The Seeds of Justice

28 Pages·2013·4.81 MB·English

L E G A L A I D S O C I E T Y O F M I D D L E T E N N E S S E E A N D T H E C U M B E R L A N D S
The Seeds of Justice
2012 Annual Report
Board of directors Nashville Pro BoNo
Program Board
James L. Weatherly, Jr.
President Toni Boss Thor Y. Urness
Lou Lavender
Chair
John T. Blankenship Melanie T. Cagle
Tessa N. Lawson
1st Vice President Michael S. Peek
Cynthia A. Cheatham
Judy A. Oxford Secretary
Robert J. Martineau, Jr.
Tove Christmon
2nd Vice President N. Houston Parks Martha L. Boyd
Stanley D. Darnell
J. Andrew Goddard Teresa Poston Richard A. Green
Diane Davis
3rd Vice President
Adrie Mae Rhodes Tonya Mitchem Grindon
Robert Allen Dickens
Turner McCullough, Jr.
Steve Rhodey Susan L. Kay
Secretary Trudy M. Edwards
Walter H. Stubbs Mark Manner
Charles K. Grant Richard K. Evans
Latonya L. Todd Chancellor Carol McCoy
Treasurer
Barbara Fisher
Lauren Paxton Roberts
Susan L. Kay
G. Wilson Horde
Past President Robyn L. Ryan
Caroline E. Knight
Charles H. Warfield John R. Tarpley
Executive Committee -
James L. Weatherly, Jr.
Member at Large
message from message from
the PresideNt the executive
of the Board director
Author Og Mandino said to “always seek out the seed of triumph Just as a farmer dedicates his life to planting, tending, watering
in every adversity.” At Legal Aid Society, our clients face a world and harvesting his crops, we dedicate our careers, with the same
of adversity. Amidst this hardship, you are seeds of triumph who fervent passion for results as a farmer, to helping families and
can restore hope and provide reassurance. Often those we serve individuals who have nowhere else to turn for legal help.   
have lost faith that the justice system is available to them as it is
As the Greek poet Aeschylus once said, “From a small seed
to those who can afford counsel. Providing that access and the
a mighty trunk may grow.”  Within the pages of this annual
resource available through the justice system can be a life-changing
report you will learn how planting and reaping the seeds
event for those we serve and for us who value the protections our
of justice benefit those we serve, as well as entire communities.
justice system affords its citizens.
You also will hear stories from donors and learn why they
These seeds of triumph are made possible through the support give time and money to the Legal Aid Society.
of both members of our legal community and those outside the
In 2012, more than 1,700 donors planted the seeds of justice
legal community who share our belief that one measure of the
with a financial contribution to the Legal Aid Society, allowing
greatness of our society is the access to justice afforded our citizens
us to serve over 7,000 people seeking equal access to justice. 
regardless of their economic standing.
Our continued success is made possible by the donors, volunteers
To the staff, volunteers and donors who continue to sow these
and staff highlighted throughout these pages. We are grateful
triumphant seeds of justice, I, on behalf of the Board of Directors,
for their tremendous contributions.
express my deepest gratitude for your help in fulfilling the mission
of the Legal Aid Society.
Many continued thanks,
Thank you for doing your part in furtherance of this noble mission.
Gary D. Housepian
Executive Director, Legal Aid Society
Jim Weatherly
President, Legal Aid Society Board of Directors
PlaNtiNg the seeds of justice
Each seed sown in the fields of justice You give us the ability to:
grows to provide access to life’s most
PROVIDE A STRONG VOICE
basic necessities — food, water, shelter
and security — to low income individuals to people who feel broken and
and families who have nowhere else defeated by the justice system
to turn. Every seed planted harvests before a staff or pro bono attorney
our talents and abilities to provide stands beside them and fights for
free legal justice to the most vulnerable their rights and fairness in court.
among us. When you plant the seeds
RESTORE HOPE to a mother
of justice, you invest in the lives of others.
and her children who desperately

sought a safe reprieve from domestic
abuse before our victim advocate
and staff attorney helped them gain
independence from their abuser.
GIVE COmfORT to a family
growiNg a world of differeNce
who can keep their home after
from seeds of every size
a staff or pro bono attorney resolves
foreclosure or mortgage issues.
$25 donation provides 100 “15 Warning Signs” wallet cards for high school
BESTOw THE POwER
students who might be in violent relationships but don’t know the warning signs.
