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50 Anniversary of VLNthMaking Pro Bono Happen for 50 YearsVolunteer Lawyers Networkuses the power of volunteersto protect and enforce thelegal rights of low-incomeMinnesotans.annual reportFiscal Year 2015-2016
50th Anniversary of VLNMaking Pro Bono Happen for 50 Years600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 390AMinneapolis, MN 55402t: 612-752-6655 · f: 612-752-6656VLN@vlnm n.orgstaff 2015-2016Sue PontinenFor 50 years,VLN pro bono attorneys have embodied equal justice underlaw by counseling and representing individuals and families living in poverty. These areessential community services. Civil laws – including protection for tenants, workers, andparents – only work to the extent someone can access the court to enforce them. As oneclient said succinctly, “Without a lawyer, I don’t have rights.”Executive DirectorMartha DelaneyDeputy DirectorTom WalshDeputy DirectorColleen BeebeResource AttorneyProgram Manager Immigrant Legal Services and Community ClinicsTricia BogleCase CoordinatorYaima CousoRobina Public Interest Scholar AttorneyBarb CruzVLN’s work is grounded in the belief that all attorneys share in the profound professionalresponsibility to ensure that the rule of law extends to everyone. This is not work reservedjust for legal aid attorneys and public defenders. When private-sector and governmentattorneys volunteer to represent those in poverty, they not only fulfill the aspirations intheir professional code of conduct, more importantly, they connect on a human level withthose who come from very different life experiences. This helps break stereotypes aboutpoverty and gives volunteers a much broader perspective on the impact of the law andpublic policy.Case CoordinatorGlen DrewResource AttorneyProgram Manager Civil, Clinics and Letters to CreditorsLuce Guillén-GivinsIntake Specialist / Case CoordinatorChris HanrahanResource Attorney / Program Manager Housing, Real EstateHeidi HuberVolunteer Liaison, Database Manager, Case CoordinatorNancy JohnsonAdministrative DirectorKate KramerJudge Nancy C Dreher FellowAlexis PhillipsCase CoordinatorCassandra PhillipsHousing Court Pilot Project CoordinatorGreg RachwalCase CoordinatorEmma RieseIntake and Community Clinic CoordinatorEmily TannerReceptionist / Office AssistantJulie ThelenDevelopment CoordinatorCFPB Financial CoachDon Fulton AFC , CRC u page 2For the past 50 years, VLN has worked to give volunteer attorneys the support andstructure they need to make efficient and effective use of their time. Our staff designsprograms that respond to emerging legal needs, such as the explosion of requestsfor creditor/debtor and bankruptcy problems that emerged in the wake of the 2009recession. We screen and connect specific clients to volunteers based on the interestsand skills of the volunteers. In recent years, we have increased our attorney trainingabout poverty law issues and communication in cross-cultural relationships betweenvolunteer attorneys and clients.One way we measure VLN’s success is by the feedback we get from our volunteerattorneys. Our incredible volunteer attorney retention reflects the fact that volunteersenjoy what they do and feel like they are making a difference. Our volunteers often saythey gain more than they give, including the chance to make a difference in someone’slife, to cross social barriers, and to gain first-hand knowledge about the experience ofthose living in poverty: their resilience and resourcefulness.During the past 50 years, thousands of volunteers have participated in this work andpurpose. And, while so much has changed since 1966, fairness and equal justice for allcontinue to be as essential for individual and community well-being as ever.vlnmn.organnual report 2015-2016
