Early Bird Registration Now Open for Equal Justice Conference in Minneapolis

It may be cold outside now, but for those already thinking spring, it’s time to save the dates for the American Bar Association’s 2022 Equal Justice Conference (EJC) to be held in Minneapolis, May 12 - 14. Early bird registration is currently open and continues until February 4, 2022.

Presented by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), the Equal Justice Conference is an annual gathering of legal services and pro bono advocates to share and learn about developments and innovations in providing legal services to people with low incomes. The emphasis of EJC is on strengthening partnerships among the key players in the civil justice system. Through plenary sessions, workshops, networking opportunities and special programming, the conference provides a wide range of learning and sharing experiences for all attendees. Pre-conference sessions will take place on May 11, 2022 and the conference will be held at the Hilton Minneapolis. Read more details about the conference and pre-conference sessions.

Volunteer Attorneys Make a Difference for Youth in Foster Care

For 26 years, Children’s Law Center (CLC) has provided free legal advocacy for foster care youth in Minnesota. CLC advocates for foster children through systemic reform and the provision of free legal representation services. CLC also trains volunteer attorneys to represent foster children in court.

A recent Minnesota Lawyer article discusses a court-ordered evaluation of Hennepin County’s foster care system, which outlines many shortcomings affecting the well-being of foster youth in Hennepin County and throughout the state. The article highlights CLC’s diligent, longstanding efforts to intervene for foster youth and the impact its pro bono attorneys have had on systemic problems exacerbated by the pandemic.

The need to grow its network of volunteer attorneys is greater than ever now, and executive director Lilia Panteleeva notes that experience is not the most important contribution. “The biggest thing is showing up for the kids,” Panteleeva said. “So many attorneys tell me that this is the most meaningful work that they have ever done, by far.” Read the full Minnesota Lawyer article.

SMRLS Volunteer Attorney Honored with RCBA Pro Bono Award

William Kronschnabel, volunteer attorney for Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) and partner at Kueppers, Kronschnabel & Skrypek, was recently recognized by the Ramsey County Bar Association (RCBA) with its annual Pro Bono Award.

The RCBA’s award honors a lawyer with demonstrated dedication to the delivery of legal services through a pro bono program, significant work and contributions toward innovative pro bono delivery approaches, and successful litigation on pro bono cases favorably affecting clients with low incomes.

Kronschnabel’s pro bono work with SMRLS began when former volunteer attorney coordinator Pat Brummer asked if he would consider volunteering since they worked in the same building. Kronschnabel had planned to become a high school teacher and decided to try law school on a lark. His previous work as a lawyer includes 12 years as a part-time public defender.

In an article published by the RCBA, Kronschnabel said, “There are a lot of people out there that just need a little bit of help. Many clients simply have nowhere else to go.” The award was presented at the Ramsey County Bar Foundation's virtual Bench & Bar Benefit on November 18. Read more about Kronschnabel’s pro bono work on the RCBA website.

CMLS Volunteer Attorney to Receive American Inns of Court Sandra Day O’Connor Award

Jonathan Wolf, volunteer attorney for Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS) - St. Cloud and civil litigator at Rinke Noonan Attorneys at Law, has been selected to receive the prestigious 2021 American Inns of Court Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Professional Service. The award honors an American Inns of Court member in practice 10 years or fewer for their excellence in public interest or pro bono activities. The American Inns of Court is an association of lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals from all levels and backgrounds who share a passion for professional excellence.

Wolf’s pro bono work at CMLS focuses on vulnerable individuals facing crises and he also serves as vice president of the organization. In addition, he volunteers for the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans and encourages his attorney peers to take on pro bono work. He helped launch Lawyers Step Up for Minnesota to inspire lawyers to help Minnesotans with low incomes in the wake of the pandemic.

Daniel Morris, managing attorney at CMLS - St. Cloud, said of Wolf, “Jonathan is an essential and valuable partner for the Volunteer Attorney Program at CMLS. He regularly volunteers at our weekly legal advice clinic, and seemingly always has at least one open full-representation case on our docket, thereby expanding the areas of legal expertise available to individuals with low incomes in central Minnesota. Jonathan is not deterred by challenging cases, taking issues ranging from contested family law matters to disputes on titles for mobile homes and other contract or debt collection matters. His service on the Board of Directors is another greatly appreciated contribution, bringing a voice and perspective to the board from greater Minnesota.”

