The need for pro bono assistance with administrative hearings has never been higher. Clients who have been denied or are at risk of losing vital public benefits, employment benefits, and/or housing subsidies, have a right to an administrative hearing, but are often unrepresented in what can be a confusing and adversarial process. Significant changes to key benefits programs, including Social Security, General Assistance, CalWORKs, CalFresh, Medi-Cal and In-Home Support Services have occurred in recent years imposing new complex rules. On the unemployment insurance front, while the number of applications has overall declined, we have yet to see a reverse of the recession-based trend of employers challenging many unemployment insurance benefit applications. Housing Authorities frequently seek to deny and revoke housing subsidies often due to tenuous allegations of criminal activity. Meanwhile, low-wage workers are experiencing wage theft at unprecedented rates and relying on the Labor Commissioner more than ever before to recover their unpaid wages.
Legal aid services have also suffered funding problems and staffing cuts with reduced ability to meet the demand to represent clients in these cases. Unfortunately, many individuals who are entitled to desperately-needed benefits but have had their benefits improperly denied, lowered, or terminated, who are at risk of losing a housing subsidy, or who are not paid according to basic wage and hour laws cannot make it through the administrative hearing process on their own. As a result, low-income families face the very real possibility of hunger, homelessness, and instability.
This training is designed to help mitigate the crisis faced by low-income families everywhere by providing attorneys with a basic understanding of common issues and strategies in providing pro bono assistance with administrative hearings. The program will focus on California law, but will also cover many topics such as due process and other rights that apply nationwide; therefore, advocates from other forums would benefit from the information and attending the program.
What You Will Learn
- An overview of administrative hearings low-income clients most frequently need involving:
- State public benefits, including General Assistance, CalWORKs, CalFresh, Medi-Cal and Unemployment Insurance claims;
- Federal public benefits, including Supplemental Security Income;
- Federally assisted housing programs, including public housing and Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP or "Section 8"); and
- Unpaid wages, and other wage and hour-related rights.
- Best practices and common advocacy strategies, preparation, and procedures for administrative hearings, including:
- Obtaining evidence: informal and formal discovery
- Drafting position statements/hearing briefs
- Presenting your case at hearing
- Alternatives: Informal resolution
- Rehearings and further appeals
- California law and practice specifics
All attorneys interested in or currently assisting pro bono clients with administrative matters through representation or in clinical settings; law firm pro bono coordinators, managers and partners; law clinic students and faculty; and public interest and non-profit legal services attorneys and staff would benefit from attending this program.
Title:
Representing the Pro Bono Client: Advocacy Skills for Administrative Hearings 2016
When/Where:
September 22, 2016
9:00 AM Pacific
Webcast - Register Now!
Credit:
3 or more credits in most jurisdictions
Speakers:
- Lauren Hansen ~ Staff Attorney, Public Interest Law Project
- Adam Poe ~ Staff Attorney, Reentry Project Coordinator, Bay Area Legal Aid
- Co-Chairs:
- Carole Vigne ~ Staff Attorney and Director, Wage Protection Program, Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
- Steven Weiss ~ Staff Attorney and Regional SSI Advocacy Coordinator, Bay Area Legal Aid
- Program Attorney: Christina Thompson ~ Program Attorney, Practising Law Institute
By:
PLI
More Information And Registration
Looking for more programs on pro bono topics? Please visit our On-Demand webcast library.
PLI Group Discounts
Groups of 4-14 from the same organization, all registering at the same time, for a PLI program scheduled for presentation at the same site, are entitled to receive a group discount. For further discount information, please contact membership@pli.edu or call (800) 260-4PLI.
PLI Can Arrange Group Viewing to Your Firm
Contact the Groupcasts Department via email at groupcasts@pli.edu for more details.
Cancellations
All cancellations received 3 business days prior to the program will be refunded 100%. If you do not cancel within the allotted time period, payment is due in full. You may substitute another individual to attend the program at any time.
RELATED ITEMS
On-Demand On-Demand Programs
Representing the Pro Bono Client: Advocacy Skills for Administrative Hearings 2015 Oct. 6, 2015
Handbook Course Handbook Archive
Representing the Pro Bono Client: Advocacy Skills for Administrative Hearings 2016 Steven Weiss, Bay Area Legal Aid
Carole Vigne, Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
Representing the Pro Bono Client: Advocacy Skills for Administrative Hearings 2015 Steven Weiss, Bay Area Legal Aid
Carole Vigne, Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
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Item# 150622
Location: San Francisco, CA
Free
Register Now
Registration includes the downloadable course handbook and associated course materials. They will be available several days prior to the program start for your review.
CREDIT INFORMATION
CLE Credits for:
CLE-NY Credits
Credit Status: Approved
Transitional: Newly admitted NY attorneys
CAN earn ethics, professional practice, law practice management, and skills credits in this format.
Total Credits: 3.50
Professional Practice: 3.50
CPD-UK (SRA) Credits
Notes: PLI is an authorised external provider of CPD credit in the United Kingdom by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Credit Status: Approved
Total Credits: 3.00
General: 3.00
CPD-BC Credits
Credit Status: Approved
Total Credits: 3.00
General: 3.00
CPD-ON Credits
Notes: Programs are submitted for approval to The Law Society of Upper Canada for CPD credits in Professionalism only. General Substantive hours need not be accredited.
Credit Status:
Total Credits: 3.00
General: 3.00
CPD-QC Credits
Credit Status: Approved
Total Credits: 3.00
General: 3.00
CPD-AUS Credits
Credit Status: Approved
Total Credits: 3.00
General: 3.00
CHECK SPECIFIC STATE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
"I am truly impressed with the knowledge, commitment, and quality of the representation provided by this panel."
2015 Attendee
"The instructors expressed the perfect tone and delivery to be informative and maintain attention."
2015 Attendee
"The program was impressive in the quality of the presenters and their informative insight and knowledge on administrative hearings."
2015 Attendee
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