USC Law Community Service

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:23:00.001-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:22:00.009-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:22:00.007-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:22:00.005-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:22:00.003-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:22:00.001-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.013-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.011-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.009-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.007-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.005-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.003-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:21:00.001-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:19:00.005-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:19:00.003-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:19:00.001-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:18:00.006-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:18:00.004-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

St. Lawrence Place

2010-08-22T22:18:00.002-04:00

From our intrepid reporter Lindsey

I just returned from a fun (and hot!) day at St. Lawrence Place! Groups 11B and 12 jumped right in to manual labor on site: weeding, pruning, painting, cutting grass, clearing debris, and much more! I was very impressed by all the volunteers and hard workers! Here are some of the quotes from the 1Ls and their mentors:

"I think its really important to give back to the community - now that we're a part of the Columbia and the law school community!"
- Jillian, 1L

"We're learning a lot about serving our clients and those in the law school through service day - we are all starting to understand our obligation to serve our community."
- Christina, 1L (there is a picture of her on the playground in the sand with another girl (Annie) and a shovel, if you want to match it).

"I've always enjoyed service because after all the hard work and sweat, its always all worth it!"
- Shea Brighthop, 2L peer mentor

"I feel fortunate to have the ability to attend law school and help people in the community who aren't as fortunate as we are."
- Wes, 1L

"If you're able to serve, it is always the right thing to do."
- Nicole, 1L (there is a picture of her by herself on a ladder painting the wall if you want to match it up)

"Service is something we all should do to give back to others - we can't change the world, but we should do what we can to change our community for the better."
- Jamal, 1L

"Its important to expose our new 1Ls to the community and the people they will be working with in three years."
- Brooks Miller, 2L peer mentor

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:16:00.007-04:00

Protection and Advocacy
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:16:00.005-04:00

Protection and Advocacy
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:16:00.003-04:00

Protection and Advocacy
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:16:00.001-04:00

Protection and Advocacy
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:15:00.005-04:00

Protection and Advocacy
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:15:00.003-04:00

Protection and Advocacy
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Quotes from Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

2010-08-22T22:15:00.001-04:00

Gloria Prevost (executive director of P&A)- Expressed her gratitude for the law students’ help

Katie (1L)- Previously taught English as second language and was involved with breast cancer awareness

Renata (1L)- Worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation through her sorority

Adrian (1L)- Decided to go to law school after working in several law firms. He was drawn to the legal profession because he enjoys working with new people and advocating for clients.

Quynh (2L Peer Mentor)- “This is my second year participating in the community service project. It is a wonderful experience because we get to become involved in the community and are positively representing the legal profession.”

www.pandasc.org

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:12:00.011-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:12:00.009-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:12:00.007-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:12:00.005-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:12:00.003-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:12:00.001-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:11:00.005-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:11:00.003-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:11:00.001-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:10:00.004-04:00

Legal Aid
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Quotes from SC Legal Services

2010-08-22T22:10:00.002-04:00

"I really enjoy doing volunteer work. I volunteered with hearing impaired students prior to starting law school and hope to continue doing volunteer work."

Kathy

"I think it's wonderful that the law school provides so many community service opportunities. I'm really interested in becoming a Guardian Ad Litem in the Spring."

Elizabeth

"I want to help juveniles when I graduate from law school. I plan to become a Guardian Ad Litem while in school."

Sarah

"I've worked with the Big Brother Big Sister program in the past and thought it was great."

Sarah

"I think this service project is allowing students to appreciate the legal work of different public interest organizations."

Jenna

"I open to public interest work in the future; right now I'm learning what everyone does."

Eric

"This project reminds me of the importance of Legal Services and the impact that public interest lawyers make."

Prof Brown

"I'm interested in public defense work."

Olesya

"I think this community service project is great. It gives students an opportunity to see what the different non-profit organizations do while they are still very impressionable."

Olivia Jones, Legal Services, Past Pro Bono Board President

Quotes from Participants at SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:07:00.002-04:00

"I really appreciate that pro bono thinks of us as an organization to send students to. It's great to develop relationships with the incoming students." - Sue (org. contact)

"It feels pretty good to be out here doing something for the community." - Michael Bagwell, 1L

"This is great for group cohesiveness." - Andrew Welsh, 1L

"Service day is a great way for 1L's to begin their legal career and serves as a great reminder to 2L's what our purpose is as a law student." - Andy Yoho, 2L, peer mentor

"Service day is a good introduction to my 1st year in law school. It's great to get involved in the community and help out!" - Allison Novak, 1L

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:06:00.005-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:06:00.003-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:06:00.001-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:05:00.007-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:05:00.005-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:05:00.003-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:05:00.001-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:04:00.005-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:04:00.003-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:04:00.001-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

2010-08-22T22:03:00.001-04:00

Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

The Official T-Shirt

2010-08-22T22:01:00.001-04:00

Tshirt quote
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Only a life lived for others is a life worth living.

