Page 26 - Briefcase V36 Number 1
P. 26

UH Law Center Young Alumni Committee members work on flood cut and drywall removal in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.          UH Law Center Young Alumni Committee members volunteered to help many Hurricane Harvey victims.


        go directly to support immediate needs in our city.”       assistance to disaster victims,” she said.
        The GHCF, with more than $640 million in assets, is one of Houston’s   Additional speakers included Saundra Brown, managing attorney of
        largest grant makers and provides individuals, families, corporations,   Lone Star Legal Aid’s Disaster Relief Unit, and Martin Mayo of Martin
        foundations, and advisors with the ability to maximize its philanthropic   L. Mayo & Associates, who specializes in weather-related insurance
        impact.                                                    claims and lawsuits.

        ABA President Bass visits UHLC to observe post-Harvey legal                     ‘People’s Law School’ focuses curriculum
        volunteering efforts                                                            on Harvey-related issues
                                 Hilarie Bass, president of the American                The University of Houston Law Center
                                 Bar Association, came to the University                hosted a special session of the “People’s
                                 of Houston Law Center in September                     Law School” in October that was a bit more
                                 to oversee and assist in the training of               somber than usual, focusing on the many legal
                                 volunteer lawyers in the aftermath of                  issues faced by victims of Hurricane Harvey.
                                 Hurricane Harvey.                      Richard M. Alderman  “This program is a little different from the
                                 Her remarks were part of a program,   ones we have done in the past,” said Professor Emeritus Richard M.
                                 “FEMA and Beyond: Hurricane Harvey   Alderman, who for years has led the program to inform people of their
        Richard McElvaney and Hilarie Bass  Legal Issues,” presented by Lone Star   basic legal rights. “It is usually a fun and upbeat event. People are usually
        Legal Aid and sponsored by the Law Center’s Center for Consumer   here because it provides information on something interesting for them to
        Law and the school’s clinical programs. Volunteers were provided with   know. However, the main point of this program is a little more serious.
        information about FEMA and other legal issues related to Hurricane   “Harvey was a devastating event and most of the participants are here
        Harvey.                                                    because of it. It not only destroyed property, it has disrupted your lives,
        “Through its young lawyers division, the ABA has a contract with FEMA   and it is going to have long-term consequences.
        to provide disaster legal services,” Bass said. “The ABA has been on the   “One of the best ways to deal with all of this is knowing your legal rights.
        ground after all the disasters have taken place. It’s critical that people who   You do have legal rights, and a lot of them you can deal with yourself,” he
        need assistance get it. Much of what’s being done by the American Bar   assured participants gathered in Krost Hall before heading off to “classes”
        Association is to provide volunteer lawyers who give free legal advice to   taught by volunteer judges, lawyers and law professors. In addition, a
        victims of a hurricane.                                    number of attorneys and FEMA representatives were on hand to meet
        “It was great to see law students who are all volunteering to help provide   individually with people needing specific assistance.


        26                                                                                                        Briefcase 2018
   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31