“If you are a lawyer, public service is just something you do,using your training to provide a public benefit.”—Tom Tinkham, VLN volunteerThe Beginning of Volunteer Lawyers NetworkLegal Advice Clinic (LAC), now known as Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN), was foundedby a group of young lawyers who set out to create a pro bono legal program similar toone they had heard about in Chicago. Richard Aaron, Charles Dayton, James Halverson,Boyd Ratchye, Harlan Smith and Peter Weiss recruited 40 attorneys and formed LACwith a 300 donation from the Pillsbury Company. LAC was incorporated in 1966 andmet with clients at four “settlement houses” for two hours four nights a week.Founders of Legal Advice Clinics in 1966 (nowVolunteer Lawyers Network) l-r: Bob Henson, CecilSchmidt, Jim Halverson, John Levine, Boyd Ratchye1966HCBA-LAC is awarded 13,500from the Governor’s CrimeCommission and hires its firsthalf-time staffattorney forcriminal law,Peter Albrecht.Legal Advice Clinics, Ltdincorporates as a notfor-profit organization.1970A formal affiliationagreement is entered intowith Hennepin County BarAssociation, and name ischanged to HCBA-LAC.Annual Budget: 1,275,000Active Volunteers: 800Annual Services: 10,000Annual Budget: 228,000Volunteers: 2,00019962009Name changed toVolunteer LawyersNetwork.First VLN RiverfrontCelebration takes place!19821970s1980s1977Annual Budget: 46,000Volunteers: 2502000s2005VLN serves residents beyondHennepin County with itsnew bankruptcy program.The Spanish Legal Servicesprogram launches, initiallycalled “Linea Legal Latina.”Reagan administration cutsLSC funding, which createshuge demand at LAC.vlnmn.org1990s19921985annual report 2015-20162016Celebrate 50 Years!New Financial Guidelinesdue to increase in federalminimum wage to 2.65/hour.Annual Budget: 600Volunteers: 451960s1991Celebrate 25 Years!19722010s2014New strategic plan and mission created:To protect and promote the basicneeds of people in poverty throughthe power of legal volunteers.page 3
50th Anniversary of VLNMaking Pro Bono Happen for 50 YearsVolunteer Lawyers Network TodayBringing justice to Elizabeth – and otherMinnesotans like her – who deserve a chance.In the middle of our Minnesota winter, Elizabeth got the devastatingnews: she and her three young children were being evicted. And, ina tight housing market, they had nowhere to go, especially with aneviction now on her record. The cause for the eviction? She’d askedher landlord to take care of broken heaters and infestations of mice,cockroaches and bedbugs.Minnesota has laws protecting tenants like Elizabeth from unsafeconditions, as well as from her landlord’s retaliation. But Elizabethhad no way to invoke those protections; without a lawyer’s help, shehad no way of showing her facts to a judge.On the verge of losing access to stable shelter, Elizabeth found VLN.And the rule of law came back into her life through attorney MichaelCockson of Faegre Baker Daniels (pictured on cover). Michaelbrought the facts and statutes before the court and not onlyprevented the eviction, but in Elizabeth’s words, he brought hopeback into her life.VLN envisions a community in which all have access to the legalservices necessary for stability and well-being. If you are readingthis, you probably volunteer or donate to VLN on a regular basis.YOU ARE VLN and YOU bring hope, stability and well-being tothousands in our community each year. Because of you, Elizabethand her children, and many more like them, are safe, warm, andready for another winter.u page 4vlnmn.organnual report 2015-2016
