Page 12 - 2018 October Bar Journal

BarJournal COLuMN

JULY/AUGUST 2015
TIOn MiSSion PRo Bono

In SErvICE fOr THE
Bar fOUnda
PUBlIC gOOd

Stephanie Dutchess Trudeau

CMBF President

elebrate Pro Bono Week Without her, it wouldn’t happen at all. It’s an Ohio whose missions focus on community
is a special week focusing excellent program.” service and who demonstrate financial
attention on the voluntary Christopher Fisher is another need. Eligible nonprofits must be working
free legal services that lawyers lawyer who gives back of his expertise to provide housing, economic opportunities,
Cprovide “pro bono” – for the by participating in multiple programs, social services, educational improvement,
public good. It is a national initiative during including the Cleveland Homeless Legal or cultural preservation to low-income
one week in October. Events are planned Assistance Program (CHLAP). It holds free populations or communities.
nationwide to emphasize the importance and legal intake clinics
impact of pro bono legal services. at local shelters to “I volunteer because there
Here, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar serve those who
Foundation is proud to deliver pro bono are homeless or at are people who need
legal services every week of the year through risk of becoming
its diversity, pro bono and public service homeless. They are help and can’t pay, and
programs. The Foundation believes that lives among those in the
can be changed, one person at a time, by community in need sometimes I can help them.”
lawyers giving back. Every day, we support of help but least
impactful programs that provide pro bono able to access legal
legal services, law-related education and representation. Chris’ reason for delivering A grant from the Foundation launched
mentoring to those in need. We do this pro bono services is pure and direct: “I TLC at the CMSD, short for The Legal
because our programs make a real and volunteer because there are people who Clinics at the Cleveland Metropolitan
lasting difference to our greater community. need help and can’t pay, and sometimes School District. Dante Marinucci, of
This is the CMBF’s mission statement. I can help them. They appreciate it, and I BakerHostetler, has dedicated his volunteer
This mission is made possible by the enjoy listening and helping when I can.” efforts with TLC at the CMSD because
volunteerism of lawyers who contribute their Carole Heyward shares her enthusiasm “I understand the importance that legal
time and wisdom on top of doing their “real” for pro bono legal services with a call to advice has in our society. Because of that
jobs. Lawyers like Jennifer Himmelein of others to join in service: “I volunteer in importance, I believe it is imperative that
order to make the lawyers volunteer some of their time to
“I volunteer in order to community that assist our underprivileged community
members who otherwise cannot afford to
we share a better
make the community that place. The reason pay for legal services.” The pro bono work
of Dante and others at these clinics is
everyone
that
we share a better place. ...” should volunteer addressing the otherwise unmet legal needs
which can interfere with family stability and
was best expressed
by Muhammad negatively affect student attendance and
Ali — ‘service to academic performance.
others is the rent These are some examples of the lawyers
Cavitch Familo & Durkin who was described you pay for your room here on earth’.” who serve in programs funded by the
as “the real hero” of the CMBA monthly Carole is Clinical Professor of Law at Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation.
divorce clinic. It helps dozens of people every Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and A long list appears on other pages of this
month. One of Jennifer’s fellow volunteer involved in Reach Out: Legal Assistance for month’s Bar Journal. During Celebrate Pro
in the clinics lauded Jennifer, saying “she Nonprofits. It receives CMBF support to Bono Week, we recognize them. And every
started the clinic and runs it every month. assist nonprofit organizations in Northeast week of the year, we thank them.
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