The National Domestic Violence Pro Bono Directory

Community Lawyering is a vehicle for motivating and supporting lasting changes that bring about social justice and build grassroots leadership in our communities. Promoting an expansive view of a legal aid lawyer's role, the Shriver Center's Community Lawyering training stresses the importance of thinking beyond litigation-while retaining litigation as a vital tool-in addressing the kinds of structural problems low-income communities face. Alternating case study work with an exploration of relevant issues in local communities, Community Lawyering explores the process through which advocates contribute their legal knowledge and skills to support initiatives identified by the community that enhance its power.

The course is built around three core competencies that effective community lawyers exhibit: community understanding and relationship building, issue identification and strategy development, and advocacy approaches and tools. Within this framework, participants learn the multi-tactic tools of a successful advocacy campaign, including media and outreach skills, facilitative leadership, action research, targeted planning, and campaign feasibility.

The course is open to all legal aid staff and legal aid staff attending in partnership with community leaders.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS COURSE

Advocacy Campaign Planning & Strategy Development
Communications: Framing, Storytelling & Media
Community Lawyering for Legal Services Corporation-Funded Programs
Community Listening and Needs Assessment
Community Organizing, Leadership Development, and Institution Building
Legislative and Policy Advocacy
Meeting Planning and Facilitation
Relationship Building Techniques

For more information see:

Community Lawyering sample agenda
Clearinghouse Review article about Community Lawyering Training
Confirmed Community Lawyering Faculty

"What begins with a seemingly simplistic question -"what is community lawyering?"-becomes three days of inspiring stories from the field, practical theory and tools to help organize clients, and real-world considerations that illustrate the importance of helping our clients discover and assert their own power for social change. CED lawyers, "outreach" paralegals, managers, and anyone with an interest in the movement aspects of our work would get a lot from the Shriver Center's Community Lawyering training."
-Jimmy Midyette, Florida Legal Services

WHEN

June 13-15, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois

REGISTER FOR EARLY BIRD RATES TODAY!

Clearinghouse Review subscribers' rate: $695 per person
Clearinghouse Review subscribers' group rate (three or more participants from the same organization): $595 per person
Non-Clearinghouse Review subscribers' rate: $795 per person
Non-Clearinghouse Review subscribers' group rate (three or more participants from the same organization): $745 per person

The Early Bird deadline ends on May 11! ACT now!