News and Highlights
Pro Bono News
Beginning in 2008, small tax-exempt groups (defined by the IRS as those with $25,000 or less in annual gross receipts) must complete a new electronic Form 990-N, called an e-Postcard, within 30 days of the close their tax year. Previously, such groups did not have to complete a filing. Please see the Philanthropy Journal article on this topic or the IRS website for additional information.
In the summer of 2007 the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Pro Bono Committee selected five applicants to receive mini-grants worth $5,000 for projects designed to increase the dispute resolution opportunities for low income and underserved populations. The mini-grants were made possible by a grant from the JAMS Foundation. Over the course of the year, these five programs were able to build upon existing relationships within their communities to develop greater support and infrastructure for dispute resolution services to meet the needs of their low-income community. For further information regarding the mini-grants, see an October 2008 article from the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Pro Bono Committee website.
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Unlike several legal service programs that have surfaced to assist veterans, the Military Pro Bono Project is uniquely focused on provision of pro bono services to active-duty service members, many of whom remain deployed to areas of conflict. The Project will directly help service members by moving cleared pro bono referrals straight from military law offices to willing-and-able private sector lawyer volunteers throughout the country. Needs are arising in the areas of consumer law, family law, landlord-tenant, employment law, and other areas. Their families often unfortunately require assistance in the area of probate, trusts and estates, or guardianship law. The Military Pro Bono Project is a joint venture of the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) and the ABA Section of Litigation, with assistance from the ABA Center for Pro Bono. Read the news release, read the FAQ or go on to the Project Website. |
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New Publications and Reports
American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness and Poverty is pleased to announce the release of two new manuals related to runaway and homeless children and youth.
Runaway and Homeless Youth and the Law: Model State Statutes is a unique publication that provides guidance for policymakers, advocates, attorneys and service providers on how state laws can assist homeless and runaway youth. The laws were developed by experts in the field with input provided during two national conferences. The comprehensive resource provides not only model statutes, but background information and research to provide context for each issue. Additionally, the authors have provided commentary to assist in the implementation of the law. Runaway and Homeless Youth and the Law: Model State Statutes is a necessity for any person or agency interested in improving state laws so that these vulnerable youth can find safety, services and stability.
The book addresses the following legal issues faced by runaway and homeless youth and their service providers:
- Education
- Status Offenses
- Family Law Issues
- Health (access to health care)
- LGBTQ youth
- Immigration
- Access to custodial systems
- Discharge from custodial systems
- Housing
- Identification (birth certificates, SS cards)
- Public Benefits
- Access to legal services
- Employment
- Legal issues for runaway and homeless youth service providers
Educating Children Without Housing: A Primer on Legal Requirements and Implementation Strategies for Educators, Advocates and Policymakers, 3rd Edition , provides innovative strategies for educators and school administrators, state coordinators and policymakers, and advocates and attorneys to play a role in ensuring the education rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness. The revised edition includes new sections on creating access to early childhood education opportunities, the Head Start Act, IDEA, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, financial aid and college access and support programs. This third edition contains strategies designed to assist communities to exceed compliance and move toward greater commitment -- to embody not only the letter but also the spirit of the law -- including a new section on collaborating with community agencies. The book also includes a directory of resources for educators, advocates, and policymakers.
Drafted by Barbara Duffield and Patricia Julianelle of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, and Laurene Heybach of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the book is the most comprehensive resource on the education of homeless children and youth available. Several State Departments of Education have praised the book for its brief, yet comprehensive, easy-to-understand format, commenting on its similarity to a “how-to handbook.” Many states have purchased the publication in bulk and distributed them to liaisons, as well as to each school district and school administrator.
Both publications are available for $14.95 each through the ABA Web Store at http://www.abanet.org/abastore/index.cfm or by calling the ABA Service Center at 1-800-285-2221. Discounts for bulk orders are available (e.g., purchase 5-49 books and save 10%; 50-99 and save 20%; 100-399 and save 30%; 400+ save 40%).
Pro bono work by America's lawyers is on the rise with nearly three-fourths of lawyers providing free legal services to the poor or to the organizations that serve them. That's one of the significant findings of a new study done by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service entitled Supporting Justice II: A Report on the Pro Bono Work of America's Lawyers
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Awards and Applause
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 15, 2008 -- The American Bar Association Section of Taxation named two young lawyers as its first two Public Service Fellows. The Fellows will be directly involved in providing services to low-income taxpayers in the Washington, D.C. and suburban Chicago areas.
The awardees are:
- Laura Newland, scheduled to earn her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in May 2009. After graduating, Newland will be working on tax-related matters at the AARP’s Legal Counsel for the Elderly program in Washington, D.C.
- Vijay Raghavan, currently an associate in the tax practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Chicago. He will be implementing a new tax law project with Prairie State Legal Services in Carol Stream, Ill.
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Funding Opportunities
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