Of kNOwlEDGE to individuals
$100 donation provides one victim advocate at a docket call, giving support through our community education
to 10 to 15 victims of domestic violence. and outreach efforts.
$250 donation provides 1,800 “Free Legal Help” brochures to help potential kEEP NECESSARy
SERVICES for a child with severe
clients learn about how we can help them overcome legal challenges.
disabilities to remain at home with
$750 donation provides a holistic intake process and legal representation family, after our attorneys file suit
to dismiss service changes….
by an attorney so a family can keep their home.
and more.
$1,500 donation provides a walk-in clinic for 50 people in need of an
attorney for help on a civil legal issue.
reaPiNg the seeds of justice
we believe that you reap what you sow. In 2012, our efforts in the fight for justice reaped over $20 million in free legal
advice and representation for Tennesseans and their families.
A Glance at Our work in 2012:
• $17,437,581= the market • Over 1,000 individuals TN Taxpayer Project • Conducted 125 general outreach
value of advice and representation obtained affordable housing • Gained confirmed benefits for events that reached 1,275
from staff. or received help with keeping taxpayers of $2,422,455.25. service providers from public
their homes. and private social service
• 20,739 requests received • Worked on 345 cases and agencies and 12,707
for assistance. • More than $325,171.13 assisted 470 taxpayers involving other taxpayers.
• Over 7,000 people served. in unemployment insurance $2,720,520.79 anticipated • Conducted 244 educational events
benefits obtained in 263 benefits.
1,802
which reached lawyers,
• 65,922 legal self-help brochures closed cases.
• Prepared 286 original tax CPAs and other volunteers and
distributed.
• more than $800,000 returns for non-filers, first-time 15,955 other taxpayers.
• 103 pro bono clinics held filers and ESL taxpayers ancillary
in social security/disability
throughout our service area. to outreach.
benefits were garnered for clients
510
• 1,479 clients assisted in cases.
at pro bono clinics.
• 166 community education tyPes of l egal issues addressed iN 2012
presentations given on civil
legal issues.
6% 
• 5,545 people attended 6% employment
health
community education 27% family
7% wills/estates, advance
presentations.
directives/powers of attorney
• 793 domestic violence
cases handled. 9% miscellaneous 16% consumer
(education, juvenile, legal assistance 14%
to nonprofits, licenses, municipal housing
15% income
needs, other miscellaneous)
maintenance
a thriviNg field of justice: 2012 commuNity activities
The Legal Aid Society added Cara Alexander, Iris in questionable mortgage practices, the Legal
Buhl and Joseph Woodson to its COmmuNITy Aid Society launched a new initiative to HElP
ADVISORy COuNCIl, which is composed TENNESSEE HOmEOwNERS fACING
of 22 members who serve as community and fOREClOSuRE and mortgage rescue scams.
business ambassadors for the Legal Aid Society.
THE SuPREmE COuRT Of TENNESSEE,
ADmINISTRATIVE OffICE Of THE
The Upper Cumberland Young Lawyers Association
sponsored the first JOG & JAm fOR COuRTS awarded the Tullahoma office four grants
JuSTICE, a 5K run/walk which raised $1,000 totaling $18,118 to provide assistance in divorce
for the Legal Aid Society. proceedings and parenting plan modifications
to low-income domestic violence and sexual assault
victims with minor children in four judicial districts.
Richard Green accepts the Bob Sullivan Memorial
Award from Lucinda Smith, Nashville Pro Bono
Program Director.
and Nashville Pro Bono Program Board member,
received the first Bob Sullivan Service Award.
Rachel Moses (attorney, Cookeville), Gary Housepian
(Executive Director) and Bill Bush (attorney, The Legal Aid Society and Nashville Community
Cookeville) at the Jog and Jam for Justice.
Education Commission offered 9 free legal classes HCA employees stuffed envelopes for the annual
campaign during the company’s Community Day
to 71 attendees through the PEOPlE’S lAw
The third annual lEGAl AID SOCIETy initiative.
SCHOOl program at Cohn Learning Center.
muSIC ROw BREAkfAST served as a
memorial to the late Bob Sullivan, a member of the The Nashville Pro Bono Program collaborated with THE HCA fOuNDATION provided funding
Legal Aid Society board and driving force in raising several law firms to provide free monthly legal to support the Middle Tennessee Legal Partnership
awareness within Nashville’s music industry of assistance at OPERATION STAND DOwN as well as to aid the annual campaign. HCA
the Legal Aid Society and the services it provides. NASHVIllE. employees stuffed envelopes for the annual campaign
Richard Green, VP for EMI Christian Music Group for HCA’s Community Day.
Funded by a nationwide settlement between the
state attorneys general and major banks engaged
laBoriNg iN the field of justice:
2012 staff highlights
BAPTIST HEAlING TRuST provided mARIA ARVIzu, Nashville office victim kATIE EVANS, attorney in our Nashville
$40,388 to continue supporting the Middle advocate, was named Advocate of the Year by the office, was invited by the White House and
Tennessee Medical Legal Partnership, which Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence. the Department of Health & Human Services
includes the United Neighborhood Health to a discussion at the White House about
lINDSEy BARNES joined the Columbia office
Services clinics and Vanderbilt University’s the Affordable Care Act. 
as the receptionist.
medical student-run Shade Tree Clinic.
AlySSE GREGORy joined the Nashville
JANICE CAmPBEll joined the Oak Ridge
Our Oak Ridge office partnered with Pro Bono Program as project coordinator.
office as a secretary.
lEGAl AID Of EAST TENNESSEE
CHERREllE HOOPER joined the Gallatin
AllISON COOlEy joined the Nashville office
to provide supportive housing services
office as a staff attorney after volunteering
as a staff attorney after being a contract attorney
to the homeless through a grant from
in the Murfreesboro office for several months.
for several months.
the U.S. Department of Housing and
DAVID kOzlOwSkI, assistant general counsel
Urban Development. lINDSEy COx was named grant administrator
and Columbia managing attorney, was elected
for the Legal Aid Society.
The Legal Aid Society and 19 victim services president of the Maury County Bar Association.
ANDRAE CRISmON, managing attorney
providers received a 3-year $500,000
RACHEl mOSES, Clarksville office
domestic violence grant from the u.S. of our Murfreesboro office, was chosen for the
attorney, received Best Community Service Project
DEPARTmENT Of JuSTICE. 2012-2013 Class of Leadership Middle Tennessee,
and Outstanding Board Member Award from
an organization of community leaders working
The Legal Aid Society and DAySPRING the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyer’s
together to form long-term solutions that
fAmIly HEAlTH CENTERS in Division. In addition, she was elected president
promote economic growth in Middle Tennessee
Jellico, Campbell County, Tenn. formed a of the Putnam County Bar Association.
communities.
new Medical-Legal Partnership to address
ANDREA REED joined the Legal Aid Society
kRISTIE CROw joined the Clarksville office as
certain legal issues which interfere with
as the grant writer/development associate.
a victim advocate.
medical treatment.
RAE ANNE SEAy, staff attorney, transferred
CINDy DuRHAm, director
The INTERNAl REVENuE SERVICE
from our Columbia office to our Tullahoma office.
of development, received the Jim Pryor Child
provided $100,000 in grant funds to the
Advocate of the Year Award from the Tennessee VICTORIA wEBB, pro bono clinic
Tennessee Taxpayer Project.
Commission on Children and Youth. coordinator, received the Liberty Bell Award at the
Nashville Bar Association’s annual Law Day lunch.
case study : justice for heNrietta
“Henrietta” was a 65-year-old woman battling illness. She had given her son and daughter-
in-law Powers of Attorney, but they were abusing their powers. Henrietta learned that her
son and daughter-in-law had not paid the mortgage on her home for the past two months
and were instead using her money for their own personal needs. They were not on her bank
account, but were able to get money from the account by showing their Powers of Attorney.
Henrietta contacted the Legal Aid Society to get help to stop them from spending her money
in the future. The Legal Aid Society did a revocation of the Powers of Attorney and sent
a letter to the bank, along with a copy of the revocation. The bank will no longer allow
Henrietta’s son and daughter-in-law to withdraw from her account. Henrietta said that if the
Carolyn hill
Legal Aid Society had not drawn up the revocation for her, her son and daughter-in-law may

have caused her to lose her home.
$25 with $50
match from her
employer
“I gave to the Legal Aid Society this
year when they were listed on our
Dollars for Denim recipients at work.