Flickr Photostream

2010-08-20T17:22:00.000-04:00

Over the next few days, we'll have posts up about each of our volunteer groups, but you can already see all the pictures. Go to our flickr photostream and see all of them today!

Irmo Library

2010-08-20T17:20:00.001-04:00

Irmo Library
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

"I feel like we're doing a great thing. I probably would have just been sleeping in anyway." - 1L Mattias Johnson

1Ls Natalie Haymond and Elizabeth McCool both have experience volunteering at their undergrad universities, Sewanee and USC, respectively.

These new law students seemed to enjoy helping out the local library while getting to know each other. Matt Abee summed it up well by saying, "we take for granted having a laptop at our fingertips to look things up, but for people who don't have that access or can't afford to buy books online, they can come here and find the books they need. This will really be a help to them to have the books in order. We are blessed with this knowledge, and it's time to help out where we can!"

Irmo Library

2010-08-20T17:17:00.001-04:00

Irmo Library
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

The group's other peer mentor, Telly Davakos, and Law School Reference Librarian Julie Noland were hard at work in the 700s section, where the "problem children" like to hang out. This is Telly's second year volunteering at Service Day. Last year, as a 1L, his group went to St. Lawrence Place and did landscaping. He noted that organizing library books is a very different type of service, "but both years we've been doing work that the community needs."

Wilder Hart, a 1L, commented that "this is a great way to help out the community, even if it's not that glamorous, it's still needed."

Irmo Library

2010-08-20T17:16:00.001-04:00

Irmo Library
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

"I knew the law would find me one day," Billy Trotter exclaimed after he graciously thanked Reference Librarian Julie Noland and the group of 1Ls and their peer mentors who came to help organize thirteen rows of non-fiction books. Billy has been working and volunteering for libraries in the Midlands for 35 years. He loves what he does! He joked, "one good thing about being a volunteer is you can quit anytime you want to!" [Photo 858 - Billy and Telly]

"Service day is a great way for the 1Ls to get to know one another and help the community at the same time!" - Sarah Downs, peer mentor.

Info for Participants

2010-08-20T16:52:00.000-04:00

Incoming Law Students Community Service Project

On August 20, 2010 over 250 USC Law Students along with members of the staff and faculty will take part in a very special annual event. Simultaneously everyone will spread out over the Columbia community to provide services to local area organizations.

Why? The Incoming Law Student Community Service Project is an opportunity for new USC School of Law students to get to know the needs of our community while serving as a team building exercise for peer mentor groups. We want you to start Law School with the idea that service is a fundamental aspect of becoming a lawyer.

Who are the sponsors? This volunteer project is being organized by the Office of Student Affairs, the SBA and the Pro Bono Program

When? The Incoming Law Student Community Service Project will be held on Friday, August 20 starting at 1:30. Everyone is to meet in the Lobby after their morning class, have lunch, receive their t-shirt and assignment and head out to work!

Where? Each Peer Mentor group has been assigned a location at a local charity where the group will engage in a variety of activities. Once the group assembles on site tasks will be assigned by the contact person at the charity.

The community sties are:

Cayce- West Columbia/ Lexington County Library www.lex.lib.sc.us

Irmo Branch/ Lexington County Library

Cooperative Ministries www.coopmin.org/

Habitat for Humanity ReStore www.habitatcolumbus.org/

Harvest Hope Food Bank- Shop Road www.harvesthope.org

Harvest Hope Food Bank-Cayce office

Harvest Hope Food Bank- Key Road Warehouse

HomeWorks www.homeworksofamerica.org

LRADAC www.lradac.org/

Palmetto Health Foundation http://events.foundation.palmettohealth.org

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center www.scjustice.org/

SC Department of Juvenile Justice www.state.sc.us/djj/

SC Legal Services www.sclegal.org/

St. Lawrence Place www.stlawrenceplace.org/cms/

Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities www.pandasc.org

Richland County CASA www.rccasa.org/

Richland County Public Defender’s Office http://www.richlandonline.com/departments/Legal/PublicDefender.asp

Women’s Shelter www.womenshelter.org/

What will you be doing? You may be wondering what you will be doing at these locations. Good question. Each organization has different needs to be addressed. Some of you may be moving furniture, painting, cleaning out files, sorting food, yard work, or posting flyers. You can be assured that you will work hard and be making a difference but you won’t need to use any “legal knowledge”. With just two days of classes under your belt we don’t think you are ready for that, yet!

