May 12, 2006

Access to Justice Commission

May 12, 2006

Present: Fred Baumann, Kate Arganese, Kathleen Schoen, Ilene Bloom, JoAnn Vogt, Constance Talmage, Barney Iuppa, Diana Poole, Dan Taubman, Darla Benford, Dave Butler.  Phone: Candice Sparks, Jim Peters, Bill Alexander, Mary Ann Corey, Angie Arkin, Aaron Clay.

I. Approve Minutes of March 10, 2006 Meeting
The minutes from March 10, 2006, were approved by the Commission.

II. Reports

A. The 2006 ABA Equal Justice Conference

1. Constance Talmage, Colorado Lawyers Committee, attended the conference and reported to the Commission that over 900 people attended the conference.  In addition, she informed the Commission that the “Dine Around” session organized by the Philadelphia Bar Association was particularly useful in networking with a multitude of attendees.  The Commission will suggest a similar program to the Planning Committee for the 2007 Equal Justice Conference to be held in Denver.
2. Ilene Bloom, Chair ATJ Education Committee, reported on the sessions that she attended.  She found the sessions regarding encouraging retiring attorneys to get involved with pro bono work, the role of the media in ATJ Commissions and Committees, and interpreters and the services they provide to minority clients particularly applicable.
3. Dan Taubman, Colorado Court of Appeals, reported that the Access to Justice State Session had its largest turnout ever: 100 people.  He reported that 20 states have successfully founded ATJC’s and 5 more are in the initial introductory phases.
4. Kath Schoen, CBA, reported that the Colorado ATJC is ahead of the curve in comparison to other ATJC’s around the nation.  In addition, she informed the Commission that planning for the 2007 Equal Justice Conference to be held in Denver has already begun.  The Planning Committee is currently comprised of: Jon Asher, Kate Arganese, Kath Schoen, Chuck Turner, Dana Collier Smith, Pam Gagel, Dan Taubman, Ilene Bloom, JoAnn Vogt, and Connie Talmage.

B. Access to Justice in Colorado – Local Perspectives and Initiatives Conference: May 19-20, 2006

1. Dan Taubman informed the Commission of the agenda for the conference.  This conference is the first of its kind in the nation.  Currently, there are 36 people registered for the conference and 63 people registered for the dinner banquet portion.

III. Other Committee Reports

A. Education Committee:

1. Ilene Bloom reported that the ATJ Education Committee has extended the deadline to May 12, 2006 at 5 p.m. for applications to win a free Bar Refresher Course.  Six applicants from the University of Colorado Law School and six applicants from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law have applied.  One winner from each school will be chosen. 
2. Recently, the University of Colorado honored over 70 students that volunteered 50 hours of pro bono service: over 2500 hours total.  Members from the Commission that attended include JoAnn Vogt, Constance Talmage, Greg Hobbs, and Ilene Bloom. 
3. The Education Committee is beginning work on a legislative project.  Pam Gagel is chairing this project.  The Committee is considering collaboration with the Resource Committee on this project and will be contacting Michael Valdez, CBA Director of Legislative Relations, to discuss the project further.  The Committee will produce a written proposal for this project at the next ATJC meeting.
4. Mary Ann Corey reported that she would like to join the ATJ Education Committee.  Kate Arganese will add her to the membership list.
5. Constance Talmage reported that the University of Denver School of Law’s new Director of Public Interest is Irene Kawanabe.  Irene is the former Associate Director of the Colorado Lawyers Committee.

B. Resource Committee: Fred Baumann reported that the Resource Committee is currently prioritizing its projects for the coming year.  In addition, the Resource Committee recently appointed Fred Baumann as their new Chair.

C. Local Access to Justice Support Committee

1. Dan Taubman informed the Commission that he recently met with Judge Angie Arkin from the 18th Judicial District to discuss forming a Local ATJ Committee.  JoAnn Schmitz from the 4th Judicial District and Jennifer Rice from the 8th Judicial District accompanied Dan at this meeting.  They will meet again in June to discuss further coordination and funding.  Darla Benford, ATJC, volunteered to assist the 18th Judicial District’s new Local ATJ Committee.
2. Dan informed the Commission that several Local ATJ Committees are promoting events to support the law firm pledge to pro bono, including:

a. Colorado Springs is expecting 40 attendees and Chief Judge Martinez, Judge Miller, Judge Taubman, and Judge Iuppa will attend the event to held the week of May 15;
b. Glenwood Springs is planning an event for June and Justice Hobbs may attend;
c. Aspen is planning an event for June and Justice Hobbs may attend; and
d. Larimer County is in the initial planning phases for a similar event.