Wolf will receive the Sandra Day O’Connor Award at the annual Celebration of Excellence held at the Supreme Court of the United States on April 2, 2022, which has been postponed due to the pandemic.

LSNM and ILCM Staff Honored at Minnesota Justice Foundation Virtual Awards Celebration

For the second year, the Minnesota Justice Foundation (MJF) will host its 2021 Annual Awards Celebration online! Join MJF at 4:30pm on Wednesday, October 27, and hear from Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson and the 2021 Outstanding Service Award winners. The event will kick-off with music by Larry McDonough at 4:00pm.

Every year since 1991, MJF has honored the work of public interest attorneys, private pro bono attorneys, advocates, and law students whose commitment to Minnesotans with low-incomes shines as a beacon of hope and embodies the very best of our profession.

This year, MJF is pleased to present its 2021 Direct Legal Service Award to Kathy Klos, staff attorney at Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM).

Klos began her immigration career in 1997 working at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay, WI as an immigration counselor and then as an accredited representative until 2004. She attended the University of St. Thomas School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2007. Klos was awarded the John R. Roach Fellowship for pursuit of a career in public interest and received the UST Living the Mission Award. She was involved in the St. Thomas chapter of MJF each year, and was co-chair her 3L year. During her first summer of law school, she received an MJF clerkship at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM). Klos worked as a staff attorney at Centro Legal, Inc. in St. Paul, MN for two years and then started at ILCM in 2009, opening ILCM’s satellite office in Worthington, MN.

Over the years as a staff attorney at ILCM, Klos has worked on various case types and supervised ILCM’s rural offices, intake, and pro bono programs. But her greatest joy has been helping individuals and families navigate the complex legal immigration system, and in the process, getting to know people from all over the world who have come to call Minnesota their home.

MJF’s 2021 Advocate Award goes to Gregg Trautwein, administrator at Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota - Moorhead. Trautwein graduated from Moorhead State University in 1980 with a degree in accounting, and within a week began his career with Northwest Minnesota Legal Services, now known as Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM). He had no idea what legal aid was all about, and certainly wasn’t expecting the program to be targeted for elimination by the federal government the following year. Fortunately, legal aid survived, receiving “just” a 25% reduction in funding, and within a couple of years, funding from the state has filled this gap.

In the late 80’s, with a wife and two small children to support, and a legal aid salary that wasn’t quite enough to survive on, he began preparing income tax returns in the evenings and on weekends, while also taking and passing the CPA exam. It was during this time that LSNM began to transition from a purely “judicare” program, to a combination judicare/staff attorney program, adding attorneys to their administrative office in Moorhead, while opening branch offices in Bemidji in 1989, and Alexandria in 1992. In 2003, in addition to his job at LSNM, Trautwein “temporarily” took on the role of financial administrator at Anishinabe Legal Services, to combine financial resources. This lasted 15 years!

Today, LSNM is a thriving program reaching clients wherever they may be, with three staffed offices, a Judicare/PAI component, several remote/virtual advocate offices, 59 legal kiosks throughout NW Minnesota, and a traveling Justice Bus. For Trautwein, it’s been a very satisfying career to have been a part of this, knowing he can eventually “walk off into the sunset,” with LSNM continuing to meet the needs of low-income clients for years to come.

Also to be honored at the 2021 MJF celebration are Private Practice Pro Bono winners Jerry Blackwell, Blackwell Burke P.A., Steven Schleicher, Maslon LLP, and Lola Velazquez-Aguilu, Medtronic, for their pro bono work on the prosecution team for the trial of Derek Chauvin. Law Student awards go to Samantha Prins (University of St. Thomas School of Law), Brigid Kelly (University of Minnesota Law School) and Brenda Pfahnl (Mitchell Hamline School of Law). Register for the awards celebration.