Thanks from LJI

We got this great thank-you from the Louisiana Justice Institute-- we're glad we were able to help out!

Dear Dean Treanor:

In early January, the Louisiana Justice Institute had the pleasure of hosting law student volunteers from Fordham Law School. I am writing now to commend your students for their excellent work. It was also a pleasure for us to have the students with us for the week; they brought great energy and life to our office.

As a small non-profit legal advocacy organization based in New Orleans, we rely heavily on volunteers for much of our research and writing, as well as our large-scale information gathering and outreach projects. The volunteers from Fordham were key in helping us with a number of projects, including our FEMA Trailer Survey and Outreach project, in which volunteers surveyed and provided critical information to FEMA trailer residents facing imminent eviction from their trailers.

I hope you continue to lend support and encourage your law students to come to the Gulf Coast during breaks and over their summer vacations. We continue to struggle to rebuild and renew New Orleans and we will continue to welcome volunteers with open arms.

Thank you,

Lauren Bartlett
Staff Attorney*
Louisiana Justice Institute

Working in New Orleans this week!

Hey all-- just a quick shout-out from the 32 strong Fordham SHN contingency working in New Orleans during a cold New Years week. This year we're working at the Pro Bono Project, the Orleans Public Defenders Office, and with the Louisiana Institute for Justice. More to report as the week and new year progress!

Police Clash With Protesters at NOLA City Hall

http://www.wdsu.com/news/14890551/detail.html

Gearing up for the winter!

This year's SHN board is currently working hard to find placements for the great number of students who have shown interest in this year's trip! We plan on travelling to the Gulf Coast 12/30-01/05 this year.

Shout out to Hillary!

On October 1st, the Louisiana Supreme Court and State Bar Association honored our all-star PIRC director Hillary Exter for all the work she's done and continues to do both within our SHN chapter an beyond! We couldn't be happier and can't think of anyone who deserves this more!

From Fordham Law's press release (http://law.fordham.edu/ihtml/news-2details.ihtml?id=612&nid=629):

The Supreme Court of Louisiana and the Louisiana State Bar Association honored Director of Student Organizations & Publicity of Fordham Law's Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC) Hillary Exter along with other attorneys and legal services professionals in a New Orleans ceremony on October 1.Ms. Exter has worked alongside over 60 Fordham Law students and faculty as part of each Student Hurricane Network legal delegation to the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina and Rita hit.

In addition to her position with Fordham Law, Exter has done pro bono work with the Advancement Project, New Orleans Worker Justice Coalition, New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice, Orleans Public Defenders, New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation, and the Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund.

Life Goes On...

Life goes on....

but should it? Shouldn't it stop? When something so tragic and momentous happens shouldn't the world stop?

How can everything just go on? Shouldn't we all stop and help pick up the pieces? Help rebuild?

If it were us, wouldn't we want life to pause? Just for a second? When it happens to us, and it will, in one way or another, how will we feel as we see life carry on around us? When the world we knew is gone?

It's been almost two years and our lives goes on, but what's life like back in NOLA? We're so quick to forget; out of sight out of mind. Some didn't even blink. Others saw an opportunity to benefit themselves. But even those of us that did care enough where are we now? Our lives have moved on too.

Life has gone on....but should it have?

NYC Intern Collaborative

Our friend Morgan Williams is helping create an exciting collaborative for the summer. The aim is to create a network that provides a forum for 2007 NYC summer intern law students to socialize, network, and exchange ideas about social justice work.

The first event is this Tuesday, June 12th, at Sweet and Vicious at 7pm (5 Spring St, www.sweetandvicious.com).

Email summerinterncollaborative@gmail.com to RSVP- indicate law school, anticipated graduation date, and the name of the organization/firm where you are interning this summer. Hope to see you there!