766 attorneys took a case during FY15-16: 9,145 services were provided,including 6,027 received at clinics and events, and 1,648 received via telephone legal advice.Services Provided by Category of LawAreas of Law Covered During ServicesConsumer 24% (2,198)Housing 23% (2,115)Family 19% (1,749)Criminal Expungement 10% (955)Immigration 10% (898)Employment 3% (262)Top 10 Counties ServedOther 11% (968)11% 5%4%2%Number of ServicesProvided at Major Clinics2%11371638839425731Housing Court Clinic.1,638Legal Access Point Clinic.1,137Family Justice Clinic. . 839Conciliation Court Clinics. 731Park Avenue Clinic. 425annual report 2015-201676%Hennepin. .6659Ramsey. . 922Dakota. 421Anoka. . 369Scott. 118Washington. . 98Carver. 59Wright. . 43Olmsted. . 36Stearns. 26vlnmn.orgConsumer. 2,198Bankruptcy / Debtor Relief. 873Collect / Repo / Def / Garnsh. 611Collection Practices /Creditor Harassment. 72Contracts / Warranties. 100Loans/Installment Purch. 11Other Consumer / Finance. 509Predatory Lending. 1Unfair Sales Practices. 21Education. 26Discipline (Exp & Susp). 4Education Other. 5Student Finc. Aid. 17Employment. 262Employment Discrimination. 6Emply Rights. 115Other Employment. 54Taxes Not EITC. 21Wage Claims & FLSA. 66Family. 1,749Adoption. 34Adult Guardianship. 5Custody / Visitation. 823Divorce / Sep / Annul. 466Domestic Abuse. 47Name Change. 22Other Family. 51Parental Rights Termin. 16Paternity. 51Support. 234Health. 8Other Health. 6State and Local Health. 2Housing. 2,115Homeownership / Real Prop. 116Housing Discrimination. 1Mort Predatory Lending Practices. 1Other Housing. 24Private Landlord / Tenant. 1,916Public Housing. 57Income Maintenance. 71Other Income Maintanence. 5Social Security (Not SSDI). 4SSDI. 6SSI. 9State & Local Income Maint. 11Unemployment Compensation. 34Veterans Benefits. 2Individual Rights. 2,062Civil Rights. 18Immigration / Natural. 898Mental Health. 3Criminal Expungement. 955Other Individual Rights. 118Juvenile. 37Delinquent. 1Emancipation. 1Minor GuardianshipConservatorship. 7Neglected / Abused / Depend. 18Other Juvenile. 10Other / Multiple Topics. 617Adv Directives / Powers of Attorney.2Criminal Referrals. 79Licenses (Drivers, Occ, Others). 36Other Miscellaneous. 287Torts. 169Wills & Estates. 44TOTAL. 9,145page 5
50th Anniversary of VLNMaking Pro Bono Happen for 50 YearsMany thanks to our generous donors!Individual DonorsBrock AltonJoy AndersonKurt AndersonConstance AramKris ArnesonJames BaillieAnthony BaqueroJayne Barnard McCoyMatt BazzanoColleen BeebeVirginia BellC. Christopher BercawIvy BernhardsonJoan BibelhausenPaul BirnbergMargie BodasJodie BodermanThomas BoydErica BrownPat BurnsJonathan ByeKaren CanonPhil CarruthersMark CarterRobert CarterKim ChapmanEstella CheaRegina ChuKatherine ConstantineAshley CooperHanna CooperEric CoopersteinElizabeth CowanClara CypullLindsay DavisMartha DelaneySteve Demullingu page 6Jodi DeschaneA. Denise DessD. Charles & Diane DeVriesElizabeth DeVriesKate DeVries SmithJospeh DixonJennifer DoyleRoger DreherJaime DriggsDiane DubeSkip DurocherRyan EddyDerek EllisLarry EspelCharlie & Anne FerrellWilliam FisherJames FormanThomas FraserMichael FriedmanKathleen FulteSusan GallagherSamuel GloverDaniel GoldbergPeter GossDavid GrahamJoe GreenKathleen GreenMary GrimsleyJ D HaasCarolyn HamJoyanne HamiltonCassie HansonKent HarbisonMarcy HarrisJerry HelfandJames HensonDan HerberWilliam HittlerSten Erik HoidalDavid HoilandKelly HudickSarah HudlestonTheresa HughesRachel HugheyKevin JohnsonKathleen JunekGina & Kurt KastelMary KiedrowskiGregory KishelSusan KjelvikCorey KobbervigAriene KoghJohn KreighbaumEllen KrugMuria KrugerPamela KubitschekBarbara KuhnJanet LambertCarol LansingTricia LaughlinRay LazarLaurel LearmonthMartha LeporeJames LevineDaniel MableyGordon MammelJohn MandlerSteve MarcheseSusan MaricleGreg MaritaJames MasonLisa MattsonMichael McCarthyKristine McKinneyCarole MegarryPeter MengeLaurie MillerPaul MoeDonations received July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016.Jack MooreJulia MorganTimothy MorganMary MullenJohn MulliganThomas NelsonAnna NovacheckCori OfsteadFred OjileMike OjileWilliam OjileJohn OrensteinTonja OrrMark OyaasCharles ParsonsTheodore PattonJean PetersBruce PetersonMark PetersonTom PfeiferEdward PluimerSuzanne