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the University of Arizona James E . Rogers College of Law and the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business , and has partnered with AAA Fair Credit in a twoyear pilot that will train nonlawyer medical debt legal advocates ( MDLAs ) to provide free , limited scope legal advice to people experiencing medical debt . This is the first pilot in the U . S . to incorporate nonlawyer limited-scope , medical-debt-related legal advice into social services . During the pilot phase , the MDLA will be qualified to provide limited-scope legal advice to medical debt defendants upon completing an MDLA curriculum and passing an exam within that curriculum . Defendants in medical debt collection actions will be notified of the availability of MDLA services at the time they receive a 10-day summons . The MDLA curriculum also includes extensive training on bankruptcy law : the MDLA will be able to provide limited-scope legal advice to clients considering declaring bankruptcy due to their medical debt and help clients determine whether referral to a bankruptcy lawyer would be helpful .
Our First DEI Grant . The Foundation ’ s Pro Bono Committee will be expanding its role in 2023 and will be reviewing grant requests for DEI initiatives . I am pleased to report that the Pro Bono Committee received a grant application that it felt was worthy of consideration by the Foundation for a DEI grant , even though we had not yet formally expanded our mission and solicited applications , and presented it to the Foundation . The Foundation approved a $ 7,500 grant to the Federal Bar Association for the Eastern District of Michigan ( FBA ). The FBA has made it a part of its mission to work with the community to build a pipeline of diverse talent in the legal profession . In furtherance of that goal , the Bankruptcy Committee of the FBA created a program offering internships with bankruptcy courts within the district and with the Clerk of Court ’ s office . The Bankruptcy Committee will use the Foundation ’ s grant to fund ( i ) two law clerk internships ( for diverse law students ) with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan , and ( ii ) one internship ( for a diverse undergraduate student ) with the Clerk of Court ’ s office . Interns will receive compensation during their internship from the grant funds , which compensation can be used to pay the intern ’ s living expenses . The Bankruptcy Committee hopes to offer these internships annually going forward . This Foundation grant builds upon grants from the College in 2022 to the Just the Beginning program funding stipends for six diverse interns to bankruptcy judges and the NCBJ Blackshear Fellows program funding conference attendance for diverse young attorneys .
Conclusion . This is my first year having the privilege of serving as the Pro Bono Chair , and I thank you for the opportunity . It has been a pleasure serving with the over 40 members of the Pro Bono Committee , the College and Foundation Boards and leadership , and Jenny Cudahy and Shari Bedker – all of whom spend significant time in this effort . And a special thank you to all of the Fellows who generously donate their money and time to this very worthwhile project . You have all made it possible for many to serve the most vulnerable populations across the country . I urge you to not only continue to donate and make these grants possible , but to also encourage organizations that fit our pro bono and DEI guidelines to submit applications for 2023 grants by June 1 .
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