The Blog! A Pro Bono Board member will be assigned to each of the service projects as a “reporter”. They will be interviewing everyone at the worksite as well as documenting the project with photos. SMILE!

Rules?

Yes there are a few simple rules.

1. No flip flops; closed toed shoes are required!

We want to avoid any injuries

2. Wear old clothes; you will probably get dirty. Some of you may be outside.

The new slogan for Columbia is “Famously Hot” so be prepared.

3. Be on time at your assigned project location. The projects will start at 1:30 and conclude between 3 and 4

4. Have fun! This is a great opportunity to shed a bit of the stress and enjoy being with those who will share your law school adventure

5. Learn something! Learn about the needs of our community, who is trying to address the needs of our citizens, the ethic of service and most of all learn more about your classmates

Women's Shelter

2010-08-20T15:48:00.003-04:00

Women 10
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Kyle and Lee cleaning up after painting.

Women's Shelter

2010-08-20T15:47:00.001-04:00

Women 9
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Overheard spoken to the director of the shelter- " I was really excited about USC's pro Bono program and that was a big reason why I came here. I am really glad that they have us out here from week one showing us all of the ways we can get involved."

Women's Shelter

2010-08-20T15:46:00.001-04:00

Women 8
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Jessie and Jen working hard on paint crew! We are painting the dental clinic next to the Womens shelter. It was part of the shelter and is now leased out to local dentists as a source of income for the shelter. The women can also use the dental services.

Women's Shelter

2010-08-20T15:45:00.001-04:00

Women 7
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Preparations before the painting begins!! You can already see a difference where we have worked.

Women Shelter

2010-08-20T15:40:00.001-04:00

Women Shelter 5
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Kyle and Alanna on paint crew. "it's important to show people you care- not just in the office and behind your desk but out in the community," Alanna says.

"Wow, that looks so much better, thank you so much!" - Assistant Director of Women's Shelter.

Women Shelter

2010-08-20T15:38:00.001-04:00

Women Shelter 4
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Cleaning and painting the dental clinic at the Women's Shelter.

Womens Shelter

2010-08-20T15:37:00.001-04:00

Womens Shelter 3
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Kelly tapes off the trim before the paint crew comes in behind her team.

When asked about the importance of community service in the legal profession, Chris said "in a profession where you are so highly respected it is important to set a positive example through your actions."

Overheard being said to the workers at the women's shelter "we just want to help out in every single way so please tell us what you need us to do."

Women Shelter

2010-08-20T15:36:00.001-04:00

Women Shelter 2
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Ahmed, Adam (peer mentor section 2 group 5) and Chris cleaning before the paint crew can come in.

Women shelter

2010-08-20T15:35:00.001-04:00

Women shelter 1
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Group shot at Womens Shelter

Lunch

2010-08-20T15:30:00.001-04:00

Mentors_pizza
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Peer mentors fuel up with a little pizza.

Volunteers at CASA

2010-08-20T15:28:00.003-04:00

IMG00280
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Volunteers at CASA

2010-08-20T15:28:00.001-04:00

Volunteers at CASA
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Service Day participants at the Richland County CASA.

2nd Annual USC Law Community Service Day

2010-08-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 2nd Annual USC Law Community Service Day blog. We'll be posting pictures and reactions from all our service sites throughout the day.

Thanks and Wrap up

2009-08-28T14:42:00.002-04:00

Why do people volunteer? Each year organizations, associations and companies conduct extensive surveys trying to answer this question and each time the results are the same- I volunteer because I was asked! The USC School of Law Pro Bono Program, the Office of Student Affairs and the SBA asked members of the Law School community to volunteer and the answer was a resounding YES. The 1st Incoming Law Student Community Service Project was a total success by any measure. On a hot and humid August afternoon close to 300 volunteers representing the Law School spread out to 16 diverse locations in the Columbia area. Anyone observing the sea of blue tshirt clad people in the Lobby could not help but leave with a sense that these people were excited and happy to be taking part in such a worthwhile project. And when the various teams arrived at their assigned destination they were greeted with open arms. Each organization took a few moments to talk about their services and the clients they serve but before long the volunteers were put to work.

In the quiet reaches of the Pro Bono Office Micah Johnson, a 2L member of the Pro Bono Board was sitting by his computer awaiting the torrent of photos and stories for this blog. It wasn't long before the other Pro Bono Board member "reporters" arrived with those stories and photos to start the blog rolling. Soon it was obvious that everyone was having a great time even those who were a bit hot and sweaty.

In the week that has past since this event letters and emails praising the efforts of the Law School community have been arriving and many have been posted as Comments on the blog.. It turn out that this event was a win-win for everyone!