I was happy to help an organization
that helped me years ago. I was
about 20 years old when the Legal
Aid Society helped me because I had
been wrongfully sued for a car wreck
I wasn’t involved in. I remember
leaving the Legal Aid office and really
believing it when I was told everything
would be all right. And it was. I give to
Legal Aid Society because I know
how desperately people in our
community need their services.”
growiNg the seeds of justice: the 2012 camP aigN for equal justice
Thanks to the generosity of many in our 48-county service area we are extremely grateful for the time and dedication given
and the hard work of many volunteers, the 2012 Campaign for Equal by the 2012 campaign committee who spent 18 months raising
Justice was the most successful ever. we exceeded our goal of $720,000 money for the legal Aid Society and Nashville Pro Bono Program.
by more than $46,000 – collecting $766,826 from 1,691 donors.
2012 Campaign Chair Government Chair Cookeville Chair
James A. Delanis william E. young william f. Roberson, Jr.
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Office of the Tennessee
Caldwell & Berkowitz Attorney General Gallatin Chair
walter H. Stubbs
Community Chair Judges Co-Chairs
william P. Purcell III Chancellor Carol l. mcCoy Murfreesboro Chair
Former Mayor of Metropolitan 20th Judicial District, Pt. 2 mary Beth Hagan
Nashville and attorney with Hagan & Farrar
Jones Hawkins Farmer Judge Dan Eisenstein
General Sessions Court, Div. 2 Oak Ridge Chair The 2012 Campaign for Equal Justice Leadership
Large Firm Co-Chairs Cabinet.
John A. willis
Corporate Chair
Andrée Blumstein
Fox & Farley
Sherrard & Roe Rachel A. Seifert
Community Health Systems Tullahoma Co-Chairs
J. Reginald Hill
Ralph mcBride, Jr.
Williamson County
Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis Bedford County
Co-Chairs
Small Firm Co-Chairs Phillip R. Newman Robert A. Croy
karla C. Hewitt Puryear, Newman & Morton Coffee County
Karla C. Hewitt & Associates Rachel A. Seifert J. mark Stewart
Phillip H. miller Community Health Systems Stewart & Stewart
Franklin and Grundy counties
Phillip Miller & Associates
Clarksville Chair Gary Housepian (Executive Director), Susan Kay,
Randall E. Self
Edgar m. Rothschild Stacy Turner-Olson Charles Grant and Jim Delanis (2012 Campaign
Lincoln County
Rothschild & Ausbrooks Olson & Phillips Chair) at the Campaign for Equal Justice
kickoff luncheon.
John P. Partin
Columbia Chair
Galligan & Newman
Patrick Carter Warren County
Hardin, Parkes, Kelley,
Carter & Bryant
sPreadiNg the seeds of justice : voluNteer work
As the need for free legal assistance continually grows, volunteer support from our offices and the Nashville Pro Bono Program increases our ability to
provide meaningful service to as many people as possible.
We extend gratitude to those who dedicated their passion and professionalism to help those less fortunate find hope and relief in their darkest hour of need.
In 2012, a total of 928 pro bono attorneys
throughout the 48-county service area
donated 9,468 hours of service, handled
2,688 cases and provided free legal help
NASHVIllE
worth $2,758,042.
In 2012, the Nashville Pro Bono Program
had a record-breaking 815 volunteer
attorneys handle 2,421 cases.
BREAkDOwN Of
VOluNTEER wORk By OffICE The program added 157 new attorneys and
had 115 attorneys come back to the program
Clarksville: 38 volunteer attorneys
after more than two years of absence.
Columbia: 8 volunteer attorneys Community Health Systems Professional Services
The Nashville office coordinated 60 pro bono Corporation was honored for its commitment
Cookeville: 9 volunteer attorneys
to providing free legal services to low-income families
clinics attended by 1,272 people.
Gallatin: 14 volunteer attorneys and work with the Nashville Pro Bono Program
at the Sixth Annual Corporate Counsel Pro Bono
Murfreesboro: 17 vvolunteer attorneys Initiative Gala.
Oak Ridge: 19 volunteer attorneys
Tullahoma: 15 volunteer attorneys
43 Walk-in clinics were held
All in all, Nashville pro bono
outside Nashville, serving over
200 clients. attorneys logged 8,871.76 hours
of billable time, equating to roughly
$1,774,352 in free legal help.
The Nashville Pro Bono Program honored Stites
& Harbison PLLC with the “Leadership Award”
accepted by Stephen Price (left) and Lauren Roberts
(center), and gave the “Volunteer of the Year
Award” to Perry Happell (right) at the Nashville Bar
Association’s annual banquet.