program. Justice Hobbs, Justice Martinez, Judge Vogt, and Connie Talmage will be attending and making brief presentations.
3. For more updates on this Committee, please visit the minutes from their previous meeting at the following link: http://www.cobar.org/group/display.cfm?GenID=7996.
B. Resource Development Committee
This Committee welcomes two new members: Fred Baumann and Diana Poole. The Committee will meet soon to select a new chair and discuss their projects.
C. Courts Committee
1. Barney Iuppa, Chair of Access to Justice Courts Committee, reported that the Committee has formed a sub-committee to address a possible amendment to Rule 226.
2. The Committee is working closely with SCAO as they continue to draft a CJD in regards to interpreters.
3. Also, he reported that the Committee was focusing its efforts on signage within the court houses: they are considering collaboration with the Local ATJ Support Committee on this effort.
4. For more updates on this Committee, please visit the minutes from their previous meeting at the following link: http://www.cobar.org/group/display.cfm?GenID=7997.
D. Local Access to Justice Support Committee
1. Dan Taubman reported that he is having a planning session on May 11th with Judge Angela Arkin from Douglas County regarding future efforts to found a new Local Access to Justice Committee in Douglas County. Dan invited any members from current Local ATJ’s to attend.
2. The Committee has been assisting other Local ATJ Support Committees in their efforts to host similar “kick-off” events for the additional comment to CRPC 6.1.
3. For more updates on other local committees around the state, please visit the minutes from their previous meeting at the following link: http://www.cobar.org/group/display.cfm?GenID=7818.
V. Chair’s Report
A. JoAnn reported that the 2006 Equal Justice Conference in Philadelphia is set for March 28-April 2, 2006. The following Commissioners will be attending the conference: Ilene Bloom, Pam Gagel, Dan Taubman, Constance Talmage, and Jon Asher. If any Commissioners not attending are interested in a particular session listed on the agenda, they are to contact Pam Gagel. Please visit the following link to view the agenda: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/ejc/agenda_2006.html. The dates for the 2007 Equal Justice Conference to be held in Denver, Colorado are March 22-24, 2007.
B. JoAnn asked new Commissioners if they would be interested in joining any of the ATJ Committees: Fred Bauman and Diana Poole volunteered to join the Resource Committee and Karen DuWaldt volunteered to join the Ad Hoc and Education Committees.
VI. Discussion of ATJC 2007 Budget
Greg Martin, Colorado Bar Association staff, presented the 2007 budget for the Commission to the Commission. He asked the Commission to let him know if they have any questions about the current budget or any requests for a future budget.
A. The Commission decided to draft a proposal to request additional staff. Dan Taubman volunteered to draft this proposal.
VII. Other Business
The 18th Annual Barristers Benefit Ball will be on Saturday, April 29, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center. All proceeds from this ball benefit Metro Volunteer Lawyers, a legal assistance project sponsored by the Denver, Adams-Broomfield, Arapahoe County, Douglas-Elbert, and First Judicial Bar Associations. For more information, please contact Dana Collier Smith at 303.824.5318.
VIII. Next Meeting is May 12, 2006 at Noon. Located at the CBA offices (1900 Grant Street, Suite 900, Denver, CO, 80203).