Thank you to everyone who participated and we hope you will give yourself a pat on the back and take a moment to forward the link to this blog to someone who would share your enthusiasm for volunteering.

Susan Palmer
Associate Dean for Student Affairs

Pamela Robinson
Director, Pro Bono Program

Ryan Whicker
SBA President

Whitney Harrison
SBA Vice President and Orientation Chair

Department of Juvenile Justice

2009-08-25T08:44:00.001-04:00

Department of Juvenile Justice
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Check out the pictures from DJJ.

Cayce-West Columbia Library

2009-08-25T08:39:00.001-04:00

Cayce-West Columbia Library
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Some more pictures from the library. Don't forget that you can use the Photostream app to see the latest pictures from Service Day.

Thoughts from DJJ

2009-08-25T08:37:00.002-04:00

Student Comments: "We got the best project!-even though I don't know what the others are doing." "I am glad I came here, I'm glad I got this one." "The interaction (with the DJJ students) was great!"

DJJ Representative: "It is a wonderful collaboration. It is helpful for the students' (from DJJ) to see that community service is about volunteering and not done just because you are in trouble."

Dean Wilcox: "This was good for all of us."

DJJ Student: " It's good the law students got to see where we come from so they can defend us better in court."

Women's Shelter

2009-08-25T08:35:00.001-04:00

Women's Shelter
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

More pictures from the Women's Shelter.

St. Lawrence Place

2009-08-25T08:32:00.001-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

A group shot of the group who when to St. Lawrence Place.

More pics from Legal Services

2009-08-25T08:23:00.003-04:00

Johanna has sent us a link to the latest pictures up from Legal Services.

Group 7A's Thoughts on the Service Day

2009-08-25T08:22:00.000-04:00

James, from North Carolina who plans on doing tax law and maybe
pursuing an LLM, said, "this activity is a good way to get involved
and see what's out there."

Ross, from Charleston said, "I'm glad we're doing this now before the
semester gets really busy." Ross also mentioned that he volunteered
in a nursing home before coming to law school.

Jackie, from San Diego: "My plan now is to do criminal law, which is
what I know after majoring in criminal justice in undergrad. This
activity is really great because it gives us a chance to be exposed
to some things we wouldn't otherwise be doing at this point in law
school."

Ben, another 1L from group 7A: "This activity helps us get involved
with Columbia . Volunteerism can also help attorneys overcome some
of the negative stereotypes held by some people."

Beth, from Greenville, SC: "I did volunteer activities with the
basketball team in undergrad. This activity is a great way to get to
know my classmates and mentors better."

Joni, from Tennessee: I participated in a service fraternity in
undergrad, so serving the community is definitely something I like
doing. I'm really glad I get to do some community service with
everyone else today."

Talae Tuitele, the manager of the Lexington County Harvest Hope Food
Bank Emergency Food Pantry, said "I'm here because I got a degree in
social work, but I think it's important for other people who would
not otherwise have contact with these populations to do something to
see what's really out there. Lots of privileged people never really
see the need that is out there, even in our own towns and right down
the street from where we live."

Pictures from CASA are in!

2009-08-25T08:14:00.001-04:00

CASA
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Check out the photostream to see the rest of the pictures.

Richland County CASA

2009-08-21T17:27:00.002-04:00

Some quotes about CASA:

"What a great cause to serve. CASA seems like a wonderful opportunity to plug into & serve. Being able to volunteer just for a couple short hours was a pleasure. My only regret is that there wasn't more work for us to do."

"Today I volunteered at CASA...We wrote Thank You letters to other volunteers...speaking with a 3L (Kim) about her passion for the work and the children really inspired me and showed me that a law degree can make a bigger impact on lives even now as a 1L. I really enjoyed this experience.

It is eye opening to hear of the children right under our noses who truly need our assistance. It should be a priority of each law student to become involved. - Trey Jones

While the work we didi was insubstantial compared to the work this organization does, I feel like we did something meaningful...I have learned a lot and will take part in future opportunities with CASA.

Pictures are forthcoming.

Harvest Hope Food Bank - Cayce

2009-08-21T17:27:00.001-04:00

Harvest Hope Food Bank - Cayce
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Some quotes from the participants:

James, from North Carolina who plans on doing tax law and maybe pursuing an LLM, said, "this activity is a good way to get involved and see what's out there."

Ross, from Charleston said, "I'm glad we're doing this now before the semester gets really busy." Ross also mentioned that he volunteered in a nursing home before coming to law school.

Jackie, from San Diego: "My plan now is to do criminal law, which is what I know after majoring in criminal justice in undergrad. This activity is really great because it gives us a chance to be exposed to some things we wouldn't otherwise be doing at this point in law school."

Ben, another 1L from group 7A: "This activity helps us get involved with Columbia . Volunteerism can also help attorneys overcome some of the negative stereotypes held by some people."

Beth, from Greenville, SC: "I did volunteer activities with the basketball team in undergrad. This activity is a great way to get to know my classmates and mentors better."

Joni, from Tennessee: I participated in a service fraternity in undergrad, so serving the community is definitely something I like doing. I'm really glad I get to do some community service with everyone else today."

Talae Tuitele, the manager of the Lexington County Harvest Hope Food Bank Emergency Food Pantry, said "I'm here because I got a degree in social work, but I think it's important for other people who would not otherwise have contact with these populations to do something to see what's really out there. Lots of privileged people never really see the need that is out there, even in our own towns and right down the street from where we live."

St. Lawrence Place

2009-08-21T17:12:00.002-04:00

St. Lawrence Place
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

The activities we did today:

1) Cleared overgrowth that had grown up around a fence. St. Lawrence Place had troubles over the past year with individuals sneaking through this fence and bringing about unwanted situations in their community. They are eventually going to put in a new, stronger fence. They estimated that the work we did saved them $800 -$1000!!!

2) Moved furniture from one residence to another.

3) Scrubbed and cleaned a laundry room.

“The unique opportunity presented to a law student while they are studying and learning about the law is to be able to participate in something like the Pro Bono program and possibly use those skills to some degree to help others in the community.” - Cole Portney 1L

“I’ve always been a strong promoter of community service, but I didn’t connect it with law school at all up until this point.” Cheslyne Brighthop 1L

Women's Shelter

2009-08-21T17:07:00.001-04:00

Women's Shelter
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Tasks

#1 – getting one of the transitional houses ready to paint (scraping, cleaning)
#2 – getting the newsletter ready to go out

The Women's Shelter sends out 3 newsletters per year to individuals and churches who have supported them throughout the years. The newsletter includes updates about the shelter. In this particular issue, the topics include discussions of the economic issues that the shelter is facing, the tough time that the women are having finding a job, and it includes some poetry written by the women residing at the shelter. There will be 1,200 newsletters sent out.

Info about the shelter

· The shelter is for women who need a transition from prison or for women who need help recovering from an alcohol or drug abuse problem

· Women stay in the shelter for three months; during that time, they attend AA or NA meetings

· After the women have been at the shelter for three months, they move into a transitional house where they get accustomed to living on their own by being responsible for utilities, rent, etc.

· The Women’s Shelter owns 17 transitional houses within a 6 block radius of the main shelter

Comments

Nick

o On previous volunteer work: “A group of my friends and I built a house for a homeless family.”

o On this service project: “This is a really good start. It exposes everyone to a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.”

Aimee K.

o On previous volunteer work: She has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation voluntarily with groups of friends and her business fraternity.

o On future work: She wants to do work relating to zoning and land use, but is open to explore other possibilities.

o On why she is in law school: She has always wanted to be a lawyer since she was 5 years old and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

o On service in general: “Giving back enriches you individually and it also enhances the community in general.”

Dean Palmer

o Service is consistent with our mission as a public institution. Giving back is what we do as lawyers, whether it is Pro Bono work or coaching a softball team. We should share our blessings with people who don’t have access to certain opportunities - our obligation is to be a voice for those people.

Willie P.

o In undergrad, his fraternity was voted organization of the year and much of it had to do with its involvement in community service.

o He plans to get involved with service locally by being a mentor of some sort.

o Being a lawyer is important because he will get to help others who are unable to help themselves.

Lana S.

o Pro Bono work is an important part of being an attorney. This project allows us to help others and get in the spirit of volunteering. This is also a great way for those of us from out-of-town to be introduced to the various volunteer opportunities in this area.

Christy Slocum – staff at the Women’s Shelter

o We appreciate your help so very much. None of this would be possible without your help.

Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities.

2009-08-21T17:04:00.003-04:00

Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Brent wants to do wills because of his family's experience with their
lawyer. "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

Charles has worked with Habitat for Humanity. He has always been
interested in being a lawyer and making a difference in society. He
wants to pursue criminal law, either prosecution or defense.

Jasmine has volunteered with the Lions Club & the Boys and Girls Club. She came to law school so she could help low income and
underprivileged communities.

Jarrett plays violin for churches & helps a lady in his neighborhood
with handyman work. He came to law school because when his daughter was born, he decided he wanted to make a difference in the world.

Elizabeth has done international mission trips. She is interested in
international law. She speaks Russian and a little Italian & Spanish.

