Anishinabe Legal Services' Co-Executive Director Takes New Post at Children's Law Center

Cody pictured at ALS (with office rescue cat Obie)

Cody Nelson, co-executive director of Anishinabe Legal Services (ALS), recently resigned to take on a new role as development director for Children’s Law Center of Minnesota.

Cody began as a staff attorney at ALS in 2006, primarily representing juveniles in delinquency cases, victims of domestic abuse in family law matters, and clients facing evictions in tribal court.  Over the years, Cody delved into administrative work, including grant writing, training other staff and agency providers, and participating in Code Committee Development with the local Tribal Councils.  In 2012, Cody was named co-executive director of ALS. In addition to his great work at ALS, Cody was the program's representative on the Bi-County Community Action Program (Bi-CAP) for Beltrami and Cass Counties since 2009. 

Cody has been a zealous advocate on behalf of clients and a great mentor to staff at Anishinabe Legal Services. He is wished the very best in his new post.

Legal Services Advocacy Project Report: The Consequence of Doing Nothing

Jessica Webster, staff attorney, with the Legal Services Advocacy Project (LSAP) has written a powerful new report on the effects of inflation on direct assistance to poor families. Published earlier this month by LSAP, the report shows the devastating consequences of a 30-year delay in increasing cash assistance for MFIP families, and what this erosion has meant for those struggling to meet basic needs. 

For example, in 1986, the $532 grant covered rent and possibly a little bit of transportation money.  Today, $532 does not pay for a habitable fair market rent anywhere in the state.  The report also posits that the opportunity before Minnesota - of raising the grant by $100 per month - while unable to resolve 30 years of stagnation, would be a meaningful step to address this level of poverty.  Read the full report.

St. Paul Complies with ADA Standards Thanks to Minnesota Disability Law Center

Thanks to the efforts of the Minnesota Disability Law Center (MDLC), and a possible lawsuit, the Saint Paul city council voted last month to bring curb ramps up to federal ADA standards.  Approximately 230 ramps need to be retrofitted, having been passed over when the city embarked on a major street repair project beginning in 2013.

Steven Schmidt, staff attorney with MDLC, said clients became concerned when they noticed that as the work progressed on the St. Paul streets, “the city was not doing any work to the curb ramps.”  Read the full Pioneer Press article.

New Motion to Modify Child Support and/or Spousal Maintenance Interactive Interview on LawHelpMN.org

Legal Services State Support is excited to announce a brand new interactive interview available online through LawHelpMN.org. Originally suggested for development by the Volunteer Attorney Program in Duluth, the interview was created by Jenny Singleton, Legal/Technology Projects Manager at State Support, with assistance from Central Minnesota Legal Services, and LSC's Technology Initiative Grant Program. The free online interview is for those who already have an existing child support or spousal maintenance order, and allows them to fill out the paperwork needed to ask the court to change the amount of child support or spousal maintenance. Users can ask the court to change basic child support, medical support, child care support, overdue payments (arrearages), and/or spousal maintenance. The interview takes users step-by-step through all the information they will need to submit to the court in order to request changes.  The interview then compiles the user’s information to create the forms they will need to file with the court. To access the new interview, visit LawHelpMN.org. Other interactive interviews and forms are available on LawHelpMN.org/FormHelper.

The do-it-yourself interview explains the basics of child support/spousal maintenance modification and asks the user a series of questions about his or her case.

The do-it-yourself interview explains the basics of child support/spousal maintenance modification and asks the user a series of questions about his or her case.

Making Pro Bono Happen for 50 Years: Volunteer Lawyers Network

This year, the Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN) celebrates 50 years of pro bono legal service, and The Hennepin Lawyer takes note in a multi-page feature on this exemplary organization, its mission, history, and impact on the lives of countless Minnesotans.

During the last fiscal year,  VLN volunteers "kept $10 million in the pockets of struggling individuals and families" in the region. This milestone represents VLN's sustaining vision: "to ensure for all persons access to the legal services essential for stability and well-being." Read the full Hennepin Lawyer article.