www.loubar.org 8 Louisville Bar Briefs 416 W. MUHAMMAD ALI BLVD., STE. 300 LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 (502) 584-1254 • YOURLEGALAID.ORG It's Pro Bono Month... CELEBRATE BY JOINING LEGAL AID SOCIETY’S VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROGRAM! Scan the QR code or visit YourLegalAid.org/volunteer to sign up. Beth Robinson is the Managing Attorney of the Safety and Family Stability Department at Legal Aid Society. A 2013 graduate of the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, Beth has extensive experience working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Beth has spent her career at Legal Aid Society and has served in number of different roles working with underserved women and children at the organization. In her role as Managing Attorney, Beth supervises attorneys, paralegals, a social worker, and law students. She coordinates with volunteer attorneys from the private bar to provide legal representation to survivors of intimate partner violence. Beth works with community partners in the service area to provide high quality free civil legal services to clients in need. When she is not working, Beth enjoys travel, reading, volunteer work, hiking, and cooking. Beth provides training and support to volunteers who assist with our pro se divorce clinics, ensuring they are well-prepared to guide clients through the process with confidence and compassion. She also trains volunteers to represent survivors of domestic violence in protective order hearings, equipping them with the legal knowledge and trauma-informed skills needed to advocate effectively in court. Through this work, Beth helps expand LAS' capacity to serve the community, empower clients, and create meaningful opportunities for volunteers to make a lasting impact. To join the DVAP, contact Beth: [email protected] (502) 614-3121 Rebekah Cotton is licensed to practice law in both Kentucky and Virginia. She began practice after graduating from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law in 2010. She started her career as an advocate for persons with disabilities at the Kentucky Protection and Advocacy agency. After seven years, she moved to Virginia and prosecuted cases for the state of Virginia for nearly five years. Following the pandemic, Rebekah returned to Kentucky to work at the Legal Aid Society in the housing unit since May of 2021. She was promoted to Senior attorney in 2022 and took the lead for the Volunteer Lawyer Program Volunteer Eviction Defense grant. After two years, we received additional funding to continue recruitment and placement of eviction cases with pro bono volunteers. Rebekah provides support to approximately 30 attorneys including UL law clinic students in eviction court representing hundreds of tenants who are facing poverty and eviction. The VEDP program trains and mentors pro bono attorneys and students to represent tenants in eviction court. We have 45 active volunteers and have worked with a total of 80 attorneys since the program began in October 2021, not counting students completing their public service and clinic hours with UL Brandeis School of Law and summer associates with firms. To date, pro bono volunteers have represented tenants in 536 cases in eviction court! To join the VEDP, contact Rebekah: [email protected] (502) 614-3112 Domestic Violence Advocacy Program Volunteer Eviction Defense Program Dear Members of the Louisville Bar Association, My name is Jenn Perkins, and I am honored to serve as the new Managing Attorney of Volunteer Services and Community Engagement at Legal Aid Society. In this role, I coordinate pro bono efforts to connect dedicated attorneys like you with clients in need. Since graduating from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law in 2015, I have devoted my career to advocating for Kentuckians living in poverty. Time and again, I have seen how access to justice transforms lives but I have also seen how many of our neighbors cannot navigate the legal system without help. That is where pro bono service makes all the difference. Your time and skills have the power to keep families in their homes, protect survivors of domestic violence, preserve vital benefits, and open doors to a fresh start. Every hour you give extends Legal Aid Society’s reach and ensures that justice is not determined by income. I look forward to working alongside the Louisville Bar Association and its members to strengthen our Volunteer Lawyer Program and continue building a culture where pro bono is not just encouraged, but celebrated as a cornerstone of our profession. Thank you for the work you do every day to uphold justice and fairness in our community. I am excited to partner with you in this mission. With gratitude, Jenn Perkins Managing Attorney, Volunteer Services and Community Engagement [email protected] Introducing Legal Aid Society’s New Volunteer Lawyer Program Manager Spotlight on Legal Aid Society's Spotlight on Legal Aid Society's