Home Works

2009-08-21T16:54:00.003-04:00

Home Works
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

15 members of the law school community (10 1Ls, 4 2Ls and one faculty member) spent the hot, sticky afternoon in the Home Works Warehouse. Working alongside Home Works Executive Director and Founder, Hank Chardos, they packed and sorted building and repair materials for later home improvement projects. Home Works is a nonprofit organization that provides home repairs and improvements to the homes of elderly and disabled homeowners. Since its development 14 years ago, Home Works volunteers have repaired over 1500 homes throughout the Southeast. Hand Chardos said that the organization "convey[s] a message of hope . . and enable[s] elders to know that people care." There is a two year waiting list for Columbia elders in need of home repairs. All of the repairs are done free of cost as the organization is primarily volunteer-based (with the exception of 3 employees) and the materials used are all donated.

Most of the law students involved today have been previously involved in volunteer projects. 1L Sam Shoemaker, who attended USC for undergrad, has participated in the University's MLK National Day of Service in the past. He thought today's project was a great way to interact with and get to know new classmates. "Your either meeting each other in the classroom or at the bar," he said. This opportunity provided an unusual forum to get to know classmates on a different level.

Several other students thought this was a great way to start off the year. One student said that she thought it should be mandatory. "I think a lot of people don't want to come when they first hear about it, but once you get here, it is fun," said Jenna Williams, 1L.

Amy Milligan, the students' Legal Writing Instructor, worked along side the students in the warehouse. She also thought this activity was a good way for the students to bond. She was impressed with the number of students who volunteered today.

Despite the heat, the students were happy to mingle with each other while giving back to the community.

Public Defenders' Office

2009-08-21T16:46:00.001-04:00

Public Defenders' Office
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

The Mission: Filing, especially closed files, archiving and sorting files

Professor Holley-Walker: “Filing is fun!”

Chris (1L): Has done volunteer work before, was in charge of a program that repurposed old computers; hopes to do legal work that is technology related like digital rights management.

Mark (1L): From Cheraw; said that he has done volunteer work at his father’s law office

Andrew (1L): From Walterboro; he came to law school because of his desire to have a better life; he did volunteer work with an attorney in Beaufort (Jim Brown)

Rob (2L – Peer Mentor): Has done volunteer work at the ACLU in Charleston; he came to law school because some people that he looked up to, particularly a close family friend, were attorneys.

Jessica (1L): From D.C.; she has done environmental education work through the Sierra Club; she did paralegal work in securities law in Charleston and decided she wanted to be an attorney – she’s interested in environmental law

Steve (1L): From Camden; has done volunteer work through his fraternity in college, like volunteering at the animal shelter; interested in practicing corporate law, particularly government representation. Studied Spanish for four years in college, and he’s interested in Project Ayuda through the Pro Bono Office.

Breeden (1L): From Columbia; he came to law school after his experience working with some attorneys during college; he’s interested in administrative law, particularly in the energy industry.

Cooperative Ministries

2009-08-21T16:45:00.001-04:00

Cooperative Ministries
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Notes from the field:

"This was a wonderful opportunity for the new 1L's to learn more about the community and get to know each other!" -Professor Susan Kuo

"I can tell from the short time that I've spent volunteering today that Cooperative Ministries does a lot of good in the community, and it was great to get to know my new classmates better!" -Parker Baxley, 1L

"I've had other great opportunities to do volunteer work in the past, and so I'm happy to find out about this great organization in Columbia." -Patti Lysak, 1L

Palmetto Health Foundation

2009-08-21T16:32:00.001-04:00

Excited for service
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

The team was met by Anna Saunders (Front row, left) of the Foundation with information about their services. The students were divided into teams and assigned different areas of Columbia. Armed with the fliers the three teams headed out to local businesses. The fliers were promotional material for the First Ladies Walk for Life: Steps Against Breast Cancer. The students will use their persuasion skills to spread the word about this important event. Proceeds from the Walk for Life are used to fund the Palmetto Health Breast Cancer Center.

Bentley, a 3L SBA representative helped to hang flyers and noted that she believed” it is in the law student’s nature to want to give back to our community and it is a great tradition that we are starting with the Incoming Law Student Community Service Project.”

Britney, A 2L SBA Representative added, “today is really a great day!”

South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice

2009-08-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

Dean Rob Wilcox went with a group of students to the SC Department of Juvenile Justice. Once they went behind the fence they could not take photos but he reports that his group "sorted" plants. They were faced with a truckload of plants that had been dumped in a pile. First they sorted by what they could identify ( no real botonists in the group but one student from the Citadel seemed to have some knowledge) They recognized the crepe myrtles and grasses and made quick work of sorting them. Size and color ruled decisions for the rest of the pile. It was a hot and sweaty job but when finished the group was satisfied with their new found skills!

