Representative Clay to speak at Legal Services Corporation’s access to justice forum

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Representative William Lacy Clay, Jr. (MO-1) is scheduled to give opening remarks at the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Forum on Access to Justice, a two-panel discussion and a presentation in conjunction with its Board of Directors’ quarterly meeting.

The forum will be held at Washington University School of Law (1 Brookings Drive) on Friday, January 18th, at 9:00 am. Dean of the Washington University School of Law, Nancy Staudt, and LSC Board Chair, Johnn G. Levi will also be speaking.

Legal aid providers, members of the judiciary and leaders of the legal community will gather at Washington University to discuss ways of expanding access to justice for low-income Americans.

The first panel of the event is titled, “Preparing for and Addressing the Aftermath of the 2011 Tornado in Joplin.” The panelists will specifically focus on the legal community’s response to the 2011 tornado and the lessons learned which will better inform disaster preparedness planning. Panelists include Judge Gayle L. Crane, Jasper County Circuit Court, 29th Judicial Circuit; Pamela Roychaudhury, Managing Attorney, Joplin Office, Legal Aid of Western Missouri and Renee White, Associate Professor, Missouri Southern State University and Former Chair, Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee.

The first panel will be moderated by Father Pius Pietrzyk, LSC board member.

Following the first panel will be a presentation in regards to how legal aid and pro bono can support low-income entrepreneurs. Christopher J. Hayes, vice president and senior associate general counsel, Intellectual Property, Emerson Electric Co. and Tracy James, managing attorney, community economic development, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri will be the presenters.

The second and final panel of the event is titled, “Meeting the Civil Legal Needs of Lo-Income Veterans,” This panel will focus on legal aid’s importance to veterans and their families as well as its role in helping them to overcome legal barriers to financial health and personal welfare. The panelists include Brent Filbert, Veterans Clinic Staff Attorney, University of Missouri School of Law; Susan K. Lutton, executive director, Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation and Sarah Schwartz, Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.

The second panel will be moderated by Ronald S. Flagg, vice president for Legal Affairs and General Counsel.

Final remarks of the forum will be given by Judge Paul C. Wilson, Supreme Court of Missouri.

The forum will be live-streamed via Facebook Live. To view it, visit LSC’s Facebook page.

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