It’s never expected, but always appreciated, when someone “out there” gives you some public recognition for what you do. The stars aligned for PLSE this month, and FIVE members of our Board of Directors received major awards:

On April 15, as it does every year, the Philadelphia Business Journal honored the 2021 Faces of Philanthropy – “the most impactful philanthropic initiatives between for-profit companies and non-profit companies that truly make a difference in the greater Philadelphia area.” This year, the PLSE family received THREE recognitions:

That very same evening, Board member Nicole Hunt received the Peggy Browning Award, recognizing her for being on the forefront of a new generation of union leaders.

And Evan Figueroa-Vargas was “overwhelmingly nominated” to serve as the graduate student commencement speaker next month at Widener University when he receives his MSW.

PLSE could not be more proud! These awards demonstrate the range, depth, and diversity of our Board and their passionate commitments to the betterment of society, and to excellence in all of their endeavors.

The House of Delegates is the body charged with setting the policy of the PA Bar Association – the one lawyer group that virtually everyone regards as the independent voice for justice and fairness in the state. Last year, it was thanks to an overwhelming vote in the House of Delegates that the PBA spoke out in opposition to the insistence by the PA Board of Pardons that applicants disclose confidential-by-law interactions with the juvenile court; and later this year, it will most likely be asked to champion access to the Governor’s clemency by those without ability to pay. It was therefore both a great honor, and a great opportunity, when Staff Attorney Taylor Pacheco was appointed a Delegate from Zone One (Philadelphia). Commenting on the appointment, PBA Zone One Governor Jennifer Coatsworth wrote: “It’s clear to me that Taylor is a rising star in the legal profession, with a passion for fairness and the vision and energy to pursue it. We will benefit from having her in leadership.” We couldn’t agree more!

We know two things for sure: people with criminal records need help with their pardon applications, and lawyers like helping people. While completing the pardon application form doesn’t take all that long, we found that sometimes it was taking a long time for coach and client to connect, and that scheduling problems after the first meeting could cause delays and frustration. We also know that law firms and their corporate clients are looking for ways to work together in non-billable ways, especially on things that contribute to social and racial justice.  

At the urging of Lisa Swamanathan, Pro Bono counsel for Ballard Spahr, we decided to try something new: a one-day CLE+pardon clinic held virtually and staffed by attorneys who were both in-house and in firms. Last November, lawyers from Ballard and J.P. Morgan’s legal department tried it out – all over Zoom because of covid. The day began with a one-hour CLE on pardons taught by PLSE Staff Attorney Sarah Coyle. Ballard and JP Morgan attorney were then paired and assigned to electronic break-out rooms, where they met a client who was eager for help and whose case had been pre-screened for merit. Sarah then floated among the break-out rooms, answering questions and helping where she could. Two dozen lawyers helped more than a dozen clients that morning in just a few hours. The clinic ended with most applications needing a bit more work, and the coaches making plans with their clients to finish up.

Lessons were learned, the process tweaked, and the second Pardon e-clinic held last month. This one was organized by Duane Morris’ Pro Bono Attorney Kat McGovern and Coordinator Mercedes Nunez, and Comcast’s Alyssa Kovach, a member of Comcast Employee Relations who had already helped PLSE organize a Pardon Project at Comcast. This clinic involved 36 attorneys and 18 clients! After the CLE, Comcast and DM attorneys were paired and matched with PLSE clients in zoom rooms, with Sarah again providing immediate guidance. This time, most of the teams came very close to completing the full application. And here’s the newest innovation: a follow-up clinic was scheduled, giving clients and coaches deadlines for completing their to-do’s and ensuring that the application could be completed and ready to filing within 30 days! Amazing! 

We learned a lot from the lawyers and clients who tested this model. All of the feedback has been positive, and we are eager to hold more! Big thanks to Lisa, Andy, Alyssa, Kat, and Mercedes, and to large hearts and supportive spirits of the attorney with JP Morgan, Comcast, Duane and Ballard, for experimenting with us and creating the virtual clinic such a successful model. 

Roots to Re-Entry provides citizens transitioning back into their communities from the Philadelphia Prison System with the tools and support they need to obtain meaningful employment in the horticulture and landscape industries. A program of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, it offers paid training in horticulture, landscape maintenance, greenhouse operations, carpentry and masonry; and the training also includes job readiness, conflict resolution, health education, and occupational therapy. And now, PHS is helping them clean up their criminal records!

On Good Friday, Staff Attorney Taylor Pacheco, along with student interns Amanda Muscavage, Isabel Apothaker, Tarik Kose, and Isabella Falzone hosted PLSE’s first ever record-clearing clinic in conjunction with Roots to Reentry and hosted by Mt. Sinai Church of God at 72nd and Woodland Ave in Southwest Philadelphia. It was a terrific event! Program director Keith Green had told us that his participants were excited to have us, and the event exceeded all expectations. We look forward to more great clinics with PHS!

If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter, you’ve seen that the “public press” is beginning to take notice of the problems that criminal records are causing – from Paul Solman’s “Searching for Justice” on the PBS Newshour last August to the Planet Money podcasts “Fine and Punishment” earlier this year, explaining the ways that court fees and costs get thoughtlessly added to dockets and often result indigent people being sued or actually arrested and jailed for failure to pay “paper debts”.