Legal Services

2009-08-21T16:24:00.002-04:00

Legal Services was in need of 3 different things, so the mentor/mentee group was quickly split up into three groups in order to complete all the tasks. About 5 people drove off-site to help out in the storage shed, JoAnne Heiting filed documents with the receptionist/officer worker Sara while Professor Cherry answered the phones and manned the front desk, and the remaining 3 students painted areas that needed touching up in the stairwell, hallway, and reception areas.

Curious to see what the 1Ls thought of the first In Service day, I asked them about it as they painted the stairwell.

Taylor was expecting to be working at the food bank, and was pleasantly surprised to find so many different volunteering opportunities. She liked that she was working with an organization that had a legal aspect. At minimum, the 1Ls will learn, either through their own work today or from their fellow students, about the MANY different volunteer opportunities and organizations---there truly is something for everyone.

Taylor was a student at Winthrop before coming to USC Law. She was very involved in community activities while at Winthrop, working with YoungLife all four years of college and recently interning at the public defenders' office. She's interested in assisting the indigent in the civil arena (with a focus on helping juveniles), but also wants to learn more about intellectual property.

A fellow 1L, Kelly, comes to us from Xavier University in Ohio (although she's from the Upstate). She was excited about today's event, but hopes that fellow students will go on to find something they are interested in personally so they can commit to volunteering at that organization. Taylor, the 2L mentor, jumped in to say that her one reservation about today was that one day isn't always enough to form a connection with an organization, but she thought this day was a great way to give 1Ls a primer, an introduction, to all the different volunteer places. She also noted that it was a great way to meet fellow students.

Kelly (our 1L from Ohio undergrad) was also involved in community service in college. As a soccer player she participated in many events with her team in college---she helped out at a literacy center and helped coach high school soccer. She also completed an unpaid internship in Dublin, Ireland, working for the Immigrant Council of Ireland (like a Legal Aid for immigrants). She says she met many people from different non-European countries (Nigeria and Lithuania to name a couple) and also worked with people of many different nationalities (Russia and Romania).

I also interviewed our Legal Services contact, the newest attorney there, Olivia Jones. Olivia is a pretty recent USC Law grad, and she was the Pro Bono Committee president while she attended.  She worked at the Administrative Law Court for about a year before coming to Legal Services this past November.

Olivia had a lot of great things to say about our very own Pam Robinson. She said Pam was the most supportive person for her while she was in law school, and that Pam continues to have a presence in her life. In fact, Olivia says Pam was at her wedding, at her recent birthday party, and is a frequent lunch partner. Olivia credits Pam with getting her interested in public interest law. She mentions that she knew she wanted a job where she could use her Spanish and that Pam got her involved with VITA (the tax assistance program that USC Law Pro Bono provides to local indigent individuals and families in the Spring Semester), specifically, the one-day program that was specifically for spanish-speaking individuals who needed help with their taxes. Olivia remembers, very fondly, how much these people needed and appreciated the help. In the end, Olivia put it perfectly for those of us who know Pam when she said that Pam was always there with an open door, a cup of coffee, and an open ear to act as her sounding board. I hear ya Olivia!

Olivia is very happy about this program. She notes that some of her former classmates still don't understand what it is the Legal Services does and she hopes this experience will educate not only the students who were at Legal Services today, but all the classmates who will hear about today's events.  Another main point Olivia made was that today's work shows that regardless of your legal skill/experience, you can always help in some way. The 2-day law student 1Ls at Legal Services today painted and spruced up the office, which makes the office a nicer environment for the clients and also allows the attorneys and office staff at the office to focus on their main priority---the clients.

Professor Cherry (our very own Nonprofit Organizations Clinic professor) told us, as she manned the phones and greeted two clients, that she thought today was a wonderful opportunity for law students to get a firsthand look at what community groups do. She thought the day had been very succesful. JoAnne Heiting thought so too. She helped out by filing paperwork with Sara (the receptionist).

Personally, today gave me several things: an opportunity to get to know some 1Ls personally, whom I otherwise might never have had an opportunity to speak to; an appreciation of our school's commitment to community service and pro bono (everyone from our "law school mom" JoAnne to professors were there); an understanding of what Legal Services does; and an introduction to attorneys who are working a job they love while making a difference.

