The ability to train, attract and recruit pro bono lawyers in quick response to the changing legal climate is key to providing effective and efficient pro bono legal services. The Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) is therefore very proud to announce that it has been awarded the status of New York State CLE Accredited Provider by the New York State CLE Board.
Although the VLP has long been accredited to provide its pro bono attorneys the benefit of earning CLE credit in exchange for their volunteer work, the VLP’s new status as a CLE Accredited Provider significantly enhances the VLP’s ability to provide CLE programs in its many practice areas to potential volunteers.
The VLP began its quest to acquire CLE Accredited Provider status in early 2006. Working hard to offer high-quality attorney training for its volunteers for CLE credit, the VLP presented as sole sponsor over a dozen courses, eight of which were original, specially-designed programs that required a multi-layered application to obtain approval from the CLE Board before being offered for credit.
The newly acquired status means that the VLP no longer needs to seek such approval when presenting its training programs for CLE credit. Trusting the VLP’s excellent track record as a sole CLE course sponsor since 2006, the CLE Board’s accreditation allows the VLP greater freedom and flexibility to tailor its programming to the ever-changing landscape of Brooklyn’s pro bono needs. The VLP may offer CLE courses in live classroom or DVD format, for group or individual self-study.
The first course the VLP will offer under its newly acquired status is a special three-hour “Introduction to Bankruptcy” course for attorneys brand new to the practice. Responding to the current economic climate and the increased demand for bankruptcy assistance by low income Brooklyn residents, this not-to-be-missed course will be presented by veteran bankruptcy attorneys Bruce Weiner of Rosenberg, Musso & Weiner LLP and John McManus, Director of the New York City Bar’s Consumer Bankruptcy Project, on June 23 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM in the Auditorium of the Brooklyn Bar Association. As always, the course is free to attorneys who commit to taking at least one case with the VLP.
Trainings on DVD are available for other VLP programs, such as CLARO, an innovative pro se consumer debt advice clinic in Kings County Civil Court. A financial hardship policy is available for all fee-based CLE courses at the VLP. For more information or to pre-register, please contact jspiegel@brooklynvlp.org.
