Join the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN, Inc.) and the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) for a virtual panel discussion on Richard Rothstein’s book The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. This 90-minute session will be offered for 1 Ethics CLE credit on Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 11:30 AM-1:00 PM.

In prior years, PLAN, Inc. and the PBA have kicked off the Conference of County Bar Leaders by hosting a reception prior to the start of the conference. This event has always provided a special opportunity for County Bar Executive Directors and their County Bar Leaders to socialize and strategize with one another and with legal services and PBA representatives, and for attendees to connect about the past, present and future of legal services and pro bono work in Pennsylvania.

While we are disappointed not to be able to gather in person, we’re excited about this year’s panel discussion, and we hope it will highlight the partnership that exists between county bar leaders and the legal aid community. As in years past, we are grateful for the generous support of the Pennsylvania State University law schools – Penn State Law and Dickinson Law – who are sponsoring the event.

The first 50 law students to register and the first 100 non-law student registrants will receive a FREE copy of The Color of Law, the book that forms the basis for our panel conversation. Everyone is encouraged to read the book, but it is not required to benefit from this important program and discussion.

Please Note: Due to the overwhelming response from our community, we have reached the number of participants eligible for a free book. We appreciate your interest and hope you'll still join us for this event.

The Color of Law documents how American cities became so racially divided as federal, state, and local governments systematically imposed residential segregation. Our panel is comprised of an esteemed group of experts, who will provide historical context for these systems of oppression and discuss the racialization of housing policies and the role attorneys can play in redressing these systemic injustices.

This panel will be moderated by Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esq., longtime legal aid advocate and former Executive Director of the Berks County Bar Association.

Members of the panel will include:

Eleanor Brown, J.D., M.Phil.
Professor of Law and International Affairs
Penn State Law

Jill C. Engle, Esq.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Clinical Law
Penn State Law

Rasheedah Phillips, Esq.
Managing Attorney for Housing Policy
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

Megan Riesmeyer, Esq.
Professor of Clinical Law and Director of the Community Law Clinic
Penn State Dickinson Law

This program has been approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for 1.0 hours of ethics, professionalism or substance abuse CLE credit.