PontinenJesus PurisacaStephen RathkeM. Jacqueline RegisMichael ReifAlmaz RetaMichael ReynoldsJonathan RiehleDana RindahlJan RiversPatrick RobbenSusan RobinerKristy RoddDavid RunckDennis RyanEllen SampsonJoseph SatterNoreen Schertlervlnmn.orgAndrew SchmidtNelson SchmidtBrian SchmitzMark SchneebeckDebra SchunaDaniel ShapiroKathleen SheehyMaya Sheikh-SalahTimothy ShieldsMark SiegelAnna SkoglundMichael SkoglundElaine SmithFranklin SmithDuane StanleyKristine StefanoLeo & Christine SternBridget SullivanShawn SwearingenJames SwensonChristina SzittaRaymond Tahk-JohnsonJulie ThelenThomas TinkhamLica Tomizuka SanbornDaniel TysonSara VanNormanMary VasalyMichael VittJames VollingMark VyvyanMary Webber NordJohn WindhorstAngela WoessnerDavid & Mary WoodwardChristopher YetkaJulian ZebotAlysia ZensKristin ZinsmasterOrganizations3MAmerican College ofBankruptcy FoundationAnonymous Fund forMinneapolisAnthony Ostlund Baer &Louwagie P.A.Arthur, Chapman, Kettering,Smetak & Pikala, P.A.Associated Financial GroupBarnes & Thornburg LLPBassford RemeleBenevity CommunityImpact FundBest & Flanagan LLPBest Buy Co., Inc.Blackwell Burke P.A.Bowman and Brooke LLPBriggs and Morgan,Professional AssociationCall For Justice, LLCCargill, IncorporatedDorsey & WhitneyFoundationDykema Gossett PLLCF.R. Bigelow FoundationFaegre Baker DanielsFoundationFaegre Baker Daniels LLPFidelity CharitableFish & Richardson P.C.Foley & Mansfield CharitableFoundationFredrikson & ByronFoundationFredrikson & Byron, P.A.Gray Plant MootyGray Plant Mooty FoundationGreene Espel PLLPannual report 2015-2016
You changed19,640 lives during FY15-16, including 7,615 children,through the delivery of pro bono legal services in Minnesota.*Gustafson Gluek PLLCHalunen LawHennepin County BarAssociationHennepin County BarFoundationHenson & Efron, P.A.Hinshaw & Culbertson LLPHKM P.A.Lindquist & Vennum LLPLitigation InsightsLommen Abdo, P.A.Mardag FoundationMaslon LLPMcKnight FoundationMcNeely FoundationMeagher & Geer, PLLPMedica FoundationMerchant & Gould P.C.Minnesota Association ofBlack LawyersMinnesota Chapter Federal Bar AssociationNichols Kaster, PLLPNilan Johnson Lewis PAOppenheimer Wolff &Donnelly LLPPauly, DeVries Smith &Deffner, LLCRBC Foundation – USARobins Kaplan LLPSaint Paul FoundationSaint Paul Foundation Pan African CommunityEndowmentSchwegman, Lundberg &WoessnerShepherd Data Services, Inc.Shields Legal Services, P.A.State of Minnesotaannual report 2015-2016St. Jude MedicalStinson Leonard Street LLPStoel Rives LLPStroz Friedberg, an AonCompanyTCF National BankThomson ReutersThrivent Financial forLutheransU.S. BankU.S. Federal District CourtUnited HealthCareServices, Inc.Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A.In Memory ofBricker LavikSteven CarlsonPaul DiesethNancy FraserLori NielsenLorraine PrindlesLinda SkwieraDavid & Susan WolfeAlysia ZensIn Memory ofJohn NevinMarcy HarrisIn Honor ofDianna MorriseyPaul FloydIn Honor ofScott RussellMartha LeporeIn Honor ofAllen SilverBarbara GlaserIn-Kind Donations65 Vines WineryJoy AndersonMatt BazzanoBlack Sheep Coal Fired PizzaBrave New WorkshopBreadsmithKaren CanonMark CarterChanhassen Dinner TheatresContinental DiamondMartha DelaneyKate DeVries SmithMark DiPietroDorsey & Whitney LLPSkip DurocherFredrikson & ByronFoundationPeter GossGuthrie TheaterMarcy HarrisBrenden HenehanHennepin Theatre TrustDan HerberSten HoidalRachel HugheyIcehouse MPLSIllusion TheaterIn the Heart of the BeastPuppet and Mask TheatreKieran’s Irish PubJanet LambertLaurel LearmonthMerchant & Gould P.C.vlnmn.orgMinnesota LandscapeArboretumMinnesota TwinsMinnesota VikingsMinnesota State FairFred OjilePark Square TheatrePark TavernMichael ReifThe Saint Paul HotelMark SchneebeckScience Museum of MNSEA LIFE MinnesotaAquarium at Mall ofAmericaTimothy ShieldsElona SingroyMichael SkoglundDouglas StaffordJulie ThelenThomson ReutersTwin Cities In MotionMary VasalyMark VyvyanWalt Disney World Co.Alysia ZensWe apologize forany names that mayhave been omittedfrom this list orhave been listedincorrectly. If wemissed you or madean error, please letus know so we canthank you properly.