The Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program at The University of Texas School of Law, in conjunction with the American Bar Association’s week-long National Pro Bono Celebration, has planned several events for students and the community that highlight the role of Texas Law in delivering pro bono legal services. The Mithoff Program also is partnering with legal services providers in Austin to deliver free legal services during the National Pro Bono Celebration. The following events will take place during October 22-29:
DACA Clinic with the Equal Justice Center, October 22
Texas Law students will help undocumented students and graduates (aka “DREAMers”) complete applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, which, if granted, will enable them to secure protection from deportation as well as authorization to work legally.
School to Prison Pipeline Project with Texas Appleseed, October 22
Texas Law students will interview greater Austin elementary school students and their parents regarding students’ experiences with school district discipline systems.
Pizza and Pro Bono, October 24
The Mithoff Program will celebrate pro bono with free pizza in the Susman Godfrey Atrium. Pro bono student leaders will be available to answer questions about Pro Bono in January and other upcoming pro bono projects.
Texas Law INCLUDE Alternatives to Guardianship Clinic, October 24
Texas Law students will educate young adults with disability transitioning out of special education programs and their caregivers/supporters about guardianship and alternatives to it. Students will provide direct counseling to transitioning youth on alternatives to guardianship, and will assist in drafting and executing Supported Decision-Making agreements where appropriate and desired.
Celebrate Pro Bono Luncheon, October 25
Texas Law’s Annual Pro Bono Luncheon will feature a panel on “Pro Bono before the Supreme Court: Ivy v. Morath and Deaf Access to Driver Education and Licensing.” Representatives from Sanders Bajwa; Scott, Douglass & McConnico; Weil, Gotshal & Manges; the Texas Association of the Deaf; and the Texas Civil Rights Project will discuss Ivy v. Morath, a case that challenges Texas’s failure to require providers of state-mandated driver education courses to make their programming accessible to the deaf. The panel will focus on the litigation currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court and the different ways in which pro bono lawyers have contributed to the case. Law school community members who would like to attend the luncheon are asked to RSVP to Sarah Sedgwick at ssedgwick@law.utexas.edu.
Texas Law Expunction Clinic Work Session, October 25
Texas Law students will draft petitions and orders for expunction or nondisclosure of criminal records for eligible individuals who attended one of the Mithoff Program’s Expunction Intake Clinics in September.
Texas Law Trans Name and Gender Marker Clinic Work Session, October 26
Texas Law students will draft petition and order packets for name and gender marker changes for individuals who attended the Mithoff Program’s Trans Name and Gender Marker Intake Clinic in early October.
Pro “Boo-no” Week Party, October 27
The Mithoff Program will celebrate pro bono and Halloween with a candy buffet in the Susman Godfrey Atrium. Students may submit Pro Bono in January applications at this event.
Pro Bono in January Trip Application Deadline, October 27
Pro Bono in January is an annual winter break trip that gives law students the opportunity to engage in meaningful pro bono work in low-income communities. This year, the Mithoff Program will take approximately 50 students to the Texas Rio Grande Valley from January 7 to 13, 2017. Students will work with attorneys from the Texas Law faculty, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, and ProBAR to help low-income individuals draft wills and other documents to preserve their assets across generations; to help immigrants obtain visas, work permits, and other immigration relief; to assist low-income individuals accused of criminal offenses. Applications for Pro Bono in January 2017 are due by 5pm on Thursday, October 27.
Training on Therapeutic Client Interviewing with the Human Rights Law Society, October 28
Texas Law students will attend a training session on therapeutic client interviewing, with specific training on self-care strategies, client interviewing techniques, and how to respond to the trauma of colleagues. This training will help law students develop skills that will prepare them for pro bono projects, as well as for other legal work that involves clients who have experienced trauma. The training will be provided by the International Center for Mental Health and Human Rights in partnership with the Human Rights Law Society.
Immigrant Family Detention Legal Assistance Project with the Texas Law Immigration Clinic, October 29
Texas Law students will interview asylum seekers detained with their children in Karnes City, Texas and help them prepare for their initial credible fear interviews (CFIs), the first step in the asylum process.
Citizenship Drive with Casa Marianella Immigration Legal Services, October 29
Texas Law students will help qualifying individuals complete paperwork necessary for their application for United States citizenship.
About the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program at Texas Law
The Mithoff Program engages students in diverse pro bono work to build their professional knowledge and skills and to provide valuable legal assistance to the underserved. The school-wide program teaches all students about their ethical responsibility to serve the public and offers outstanding training and leadership opportunities to the next generation of lawyers.
Additional information about the Mithoff Program and its National Celebration of Pro Bono activities is available at law.utexas.edu/probono or by contacting Andrea Marsh, Mithoff Program Director, at (512) 232-6170 or amarsh@law.utexas.edu.