Volunteer Law Clerk Dedicated Over 650 hours in Pro Bono Service at SLLS
Yazan Rantisi, a third year law student at Southern University Law Center, completed over 650 pro bono hours at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS). He joined the team in early April hoping to gain more hands on experience in the legal field, while serving the most vulnerable populations in Baton Rouge.
“Reuniting families and protecting survivors of domestic violence from their attackers have been the most rewarding part about the experience,” said Rantisi. “Every time we help create a positive outcome for the client, I’m constantly reminded about all of the great work that SLLS provides for the communities in its service area.”
Rantisi volunteers in the Family Law Unit in the Baton Rouge office. His primary duties include assisting with client intake, drafting pleadings, and preparing for court hearings. Additionally, Rantisi frequently joins the staff at community outreach events like “Ask-a-Lawyer,” an event that gives advice on a wide range of legal issues to low-income families and vulnerable populations throughout our service area.
“All of my experiences at SLLS have been extremely valuable for my future,” said Rantisi. “I highly encourage other law students to volunteer there. The experiences that I’ve gained from it have significantly prepared me for my career as an attorney.”
With graduation around the corner, Rantisi feels eager to start the next chapter of his life. We can’t thank him enough for all of his tremendous efforts.
Public Service Intern Honored for Pro Bono Work
While working on an undergraduate degree at Tulane University, Byria Hamblin devoted over 60 hours of free civil legal aid for SLLS clients so far. She is a prelaw student who aspires to combine her passion of helping people overcome financial hardships with her interest in law.
“As my first professional experience in the legal field,” said Hamblin. “SLLS has continued to reinforce in my mind that this is the right profession for me.”
Hamblin works in the Pro Bono unit in the New Orleans office. Her primary duties include conducting research, developing resources for clients and volunteers, and drafting and designing materials for training and promotional purposes.
“There really is a niche for people who want to pursue law but also want to give back to their communities,” said Hamblin. “SLLS continues to show me that the legal field and humanitarianism can coexist and promote equitable justice for all.”
With these new legal experiences under her belt, Hamblin has the desire to explore a career in legal advocacy and join us in the fight for fairness. We appreciate all of her hard work.
Juliana serves as the Volunteer Coordinator at SLLS. She believes that every hurdle in the justice system demands bold actions. She is an artistic person who is passionate about economic development and language access.
Throughout her 11-month service term at SLLS, Juliana hopes to recruit a dynamic pool of volunteers that are eager to join the fight for fairness in the justice system. Additionally, she hopes to learn more about career opportunities in the legal field. As a member of Serve Louisiana, Louisiana’s longest-running AmeriCorps program, Juliana plans to affect long-standing systemic barriers to justice through community engagement and collaboration.
Prior to SLLS, Juliana worked as a Coordinator for the New Orleans Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition in New Orleans, La., as well as the Interview Coordinator and a DJ for WTUL New Orleans. Her desire to give back to the community and help low-income families receive civil legal aid drove her to SLLS. Her efforts at SLLS have become an integral part of the office and we are thankful to have her onboard.
Keoni serves as the Strategic Communications Coordinator at SLLS. He believes that everyone deserves the right to receive easily-accessible legal services in the justice system. He is a driven, young professional who is passionate about mental health and wellness education, as well as protecting the rights of domestic violence victims.
As a member of Serve Louisiana, Louisiana’s longest-running AmeriCorps program, Keoni is given the opportunity to address a variety of social issues and affect true, long-term change in the community. During his 11-month service term, Keoni hopes to give a voice to special populations (e.g. homeless, disabled, disaster victims, and the elderly) and inspire others to help those individuals meet life’s most basic needs – food, housing, shelter and safety.
Keoni is a graduate of The University of Alabama. Prior to SLLS, he worked as an Account Services intern at DVL Seigenthaler, a Finn Partners Company, in Nashville, Tenn. His passion for social justice led him to the Orleans office, and he has quickly become a vital asset to the team.
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Thanks to federal funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), AmeriCorps programs like Serve Louisiana engages more than 75,000 members annually in intensive service with a community-based organization, such as Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, to deliver real impact where it’s needed most.
About Serve Louisiana
AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through its Americorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. Since 1994, more than 980,000 Americans have provided more than 1.2 billion hours of service to their communities, and country, through AmeriCorps. For more information about AmeriCorps, please visit NationalService.gov. For more information about Serve Louisiana, please visit ServeLouisiana.org.
Every year, we reflect back on what a difference supporters like you make in the daily lives of the people and communities SLLS serves. During our 50th Anniversary Year, ensuring that civil legal aid remains available to people at the times in their lives when they need help the most is paramount in all of our minds. Your support helps make the dream of equal justice for all a reality. We are grateful for all you do to help us fight for fairness for vulnerable families. Please check out our most recent annual report at: http://anyflip.com/yypr/
LOUISIANA
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corporation will receive $68,119 to upgrade LouisianaLawHelp.org to increase the overall usability of the site and make it mobile accessible.
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corporation will receive an additional $35,000 to develop automated online forms and guides for consumer debt and divorce cases.
The goal of the project grant is to increase the program’s capacity, promote better coordination of resources, ensure we provide satisfying and rewarding experiences for volunteers, facilitate greater collaboration, fill in gaps in service, and expand pro bono services for clients. We are especially excited to expand pro bono services to our rural areas and for vulnerable populations. For more information about this project please contact SLLS’ Pro Bono Unit Managing Attorney Elena Perez at eperez@slls.org.
Dorian Tuminello (pictured on the left) is a 1995 graduate of LSU Law School, who specializes in the area of employment law. She has worked in law firms and in-house. She is currently a consultant providing human resources support to small and mid-sized businesses. She stated, “I enjoy volunteering because it allows me to give back to my community.”
Sean Williams (pictured on the right) is a graduate of Loyola Law, a native of Baton Rouge who now calls the Northshore home. She loves meeting new people and hearing their stories. After working briefly as an associate in a plaintiff’s firm, she has decided to pursue her true passion for family law and start her own practice. Sean went on to say, “I am very excited to begin this journey. I truly believe being an attorney is about being an advocate for people going through challenging times in their lives.”
If you’re interested in volunteering at our Covington Self-Help Desk, please contact our Northshore Pro Bono Coordinator.
SLLS Housing Attorney Hannah Adams Honored with the 2017 Louisiana State Bar Association Excellence in Advocacy Award at the Justice Community Conference. Amanda Golob accepted the award on Hannah’s behalf.
North Shore District Attorney Warren Montgomery has announced an event to help people seal arrests or convictions on their records.
The “Fresh Start” program will reduce the cost for people who qualify under state law for expungement, a press release from Montgomery’s office said. Expungement is a legal process that “seals” an arrest or conviction, essentially removing it from public access.
The event is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 18 at the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N. Columbia St., Covington.