Indiana Free Legal Answers allows you to answer pro bono legal questions online, with privacy and confidentiality, for Hoosiers who qualify for free legal aid. You may report the time you spend answering questions on your annual attorney registration. Contact
Marilyn Smith for more information.
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You may receive a survey in October designed to help the Foundation improve its communications with you. It is designed to be quick, so please take a moment to complete it. We are eager to ensure we're meeting your needs and interests.
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Award Winners Announced Soon
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Watch your mail for an invitation to the annual Awards & Recognition Dinner on December 10 with the list of honorees for Fellows, pro bono, and civic education awards.
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Monthly Donations Welcome
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Did you ever think about donating a small sum monthly to support the Foundation's mission? Those donations add up. When they are unrestricted, the board can ensure they help the areas of greatest need, and you may qualify for
Keystone Society recognition if they total $1,000. Use your bank to set up monthly donations or you may use a credit card on our
donation page.
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Deferred Gifts: Another Option
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Designate a portion of your estate, life insurance, or retirement to the Indiana Bar Foundation. The future depends upon the partnerships we form today. A deferred donation might be the way to achieve your goals.
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| Indiana Partnerships for Justice Conference |
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Indiana Partnerships for Justice is a one-day conference on
October 23 for legal aid lawyers, pro bono volunteers, law school clinics, members of the Court and anyone focused on serving the legal needs of low and modest means clients. There will be sessions on substantive civil legal aid topics with five conference tracks: Family, Re-Entry, Housing, Health & Benefits, Consumer, Practice & Profession (
CLE pending).
Sponsored by the Coalition for Court Access, the conference will occur from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Ivy Tech Conference Center in Indianapolis.
Register by October 13 here. Contact
Marilyn Smith for details.
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On September 21, the U.S. District Court announced the Honorable Larry McKinney had passed away. Judge McKinney served on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana since 1987 and was an absolute champion for civic education. He was a member of the Foundation's Citizens Education Advisory Committee and a former board member. He served as a judge for the championship round of the Mock Trial State Finals since the Foundation assumed responsibility of the program in 2014. He absolutely loved watching young people display their trial skills and often commented that the students were better than some attorneys who practiced in his court.
Judge McKinney also presided over the Immigration Naturalization Ceremony each year at the We the People State Finals.
Not only did he judge the state finals, he also spoke to the We the People students each year.
Last spring, he judged at the
We the People National Finals,
and he was in awe of the students' performances. "I remember watching as he and his wife stood at the back of the Awards Ceremony and watched as every single team received their recognition and awards. He was so proud of the Indiana teams," said Collin Gruver, director of civic education programs. Read more about Judge McKinney's impact in this article by the Indiana Lawyer.
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Civic Education Growing in Indiana, Volunteers Needed
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"To me, We the People is more than just an advanced civic education class. We the People is a class where we learn to apply our knowledge to unknown questions and learn how to communicate with others. We the People, and I can speak for all of us, helps us understand past events and how they apply to current issues. In addition, we all become better civically educated and can help educate others who are not as knowledgeable as us. In conclusion, We the People helps us become better citizens of our country and learn to respect others and their opinions." - Maya F., 8th Grade Student, Fishers Jr. High School, 2016
Almost 50 teachers attended the Summer Institute and 70% of them were new to the We the People curriculum. This growth has led to the addition of a new regional competition in Bloomington and more volunteer opportunities. Sign up now to judge at a regional competition and recruit a friend to join you. Volunteers do not have to be attorneys, and training is provided on site. Find the dates, locations, and contact information here.
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New South Central We the People Regional Coordinator
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My name is Savannah Wormley, and I'm the regional coordinator for the newly-created south-central region. I participated in the We the People program at Floyd Central High School in 2013-2014, and I haven't stopped being involved since! Our team was fortunate enough to make it to the national invitational (which we won!), and since being able to experience that inspiring event, I have always tried to give back to the program in any way I can. I have judged teacher competitions at the Summer Institute, as well as the state middle and high school competitions. The We the People program provides students with their first introduction to government and politics, and it inspires so many of our country's future civil servants. It creates engaged and educated citizens, and that's what keeps me coming back year after year. The program inspired me to pursue a degree in Law and Public Policy and has led to internships in local government, political campaigns and even a brief stint working in Washington, D.C. I love the We the People program, and I can't wait to continue my involvement as a regional coordinator!"
Contact Savannah at
[email protected].
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Mock Trial Competition Dates, Case Release Date Posted
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You can find the 2018 Indiana High School Mock Trial regional and state competition dates here. Not a litigator? No need to worry. Only experienced volunteers will be asked to serve as presiding judges, and the Foundation will provide ample training for scoring judges.
The 2018 case will be released October 13, 2017. Be sure to check out our Mock Trial page for case postings, rule updates, and more news. |
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