Newsletter  |  February 2009      

Dear Friends,
 
Happy New Year!  We hope that this year will be a successful and joyful one for each of you.  The VLP is off to an exciting start.  Among other projects, the VLP has worked to update the VLP newsletter.  We hope that you enjoy the new format.
 
We wish you and yours the best for 2009!
 
Michele & Socorro

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Save the Date!  Domestic Relations CLE

Faculty:  Alyce Pennington, Dean Christoffel, and Hon. Karen Nygaard

Thursday, April 2, 2009  »  2:00 to 5:00 pm

Marriott University Park  |  880 E. 2nd Street  |  Tucson, AZ  85719

Click here for more information  |  Click here to register

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Law Students, Volunteer Lawyers, and the Self Service Center Together Helping the Public

By Hon. Frederic Dardis

Southern Arizona Legal Aid's Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP), the University of Arizona 's James E. Rogers College of Law and the Pima County Superior Court formed a partnership in 1999 to deliver legal services to residents in need of assistance with domestic relations matters.  Ten years later, the partnership is going strong.  The project partners are pleased to announce that the partnership has expanded to include a new Pilot Program this spring.  The Pilot Program, housed at the Court's Self-Service Center and launched on January 26, 2009, will offer the public the opportunity to speak one-on-one with an attorney about their family law case.  During the pilot phase the project will utilize 17 law students, VLP staff and many volunteer lawyers to help the public complete court paperwork.  

Read more

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Superheroes Step Up to the Challenge in VLP's Recruitment Campaign

By Stacy Rupprecht Butler
 
In September, 2008, the Volunteer 

Lawyers Program (VLP) launched its

first statewide attorney recruitment

campaign in more than five years.  The

theme of the campaign, "Do Something

Amazing - Just Do What You Do," was

designed to draw attorneys' attention to

the fact that they have a unique

educational background and skill set

that can be used to make an incredible

difference in the lives of impoverished

Arizonans who cannot afford access

to our justice system.  The campaign

targeted attorneys who practice in

Arizona, but who do not currently

participate in a VLP program. 

The Arizona Foundation for Legal

Services and Education invested

$15,000 in the 2009 VLP Attorney

Recruitment Campaign. Kevin S. Ruegg, PhD, CEO/Executive Director for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, says that "giving your pro bono service through the VLP programs assures you are maximizing the impact your expertise can offer.  The Foundation knows that investing in the recruitment campaign of the Arizona VLP programs offers the greatest return for increasing access to justice for Arizona."

Read more

See a list of the new VLP attorneys!

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Student Projects

This spring, 53 law students expressed an interest in volunteering with the VLP.   With the launch of the new self-service center pilot project; the VLP was able to place all 53 students in four projects that cover several different substantive areas of the law including domestic relations, bankruptcy and guardianship.  The students were trained during the week of January 19th and began to volunteer the week of January 26th.  Many volunteer attorneys, judges and staff participated in the training.  Students will volunteer in the various projects during January, February, Mary and April.
 
The VLP would like to thank everyone who participated in the training and welcome all of the students to the program!

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Awards & Honors

We congratulate and thank the following award winners! 

Attorneys of the Month

Bill Bacon > January

Steve Portell > February

Outstanding Students of the Month 

Alysse Medina > January

Joanna Gaughan > February

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Staff Corner

On January 16, Diane Wangelin celebrated her first anniversary with the SALA VLP.  Diane serves as the VLP secretary and is essential to the program.  Diane has a hand in nearly every case the VLP touches.  Diane's experience and attention to detail have made a great impact on the VLP and our clients.  Diane has been a wonderful addition to the VLP. Congratulations, Diane!

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Quick Links

General VLP 

  >  VLP Website

  >  About the VLP

Sign up to volunteer!
  >  Lawyers
  >  Law students
  >  Students
  >  Non-attorneys

Continuing Legal Education 

  >  More information

  >  Sign up for CLE!

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Contact Us

Michele Mirto, Program Director and Attorney at Law 

2343 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite 200  |  Tucson, AZ  85719

Phone:  520-623-9465, ext. 4171  |  Fax:  520-623-0161
E-mail:  mmirto@sazlegalaid.org