Articles

DAILY JOURNAL - Los Angeles - July 1997

ATTORNEYS HONORED FOR WORK ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO CAN'T PAY. By Joel Cone - Special to the Daily Journal

The importance of attorneys continuing to provide access to justice for all Americans---especially the poor---was celebrated Monday night during the 16th Anniversary Recognition dinner presented by the Public Law Center.

Addressing the record number of legal professionals attending this event, John McKay, the new president of the Legal Services Corp., based in Washington, D.C., said, as lawyers "we have to say it is not OK that a segment of our society cannot have justice in their lifetimes."

A commercial litigator from Seattle, McKay spoke of the difficulties he has encountered since taking office two months ago in convincing Congress to continue LSC's funding.

McKay called the PLC an inspiration and a model public/private partnership that should be emulated in other parts of the country.

"PLC is a freestanding organization that has the support of the bar, the bench and the law schools and there doesn't seem to be any fighting over turf. That tends to be unique," said McKay, who commended the attendees for standing up for the right of this county's indigent population to have legal representation.

"Don't accept the malaise of people, who forgot why they became lawyers," he said.

Lawyers Erleen K. Clawson and Judith Williams haven't forgotten. They were selected as PLC's New Attorneys of the Year. Over the past year Clawson contributed 150 hours of pro bono time, while Williams, who donated 120 hours of service, also recruited more volunteers for PLC than any other supporter.

PLC's Attorney Advocate Award went to Bill Behrndt, who donated more than 250 hours of pro bono services, taking on some of PLC's most complicated cases---particularly in the area of domestic violence.

"Volunteering not only helps the community, but also helps you as a lawyer. This is the most fulfilled I've felt as a lawyer," Behrndt said.

The PLC Law Firm Advocate Award went to the Costa Mesa-based firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. Led by attorney Holly Williams, a longtime PLC volunteer, the firm handled a complicated employment case through the agency's AIDS Legal Assistance Project.

This year's Community Service Award went to the Orange County Bar Association's Lawyer Referral and Information Service Committee. OCBA's LRIS has previously been honored by both the State Bar of California and the American Bar Association as a model referral service.

State Bar president Thomas Stolpman presented the award to former LRIS committee chair Joel Miliband of Rus, Miliband, Williams & Smith in Irvine. Stolpman noted his own commitment over the past three years to bring the state's lawyer referral services bank in line to serving the function they were meant for, rather than a place for attorneys to get free advertising.

In his brief remarks, Stolpman spoke of how organizations like PLC affect the quality of people's lives. But they can do so only if lawyers are willing to be advocates, he said.

In an interview after the program, Stolpman cited a survey conducted by the State Bar showing that a significant number of lawyers do give some time to pro bono work. Still, he would like to see more lawyers volunteering to do more pro bono work because, "If as lawyers we don't help give access to justice then justice is dead," he said.