2009 Foundation Annual Report - Rhode Island Bar Association

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2009 IOLTA GrantsThe Rhode Island Bar Foundation awarded its2009 Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA)grants totaling $1,202,110.This year’s recipients are:Rhode Island Legal Services $ 731,760To help support the RI Legal Services’ Family Law Unit and itshandling of divorce, custody and visitation cases. Funds alsocontribute to the Battered Women’s Project, Housing Hotlineand Housing Law Center, Eviction Defense Clinic and PublicBenefits Unit.International Institute of Rhode Island $ 251,250Since 1987, IOLTA has funded the Immigration Law Project, toprovide direct legal immigration services and grassroots outreachon immigration law issues to thousands of immigrants andrefugees in Rhode Island. Additional funds were approved forthe expansion of their statewide legal immigration initiatives inthe State of Rhode Island.Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence$ 27,750Funds are used to continue the Superior Court componentof their Domestic Violence Victim Advocacy Program inorder to help victims seek civil and criminal relief fromdomestic violence.Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless $ 15,000To continue to fund the Homeless Legal Clinic, to enablehomeless Rhode Islanders access to pro bono legal servicesthrough attorneys who volunteer at shelters and drop-in sites.Rhode Island Bar Association Legal Informationand Referral Service for the Elderly $ 49,350The primary objective of the Elderly Program is to make legalservices readily available to senior citizens. Approximately 2000seniors receive legal assistance on an annual basis. Pro Bonoand/or reduced fee referrals are available for the income eligible.The Referral Service continues to coordinate 25 or more “AskA Lawyer” and “Legal Clinic” programs on an annual basis atsenior organizations throughout the state.Rhode Island Bar Association Pro Bono Project $ 36,000The Pro Bono Project responds to domestic violence and familylaw cases and accepts conflict or overload cases from RI LegalServices’ Family Law Unit. Other areas of law accepted includeguardianship, education, landlord tenant and collections. Casesare prioritized by the urgency of the request, taking into considerationthe case type and assigned court dates. This year, legalclinics have been held at the Rhode Island Law Center in orderto respond to the increase in the number of clients in need ofadvice and representation in the area of collections.Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island$ 22,500To help support the landlord-tenant eviction prevention program.Day One $ 26,250To help support the advocacy services program providing supportand legal advocacy for victims of sexual assault, providing victimswith information and legal advocacy as their case proceedsthrough the criminal justice system.Rhode Island Legal/Educational Partnership Program$ 26,250To help support the 2009 Rhode Island Mock Trial Tournament.Rhode Island Bar Association Law RelatedEducation Project $ 15,000To administer a statewide Law Day program, maintain a statewidelaw-related education website, and cooperate and assist the otherlaw-related education providers in Rhode Island which dependon our volunteers to work with Rhode Island’s youth andeducate them about the legal system.The George Wiley Center $ 1,000To help support the “How to Access Utility Assistance”brochure and to continue and expand the utility consumer rights’knowledge and awareness campaign.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the financialinstitutions that maintained IOLTA accounts this year:Bank of AmericaBank NewportBank Rhode IslandBristol County Savings BankCentreville Savings BankCitibank, N.A.Citizens BankCoastway Community BankColumbus Credit UnionDexter Credit UnionDime BankDomestic BankFirst Trade Union BankFreedom National BankIndependence BankMilford Federal Savings and Loan Assoc.Newport FedPeople’s Credit UnionRandolph Savings BankRockland Trust CompanySovereign BankThe Washington Trust CompanyUniBankWebster BankWesterly Community Credit UnionVolunteer attorneys, Sheryl Serreze, Esq., Gregory P.Massad, Esq., Michael A. Devane, Esq., and, Joseph J.Roszkowski, Esq., participated in Ask A Lawyer Programson Channel 10, answering viewer questions on Creditors’and Debtors’ Rights in May.Rhode Island Family Court Magistrate Edward H. Newman and retired Rhode Island FamilyCourt Associate Justice Howard I. Lipsey engaged in an animated give and take with teacherTammy McMichael’s Barrington High School students during the 2009 Rhode Island Law Dayclassroom program. This was one of over 50 presentations delivered by volunteer teams of lawyersand judges to upper and middle school classrooms throughout Rhode Island.
Page 1 and 2: RHODEISLANDBARFOUNDATIONA N N U A L
Page 3 and 4: John A. Tarantino2009-2010President
Page 5 and 6: Hon. Gilbert V. Indeglia *Marcia Mc
Page 7 and 8: Rhode Island Bar FoundationScholars
Page 9 and 10: THE FOUNDATION WELCOMED14 NEW FELLO
Page 11 and 12: Walter J. KaneJudith KapuscinskiKat
Page 13: IOLTAEntering its twenty-fifth year

2009 Foundation Annual Report - Rhode Island Bar Association

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