*approximate numbersServices Providedat Clinics, Events,Programs & WorkshopsBankruptcy.147Better Futures MN.1Birth Certificate Project.85Brian Coyle.96Brooklyn Legal Clinic.34CAPSH.274Conciliation Court.592Conciliation Court Appeal Clinic.50Conciliation Court Consumer Debt Clinic.89Consumer Protection Workshop& Legal Service Line.77Criminal Expungement Clinics (3).164Criminal Expungement Screening.576Criminal Expungement Workshops.34Dignity Center.209Estate Planning Clinic.11Family Justice Clinic.839Family Unity Project.25Housing Court.1,638Jeremiah Clinics (2).3Legal Access Point Clinic.1,137LGBTQ Clinic.8MIWRC.79Park Avenue Clinic.425Project Opportunity Connect.37Real Estate.14SIJS (Special Immigrant Juvenile Status) Project.16Spanish Legal Services (SLS) Outreach Program.51StandDown.26Youth Law Clinic.44TOTAL.6,781page 7
50th Anniversary of VLNMaking Pro Bono Happen for 50 YearsAll of our clinics are designed to meet specific civil legal needs in partnership with other organizations. Bankruptcy Clinic, U.S. Federal Courthouse, St. PaulBankruptcy Clinic, U.S. Federal Courthouse, MinneapolisConciliation Court Clinic, Hennepin County Government CenterBrian Coyle Community CenterLegal Access Point Clinic, Hennepin County Government CenterPark Avenue United Methodist Church ClinicHousing Court Project Clinic, Hennepin County Government CenterMinnesota Indian Women’s Resource CenterYouth Law Clinic, YouthLink, MinneapolisStandDown Clinic for homeless veteransMinneapolis Urban League ClinicTrans and LGBTQ Clinic, Family Tree ClinicTrans and LGBTQ Clinic, The Exchange/MN Health Trans CoalitionPeople Serving People ClinicWest African Community Law Clinic, Brooklyn United Methodist ChurchBetter Futures Minnesota ClinicJeremiah Program ClinicThe Dignity Center ClinicFamily Law ClinicListening HouseFamily Unity ClinicWe have criminal recordsexpungement clinics at SunRay Library, Arlington HillsLibrary, Rondo Library, TwinCities RISE!, Dakota CountyLaw Library, CatholicCharities, Ramsey CountyLibrary – Roseville, and theMinneapolis Public Library.u page 8vlnmn.orgSeveral of our new and innovative initiatives include: Tenant Remedies Actions andHabitability/Rent Escrow Litigation Fund:VLN, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA), and HOMELine are partners in a project funded by the McKnightFoundation directed at addressing the need for safeand habitable housing in the City of Minneapolis.The Habitability Litigation Fund is one aspect ofthis project and is intended to provide tenants withaccess to money so they can pursue claims and/or assert defenses in relation to housing cases. Thefund is administered by VLN. Eligibility for use of thefund is determined by VLN and/or MMLA, and if aclient is eligible for use of the fund, VLN and/or MMLAwill determine the amount to be used and VLN willpay this amount into court on the client’s behalf. Ifthe client wins the case and receives an award ofmoney, the client’s attorney will request that theamount paid by VLN be disbursed to the attorney’soffice, so the attorney’s office can reimburse VLN.If the amount awarded is less than or equal to theamount paid by VLN, the entire award will be used toreimburse VLN. If the amount awarded is more thanthe amount paid by VLN, the award will first be usedto reimburse VLN. The client is not responsible forpaying VLN back for the amount VLN paid into courtif the client does not receive an award of money.annual report 2015-2016
