This session will be an interactive “art of the ask” training for fundraisers and executive directors, outlining the steps and materials needed to prepare for a successful fundraising solicitation. We will provide the tools for legal aid fundraising and executive staff to make face to face solicitations and also support board members in becoming successful ambassadors and solicitors for their legal aid organizations. We will also facilitate an interactive solicitation practice with a “mock donor” so attendees can practice the skills they are learning in real time.
Hear about current trends in debt collection lawsuit filings and discuss reforms that empower self-represented litigants to navigate their cases and assert their rights. In interactive groups, participants will apply new resources to analyze policies in their states and identify areas ripe for reform.
Thursday May 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT Continential 1
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) decisions striking down race-based affirmative action in higher education, a tidal wave of attacks on racial equity programs has emerged. Panelists will share strategies for mobilizing pro bono attorneys to defend and advance DEI and racial equity initiatives.
Thursday May 15, 2025 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT Continential 1
Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that began during the racial reckoning of 2020, when the murder of George Floyd renewed demands for social justice, are being pulled apart by political and cultural shifts. In Utah, such legislation gutted DEI offices in a myriad of institutions and forced advocates to reframe. Hear how the Utah State Courts and the Access to Justice Commission are working to ensure that all Utahns have access to the promises and protections of our legal systems—that justice does not depend on your income, zip code, age, gender, status, identity, ability or the language you speak.
Thursday May 15, 2025 4:15pm - 5:30pm EDT Continential 1
Most pro bono trainings, in-person and online, are dull and lecture-based with no interactive component. This session will teach participants how to liven up their training sessions and will lead by example, using fun techniques to effectively convey information to participants in both live and virtual trainings.
Serving clients and communities in legal deserts requires more than bringing an attorney to them. To build trust, communicate with clients, conduct outreach, etc., staff and volunteers require a new type of cultural competency. This presentation reviews national pro bono findings before delving into real-world scenarios faced in rural Georgia.
Friday May 16, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am EDT Continential 1
Join us for an interactive “art of the ask” training for fundraisers and executive directors. This session will outline the steps and materials needed to prepare for a successful fundraising solicitation and provide the tools for legal aid fundraising and executive staff to make face to face solicitations and also support board members in becoming successful ambassadors and solicitors for their legal aid organizations. We will also facilitate an interactive solicitation practice with a “mock donor” so that session attendees can practice the skills they are learning in real time.
What do expungement, debt collection, and name change cases have in common? 1) They are very important to the individuals with the case; 2) legal aid providers have limited resources to provide more help, and 3) the cases are often subject to the unpredictability of low and limited jurisdiction courts. This session will explore how three legal aid organizations have leveraged pro bono volunteers to provide targeted assistance to clients while advancing strategic advocacy efforts that have resulted in far-reaching improvements to court systems and the administration of justice.