Below is some information Olivia shared with us about Legal Services:

    Legal Service offices (there are 9 around South Carolina) provide help with civil matters. They don't handle criminal matters, and if it involves a fee generating claim then they don't handle it either. They provide this legal assistance to the indigent population of SC (estimated to be around 650K people). They are funded completely from federal, state, and local grants (no, they aren't a state agency). There is NO cost (they don't apply a sliding scale according to how much the client makes, it is free service for everyone who falls under the federal poverty guidelines) for the legal services, and clients only pay for outside costs (think filing fees, GAL fees, etc). People in need of their services can apply by telephone or in person.  The Legal Services offices have the ability to assist, and communicate with, the disabled, non-english speakers, and the vision/hearing impaired. They have braille and sign language services, can provide for a translator for any language, and can conduct home visits for those clients who are home-bound.  Legal Service attorneys provide legal advice, guidance on other resources, community education, pro se divorce workshops, and many other services.

    Interested in working with them---while some attorneys speacialize in certain areas (think foreclosures for one attorney, family law issues for another, domestic abuse (protective orders etc for the victims) for another, and estate issues for another), some offices have only a few attorneys who are more like general practitioners. Attorneys who work there qualify for loan forgiveness and assistance programs.  There are positions for unpaid interns, but some of these spots can turn into paid positions as law clerks for the office.

The economy has affected Legal Services, just as it has the entire non-profit world. They are experiencing a heavier case load and have recently closed the Lexington Legal Services office.

Picture Gallery

Placing a defective product into the stream of commerce

2009-08-21T16:18:00.001-04:00

Harvest Hope Food Bank
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the Harvest Hope Food Bank.

Cayce West Columbia Library

2009-08-21T16:14:00.001-04:00

Cayce West Columbia Library
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Duncan Alford-Director of USC Law Library
“I’d like to have 20 volunteers shelf-read in my library!”

Lindsey S.-Peer Mentor
“I’m really excited to be here and to introduce our mentees to service and the Pro Bono program.”

Lauren B.-Peer Mentor
“We’re so glad to introduce the incoming class to the library since they will be living there for the next 3 years!”

Lyndey Z.-1L
“I think it’s a great project. We’re helping out a lot of kids and learning how to organize a library. Having the fairy-tale section is a great section to pull books out of and read!”

Camden H.-1L
“After reading law books, children’s books are a nice change of pace!”

Lauren “Lolly” Petroff- Sr. Branch Librarian
“I’m so thrilled to have the students here. It’s a great service for the community. We hope that they can come back next year!”

Final Group Shot from Appleseed

2009-08-21T16:10:00.001-04:00

Final Group Shot from Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Here's the final shot from SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

Rake Warriors

2009-08-21T15:50:00.001-04:00

LRADAC Women's Center
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the LRADAC Women's Center

LRADAC Women's Center

2009-08-21T15:48:00.001-04:00

From Sarah Powell, Pro Bono President:

I was with group 8A, Section 2, at LRADAC Women's Center where they were clearing out a section of the yard in order to put up a privacy fence.

Quotes:

"Hopefully one day when you all are practicing attorneys you will be able to counsel the women we help here." -Sandy, Clinical Counselor with LRADAC

"We are really thrilled to have the law students come out and participate in helping building a privacy fence for the women's center." -Kim, Director of Office of Strategic Management

"It's a good opportunity to meet new students while doing something worthwhile." -Lisa Eichhorn, Professor

"It's an important part of the profession. You might as well get started early." -Allison, 1L

"I have always been interested in literacy volunteer work and it's nice to do volunteer work that is more closely related to the law." -Susanna, 1L

"It's a good way to start the year off and get in the mindset of helping other people." -Joseph, 1L

"Volunteering gives you another perspective of the community." -Will, 1L

Color Coding

2009-08-21T15:07:00.001-04:00

Color Coding
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center. All brochures color coded.

Getting More Organized

2009-08-21T14:47:00.002-04:00

Getting More Organized
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

Professor Baker, Whitney Harrison and Kathy Minotti and 1L Kerri Brown at the SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

Thanks from the PD!

2009-08-21T14:43:00.003-04:00

From Carolyn Gripp, Assistant Public Defender and former member of the Pro Bono Board:

The volunteers are a great help. We’re putting them to work and they are doing an amazing job clearing out some of our back logged filing. We don’t have a lot of funding for law clerks these days, so that gets backed up very rapidly.

Helping Sort Papers

2009-08-21T14:38:00.001-04:00

Helping Sort Papers
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

Orientation at Appleseed

2009-08-21T14:37:00.004-04:00

Orientation at Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

Professor Jan Baker "is so excited to be a part of 2009 Service Day. We should do this every year; it is a rare opportunity for the students to see the law at work in the community and for everyone to just take time for service. Kudos to all those that helped organize it!"

Yard Work at Appleseed

2009-08-21T14:37:00.003-04:00

Yard Work at Appleseed
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

Weed Wacking Peer Mentor

2009-08-21T14:36:00.001-04:00

Weed Wacking Peer Mentor
Originally uploaded by MicahJohnson

At the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center.