“My favorite client so far is a grandmother who assumed custody of her 6-year-old grandson after his father waskilled a year ago. I prepared a paternity action for her. It appears she will get the permanent custody of the boy;the biological mother has lots of issues, and sounds like the boy is doing well in his grandmother’s care.”—VLN volunteerOur volunteers are the best! Expansion of Full RepresentationChapter 7 Bankruptcy Services:We created a new model fordelivering full representationChapter 7 bankruptcy services toresidents of northwest Minnesota.Legal Services of NorthwestMinnesota is actively referringclients to us for participation. Thecourt provides us with meetingspace in the federal courthousein Fergus Falls, to allow multiplepetition filings at one time and toconduct the creditors’ meetingsby telephone.During FY15-16, a total of 1021 legal professionals and others volunteered their valuabletime to invoke the law’s protections on behalf of others. A testament to their dedication andVLN’s support, 399 of these had volunteered three years in a row. Of the many deservingof awards, two we especially recognized last year were Carole Megarry (Volunteer of theYear) and James Baillie (John D. Levine Pro Bono Distinguished Service Award).Carole is a cornerstone at VLN’s busy Family Law Clinic inboth quantity and quality. She volunteers there nearly twiceper week on average! And while there, she provides not onlyexcellent advice but, when helpful, a brief service as well —such as pleading, drafting, additional research or even courtappearances. These brief services are so much more impactfulthan advice alone. She is a role model for us all — reliable,compassionate, competent, and proactive. Thank you, Carole!And Jim Baillie? He is quite simply a rock star of our probono and legal community, with involvement in VLN sincethe late 1960s. Over the years, he has served thousandsof VLN clients in every way possible, including direct legalservices, program development (including LAP), boardservice (including board chair), and benefactor board service(including board chair). He is a champion of justice in otherways too, serving on numerous national committees (e.g.,American College of Bankruptcy Pro Bono Committee andthe ABA special committee on Disaster Response andPreparedness) and state membership organizations (e.g.,HCBA and MSBA). We simply can’t list here all the ways inwhich Jim has served our community, but we can’t imagineanyone more exemplary of public service than Jim, and weare deeply grateful for all his work to support the rule of lawin our community.Carole Megarry Southern Minnesota Initiative:The goal of VLN’s SouthernMinnesota Initiative is to respond tothe civil legal needs of underservedimmigrant communities, specificallyundocumented individuals insouthern Minnesota, in partnershipwith other legal aid and socialservice agencies of southernMinnesota.annual report 2015-2016Jim Baillievlnmn.orgpage 9
50th Anniversary of VLNMaking Pro Bono Happen for 50 YearsRecognizing those who truly make an impact.Our awards over the past year reflect the quality of our organization and the impact that we are making together: 2015 Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) Pro Bono Partner Award – Small Law for the Best Buy and VLN partnership.Since 2004, Best Buy has partnered with us, assisting in our Housing Court Project and Conciliation Court Clinicto provide legal advice to low-income persons. Nearly one third of Best Buy attorneys have dedicated more than500 hours annually to assist us with these two efforts.Glen Drew Minnesota Lawyer Attorney of the Year 2015 award to Glen Drew, VLN Civil Resource Attorney. Each year,Minnesota Lawyer recognizes the best achievements in the Minnesota legal profession with the Attorneys of theYear awards. Attorneys are chosen based on their leadership, involvement in major cases or other newsworthyevents, excellence in corporate or transactional services, and public service. Glen recruits, mentors and trainsvolunteer attorneys