The American Bar Association is holding a webinar entitled Preparing for 2021 and Beyond: The Outlook for Public Interest Lawyers and Advocacy on December 15, 2020 from 1:00 PM -2:15 PM Eastern.

This year has seen systemic issues of race, rights, and access to justice brought to light in new ways through the lens of a global pandemic and a politically divided nation. Join us for a forward-thinking discussion on what 2021 holds for public interest lawyers and your clients, how the ABA advocates on behalf of the issues you care about, and how you can get connected and make an impact.

Panelists will discuss:

• How lawyers can make impactful change in the race equity arena
• The impact of the pandemic and the election on civil legal aid and public defender funding
• How to engage pro bono resources to meet your clients' legal needs
• The state of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• How to lend your voice to advocacy efforts
• ABA resources and opportunities to support your work and career

This non-CLE program is free to ABA members and non-members. All lawyers and law students are invited to attend.

ABA President Patricia Lee Refo and Legal Services Corporation President Ronald S. Flagg will field questions and solicit input from attendees on issues that matter most to you.

Moderator:

Brendon Woods, Public Defender of Alameda County, California
Mr. Woods served for three years on the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Public Defense. He received the ABA/NLADA Clara Shortridge Foltz Award in 2019.

Panelists:

• Hon. Adrienne Nelson, Associate Justice, Oregon Supreme Court
  Justice Nelson is Chair of the ABA Diversity and Inclusion Center and Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council, which strives to eliminate bias and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the Association, legal profession, and justice system.
• David Carroll, Executive Director, Sixth Amendment Center, Boston, MA
  Mr. Carroll served as a consultant to the ABA Bar Information Program, providing technical assistance to bar leaders, legislators, and others seeking to improve indigent defense systems.
• April Faith-Slaker, Associate Director of Research Innovations, Access to Justice Lab, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
  Ms. Faith-Slaker served as a consultant to the ABA Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives on its annual project to collect national civil legal aid funding data.
• Jaime Hawk, Legal Strategy Director, WA Campaign for Smart Justice, ACLU of Washington
  Ms. Hawk co-chairs the ABA Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Committee of the Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice and is a member of the ABA House of Delegates.
• Radhika Singh, Chief, Civil Legal Services, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Washington, DC
  Ms. Singh is the NLADA Liaison to the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense.

Sponsored by the following ABA groups:

Center for Diversity and Inclusion • Center for Pro Bono • Center for Public Interest Law Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division • Law Student Division • Young Lawyers Division Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice • Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense