Home     Members Log In     Members Services     Inside the LSBA     Programs & Affiliates     Contact the Bar  
Home

    News Resources     CLE Programs     LSBA Calendar     Public Resources     Member Directory     Publications  

 

Access to Justice Committee

The mission of the Access to Justice Committee is to assure that every Louisiana citizen has access to competent civil legal representation by promoting and supporting a broad based and effective justice community through collaboration between the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Bar Foundation, Louisiana Law Schools, private practitioners, local bar associations, pro bono programs and legal aid providers.

The Access to Justice Committee was established in 1996 to consolidate the efforts of two existing LSBA committees (The Legal Services Committee and The Volunteers In Public Service Committee). As the mission states, the committee helps to strengthen an integrated delivery network by supporting all those who deliver legal services to the poor.  The current committee is comprised of 40 volunteer members, both attorneys and non-attorneys, with the common interest of assisting the indigent with their legal needs. These volunteers, with various backgrounds, reside throughout Louisiana and include corporate counsel, legal service attorneys, legal educators, large and small firm representatives, and pro bono directors. Their diverse backgrounds only enhance the committee's ability to work through initiatives from a variety of approaches.

  Latest News, Developments and Announcements

  • Housing and Consumer Law Training for Attorneys Representing Indigent Clients
    7/9/2010  -  7/9/2010  10:00 AM
    Friday, July 9, 2010
    Capital Area Legal Services Corporation
    200 3rd Street
    Baton Rouge, LA 70801
    10:00am – 3:30pm

    CLE for Legal Aid and Pro Bono Attorneys
     Training Schedule

   

  • Preparing Wage Claims for Indigent and Immigrant Clients
    6/18/2010  -  6/18/2010  9:00 AM
    The Pro Bono Project and Louisiana Appleseed are hosting a FREE CLE (3.75 hours) on Friday, June 18, from 9am-1pm at the Louisiana Bar Center, 601 St. Charles Avenue. Lunch (also free) will be served after the CLE and you all will receive a bound copy of the presenters' materials.

    Presenters and topics include:

    9:00-9:45 am
    Vanessa Spinazola, The Pro Bono Project: The Louisiana Wage Payment Act v. Breach of Contract and Representing Immigrant Workers

    9:45-10:45 am
    Laila Hlass, Loyola College of Law Immigration Clinic: Employment-Related Immigration Law and Immigration Law Overview

    10:45-11:00 am Break

    11:00 am-Noon
    Michael T. Tusa, Jr., Sutton & Alker: A Brief Overview of a Few Wage and Hour Issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act

    Noon-1:00 pm
    Michael F. Weiner, Baker Donelson: Collection Rights and Practices on Public and Private Construction Projects and the Proper and Timely Preservation of Statutory Claims under the Louisiana Private Works Act and Louisiana Public Works Act



    If you are interested in attending, please R.S.V.P. via email to Laura Buck at lbuck1@tulane.edu or Vanessa Spinazola vspinazola@probono-no.org by the end of the day TUESDAY, June 15, 2010.

    Please only attend if you can attend the entire CLE, as otherwise we will be limited in the number of pro bono attorneys we can assign wage claim cases. It is expected that with your attendance, you will commit to representing a client of The Pro Bono Project in a wage claim.

   

   

 

  Louisiana State Bar Association    601 St. Charles Avenue    New Orleans, LA 70130    (800) 421-LSBA(5722) / (504) 566-1600