on how to effectively advise and represent low-income clients in district court proceedings.His knowledge and dedication to excellence in legal services are respected by all who meet him. Among othertasks, he coordinates the participation of law firms, corporate legal departments, and individual attorneys at thefree walk-in clinics located at the 4th Judicial District Court’s Self Help Center and the Conciliation Court. Hennepin County Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award of Excellence as a Public Attorney to Tom Walsh, VLNResource Attorney for Family Law and Bankruptcy. This award is given annually to attorneys who have madesignificant contributions to the delivery of legal services to disadvantaged people and law-related educationfor the public. Tom has demonstrated consistent excellence in recruiting, training and supporting volunteerattorneys to handle cases in two challenging areas of law – family and bankruptcy – impacting thousands ofclients annually. An essential member of the VLN leadership team, Tom supervises the family and bankruptcy lawprograms at VLN with high standards, hard work, and a disarming sense of humor.Tom WalshMartha Delaneyu page 10 The Tanya Neiman Pro Bono Professional of the Year Award for 2016 by the National Association of Pro BonoProfessionals to Martha Delaney, VLN Deputy Director. This award is given annually to an individual whodemonstrates steadfast commitment and exceptional contributions to the delivery of pro bono legal services.Martha received this award, in part, due to her work in reframing pro bono services in a broader context of socialjustice and basic human rights. She also, in partnership with others, created the nationally distributed trainingcurriculum on poverty for attorneys to promote more impactful legal services. Locally, she’s known for her abilityto draw upon a variety of best practice and strategic resources to improve pro bono service delivery. The Steven A. Pihlaja Justice Partner Award for 2015 by the Fourth Judicial District for the dedication,commitment, and selfless support provided by the organization and its volunteer attorneys.vlnmn.organnual report 2015-2016
“VLN gave me hope,gave me a chance to start over.”—Courtney, VLN clientboard of directors 2015-2016Skip Durocher, ChairDorsey & WhitneyMark Schneebeck, Vice Chair / TreasurerFox Rothschild LLPJulian Zebot, SecretaryMaslon LLCMichael L. Skoglund, Past ChairCargill Inc.Joy Reopelle AndersonFinancial ReportGary Plant MootyMatt BazzanoJuly 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016Wells FargoJon ByeLindquist & Vennum LLPIncomeKaren CanonExpensesUS BankMark CarterCarter Legal Services, P.A.Sam Glover14%39%The Glover Law Firm, LLCPeter GossBlackwell Burke P.A.8%Marcy L. Harris, Esq.Dan HerberUniversity of MinnesotaSten-Erik Hoidal48%12%Fredrikson & Byron, PA78%Rachel HugheyMerchant & GouldJanet LambertBest Buy 1% 1%Laurel LearmonthPrimus Law GroupFred OjileMessenger Ojile PLLPContributions . . 583,741Service Grants. 467,868Special Events. . 147,391Workshops & Seminars. 3,008Interest. 6,249Program Services . 961,949Management & General. 176,766Fundraising. . 103,196TOTAL EXPENSES. 1,241,911Michael ReifRobins Kaplan LLPMaya Sheikh-SalahLindquist & Vennum LLPTim ShieldsShields Legal ServicesKate DeVries SmithPauly, DeVries Smith & Deffner, L.L.C.TOTAL INCOME. 1,208,257Douglas StaffordClient RepresentativeAssetsLiabilities and Net AssetsCash & Cash Equivalents. 642,733Accounts Receivable. . 170,742Prepaid Expenses.
resource attorney Program Manager immigrant legal services and community clinics Tricia Bogle case coordinator Yaima couso robina Public interest scholar attorney Barb cruz case coordinator Glen Drew resource attorney Program Manager civil, clinics and letters to creditors luce Guillén-Givins intake specialist / case coordinator chris Hanrahan
