Good News For Florida Foreclosure Defense

Attorney General Bill McCollum presented a $2 million check to The Florida Bar Foundation on Tuesday to provide legal help for people facing foreclosure. The money comes from the state's proceeds in a consumer suit McCollum and attorneys general in several other states filed against Countrywide. The case was filed the day before the big lender was taken over by Bank of America, which settled ... to continue reading the full article, click HERE.

Consider The Social Security Administration

The Career Services Department follows hiring trends in order to pass along the most updated information to our students and alumni. Recently, we learned that the Social Security Administration is currently undergoing one of the largest federal hiring efforts. The Social Security Administration Commissioner hopes to bring in about 6,500 new employees by fall to reduce claims backlogs and address other needs. For more information including what the Commissioner is looking for in candidates, click HERE. To learn more about the Social Security Administration, click HERE.

Do You Have Student Debt?

Equal Justice Works has launched a new web resource for students and educators regarding student debt. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act - legislation that forgives student debt and limits monthly loan payments - becomes fully effective on July 1, 2009. Signed into law nearly two years ago, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) will now help thousands of recent graduates cope with student debt and enter public service.

To help college graduates and their advisors understand, qualify and take advantage of benefits under the CCRAA, Equal Justice Works has developed a free online resource center that provides a comprehensive overview of its provisions as well as many practical tools including simple checklists, calculators, lists of loan repayment assistance programs, FAQs and podcasts.
Visit the Equal Justice Works Debt Relief online resource center.

Interesting Article About Pro Bono Work

A recent article, "Economy Prompts N.Y. Courts' New Program for Volunteer Attorneys" by
Joel Stashenko in the New York Law Journal highlights how one state is dealing with the current economy and need for legal services. Read below for highlights about the program.

Administrators of New York courts rolled out a new program Thursday to enlist attorneys, many of whom may be laid off or on reduced work schedules due to the sour economy, to provide legal advice and expertise to pro se litigants.The initiative will differ from traditional pro bono work in that lawyers will not represent poor clients in court nor provide assistance throughout their cases. Rather, lawyers in the new Volunteer Attorney Program will make themselves available to multiple pro se litigants to help them prepare petitions and other court paperwork, advise them about what might happen in court and interpret orders from courts, Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau said. The program at first will focus on providing legal services in courts in New York City and in Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau counties.Pfau said the need for attorneys to help pro se litigants is particularly acute in cases that reflect the bad economy, such as foreclosures, tenant-landlord disputes, personal debt, child support and other matters in Family Court and small estate settlements in Surrogate's Court.Both employed and unemployed lawyers can participate, Pfau said."People still want to be lawyers," she said in an interview. "We are very happy to think that we could both marry the need for more lawyers and the opportunity for lawyers to provide this very direct service when families are in crisis. That's why they are in court, because ... to continue reading the full text of the article, click HERE.