State Bar News

• Jurisdiction: Utah,United States
• Citation: Vol. 36 No. 1 Pg. 63
• Pages: 63
• Publication year: 2023

State Bar News Vol. 36 No. 1 Pg. 63 Utah Bar Journal January, 2023

February, 2023

State Bar News

Commission Highlights

The Utah State Bar Board of Commissioners received the following reports and took the actions indicated during the November 18, 2022 meeting held at the Utah Law and Justice Center in Salt Lake City.

• The Commission approved the annual financial audit, which was clean

• The Commission approved donating $10,000 to Utah's Judicial Internship Opportunity Program.

• The Commission approved J. Brett Chambers to fill Marty Moore's unexpired Commission term in the First Division.

• The Commission approved purchasing the Unmind well-being app, which will be provided free of charge to all lawyers, LPPs, and law students in the state.

• The Commission approved Monica Maio, Trent Seegmiller, and Erin Strahm as its recommended candidates for a position on the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. The position is for an attorney who primarily represents juveniles in delinquency matters

The minute text of this and other meetings of the Bar Commission are available on the Bar's website.

Notice of Bar Commission Election

FIRST AND THIRD DIVISIONS

Nominations to the office of Bar Commissioner are hereby solicited for:

• one member from the First Division (Box Elder, Cache, and Rich Counties), and

• three members from the Third Division (Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele Counties).

Bar Commissioners serve a three-year term. Terms will begin in July 2023.

To be eligible for the office of Commissioner from a division, the nominee's business mailing address must be in that division as shown by the records of the Bar. Applicants must be nominated by a written petition of ten or more members of the Bar in good standing whose business mailing addresses are in the division from which the election is to be held. Nominating petitions are available at https://www.utahbar.org/bar-operations/election-information/. Completed petitions must be submitted to Christy Abad (cabad@utahbar.org), Executive Assistant, no later than February 1, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.

2023 Spring Convention Awards

The Board of Bar Commissioners is seeking applications for two Bar awards to be given at the 2023 Spring Convention. These awards honor publicly those whose professionalism, public service, and public dedication have significantly enhanced the administration of justice, the delivery of legal services, and the improvement of the profession.

Please submit your nomination for a 2023 Spring Convention Award no later than Friday, January 20, 2023. Use the Award Form located at https://www.utahbar.org/awards/ to propose your candidate in the following categories:

1. Dorathy Merrill Brothers Award — For the Advancement of Women in the Legal Profession.

2. Raymond S. Uno Award — For the Advancement of Minorities in the Legal Profession.

The Utah State Bar strives to recognize those who have had singular impact on the profession and the public. We appreciate your thoughtful nominations.

Utah State Bar Launching New Pro Bono Opportunity Portal

The Utah State Bar's Access to Justice Office (ATJ Office) has the mission to advance equity in the legal system and expand access to justice at all levels for people with lower-incomes or who are facing disadvantages. This only happens through the service of dedicated staff, volunteers, and community partners. Together, they fulfill this mission by creating a culture of service and respect in Utah where pro bono and reduced rate services help people, families, and communities in need.

Administration and direct legal services

The ATJ Office directs all access to justice programs, "signature pro bono programs," and reduced rate services. They staff and implement the initiatives of the Pro Bono Commission, the Access to Justice Commission, and pro bono activities in each of the eight Judicial Districts. The ATJ Office fields all public requests to the Utah State Bar for information about pro bono and reduced rate legal services. The ATJ Office is staffed by one attorney-director, a staff attorney, and one office coordinator. Examples of programming by the ATJ Office include directing, recruiting, training, advertising, and administration. Thus, the ATJ Office offers a unique mix of direct and indirect civil legal services to Utahns while working systemically to drive change in the pursuit of equal justice.

Launching the Utah Pro Bono Opportunity Portal

Since the creation of the ATJ Office, there has been recognition that a centralized database of serving opportunities for volunteers would improve engagement through pro bono service. This fall, the Utah State Bar partnered with Paladin to offer a real-time portal that shows pro bono opportunities throughout Utah. These include ATJ Office program listings and those from approved community partners. There are options for brief advice, limited scope representation, and full representation pro bono cases.

This system streamlines the process and helps legal professionals, retired lawyers, and law students find ways to serve our communities. The Utah Pro Bono Portal is a one-stop shop where you can filter by your interests, practice areas, types of service, and availability. Just click on the opportunity to "express interest." You can view the portal by visiting https://app.joinpaladin.com/utahprobono.

Committed volunteers make it happen.

Having the portal accessible makes finding pro bono opportunities simple. Yet the key is having volunteers available and willing to provide the needed legal services.

Serving our communities allows volunteers to make new friends, gain relevant work experience, expand their professional network, grow and develop new skills, and even redefine priorities and perspectives. Rule 6.1 of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct states, "A lawyer should aspire to render at least fifty hours of pro bono publico legal services per year, except that a licensed paralegal practitioner should aspire to render thirty hours of pro bono publico services per year."

Most importantly, volunteers have the power to make a real difference in the lives of Utahns. For example, on a recent pro se immediate occupancy calendar, a family was able to get rental assistance and be retained instead of evicted after a volunteer connected them with Utah Community Action and negotiated with the plaintiff. Ultimately, people who come looking for help are often experiencing some of the scariest, most intimidating, and challenging moments of their lives. By offering clear explanations and evaluating the situation, volunteers can ease the stress and help people get...