3. Dan and Aaron volunteered to revise the “ABA Principles of a State System for the Delivery of Civil Legal Aid” and the accompanying “Self Assessment Tool” to be more relevant to local ATJ committees.  These will be distributed to local ATJ committees.

D. Courthouse Committee:

1. Angie Arkin, co-Chair of ATJ Courthouse Committee, reported that this Committee has continued to focus its attentions on interpreter services: SCAO is in the final drafting stages of a CJD addressing interpreter services that will be presented to the Chief Justice in June. 
2. The Committee formed a sub-Committee to address a request from the Chief Justice to look at a proposal from University of Denver Law School to amend to Rule 226 to allow first year night-law students to appear before the court.  Angie met with Howard Rosenberg, Professor at University of Denver School of Law, to discuss this issue.  She expressed concern that first year night students would require a great deal of attorney supervision.  Professor Rosenberg said he would look into the issue further and get back to her.  The subcommittee is waiting a response from University of Denver School of Law before proceeding any further.
3. The Ad Hoc Committee is looking at modifying the comment to CRPC 6.1 to encourage corporate counsel to provide pro bono services.

IV. Chair’s Report

A. JoAnn reported that a proposed rule change to Rule 222, proposed by John Gleason, recently passed to allow out of state attorneys to provide pro bono service to indigent clients.
B. JoAnn reported that the CLE Board has agreed to give CLE credit for the pro bono activities of the Faculty of Federal Advocates, and the FFA has thanked the ATJC for its support in persuading the Board to do so.
C. She informed the Commission that Kath Schoen has produced a flyer encouraging new admittees to become involved in pro bono activities.  This flyer will be distributed at the Swearing-In Ceremony in May.

V. Other Business

A. Kathleen Schoen presented a proposal for the future structure and enhancement of ATJC.  The proposal is intended as a discussion tool. 
B. JoAnn Vogt asked all the Committees to review the proposal and to create a proposal of how it could apply to their Committee.  These proposals will be discussed at the ATJ Retreat.
C. Kathleen Schoen introduced another proposal regarding the ATJC partnering with the DBA Young Lawyers Division on Law Day events.  This would be a great opportunity for the Commission to educate the public; therefore, it is being considered by the Education Committee as a future project.  This proposal will be discussed further at the next meeting of the Commission.
D. The Commission was informed that Lexis-Nexis Martindale-Hubbell will be awarding a $15,000 grant for a public interest project in June and December.  The Resource Committee will investigate this and report on their findings at the Commissions next meeting.
E. A date for the ATJC Annual Retreat was decided on: November 10, 2006.  No times or venue have been decided at this point.
F. Connie informed the Commission that the Colorado Lawyers Committee was asked by the Colorado Association of Corporate Counsel to create a CLE focusing on areas of the law often needed by low-income people.
G. The Access to Justice Commission resolved to solicit support for the two documents listed below separately by means of an email vote of the Commission.  Dan Taubman will draft the language to accompany the email that JoAnn will send out with an additional comment.  All votes should be sent to Kate Arganese, CBA, for tally. If approved, Dan will write the letter supporting the acceptance by the ABA House of Delegates, and send to JoAnn for signature, of the following resolutions:

1. “That the American Bar Association urges state, territorial and federal jurisdictions to provide counsel as a matter of right at public expense to low income persons in those categories of adversarial proceedings where basic human needs are at stake, such as those involving shelter, sustenance, safety, health or child custody.”
2. “That the American Bar Association adopts the PRINCIPLES OF A STATE SYSTEM FOR THE DELIVERY OF CIVIL LEGAL AID, dated August 2006… [And] That the American Bar Association recommends that the Access to Justice Commission or the appropriate entity in each jurisdiction use the PRINCIPLES OF A STATE SYSTEM FOR THE DELIVERY OF CIVIL LEGAL AID to assess their state system, to expand and improve it, and to ensure ongoing planning for and oversight of its development.”

VI. The next meeting is July 14, 2006 at Noon. The meeting will be located at the CBA offices (1900 Grant Street, Suite 900, Denver, CO, 80203).