Fall 2017 Fall 2017 Gavel | Page 26

ABA IMPLEMENTS DISASTER PLANS FOR HURRICANE RESPONSE

ABA IMPLEMENTS DISASTER PLANS FOR HURRICANE RESPONSE

DAN TRAYNOR ABA Delegate
After severe hurricanes impacted Texas , Florida , Puerto Rico , and the U . S . Virgin Islands , the American Bar Association ’ s ( ABA ) Committee on Disaster Response and Preparedness sprang into action .
As Hurricane Harvey hit Texas , ABA President Hilarie Bass announced a coordinated effort to provide lawyers with information they need to provide assistance to hurricane victims . This effort encouraged increased indigent legal services and pro bono representation for the many civil legal needs of disaster survivors . ABA policies support preservation of the rule of law , availability of emergency health care , and prompt attention by insurance and mitigation services .
The State Bar Association of North Dakota responded by observing the Texas Supreme Court ’ s order permitting attorneys licensed in other states to provide legal services to victims of Hurricane Harvey . The effort was coordinated by ABA Free Legal Answers , www . freelegalanswers . org , a virtual legal advice clinic .
Disasters come in all shapes and sizes . With floods in Grand Forks and Minot and fires in Williston , North Dakota lawyers have seen their share of disasters as well . In times of natural disaster at home , North Dakota ’ s court system has allowed rule flexibility and encouraged lawyers to respond with probono services . Most recently , the Supreme Court allowed out-of-state lawyers to
26 THE GAVEL practice in North Dakota to alleviate the flood of major and minor crimes arising from the Dakota Access Pipeline ( DAPL ) protest . While the DAPL protest was not a natural disaster , the rule was interpreted to allow for flexibility in representation by out-of-state counsel , consistent with existing rules to protect the public .
The ABA Standing Committee on Disaster Response and Preparedness has authored “ Surviving a Disaster : A Lawyer ’ s Guide to Disaster Planning ” as a comprehensive resource on disaster preparation . This publication is among a great collection of information for disaster preparedness resources , including videos and free CLEs .
The ABA Legal Technology Center suggests best practices and checklists for computer backup , disposal , and disaster preparedness . The Law Practice Management Section suggests security advice for solo practitioners , along with aftermath recovery . Disaster legal hotlines can be created for mass disaster situations .
The ABA offers resources to protect lawyers and law firms from the impacts of disasters large and small on the ABA ’ s website , www . americanbar . org / disaster .
Cheers to Judge Jim Hill
North Dakota ’ s ABA State Delegate Judge James S . Hill just completed a term as chair of the ABA ’ s Commission on Interest on Lawyers ’ Trust Accounts ( IOLTA ). Under Judge Hill ’ s leadership , the IOLTA Commission had a successful run with members serving on four joint committees focused on meetings and training , communications , resource development / banking , and technical assistance . Judge Hill ’ s tenure ended with several well-attended IOLTA workshops at the ABA Annual meeting . The most talked-about session included an update on funding for Legal Services Corporation ( LSC ) followed by a non-partisan rally in support of LSC funding .
2017 National Lawyer Referral Workshop
The ABA ’ s Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Services hosted the National Lawyer Referral Workshop in Portland , Ore ., in early November . The agenda included helpful information for lawyer referral programs as an important component of connecting the public with legal services . The sessions encouraged a higher profile for lawyer referral programs in social media and Google visibility . Several states have employed online platforms to more efficiently connect lawyers with clients .
In most jurisdictions , the lawyer referral program is a service provided to lawyers as a business development tool . Lawyers in most jurisdictions pay to be listed in the lawyer referral directory . In North Dakota , the lawyer referral program is more of a service to the public , addressing access-to-justice issues in a state with more legal matters than lawyers to handle them . Lawyers are listed for free with clients paying a minimal charge for a half-hour consult with a lawyer .
2018 Midyear Meeting
The ABA ’ s Midyear Meeting is scheduled for Jan . 31 to Feb . 6 in Vancouver , B . C . The meeting agenda and program materials are in the process of being developed .