NEWS & MEDIA CENTER
Attorney Dan Choi Featured in Asian Fortune News
Asian Fortune News ran an excellent profile on Dan Choi, attorney in the Immigrant Advocacy Program.
Fellow advocate Ted Wong, said "A trained lawyer and keen civil rights advocate, with wide connections and fluency in Korean, Spanish and English, Dan is an ideal coalition builder for Northern Virginia, where the population is increasingly diverse culturally and socially."
Read more.
Litigation Director Abigail Turner Wins Two Prestigious Legal Aid Awards
The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) in Washington, D.C., has announced that Abigail Turner, Litigation Director at the Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville, has been selected as recipient of the 2012 Kutak-Dodds Prize for civil legal services. The award acknowledges Turner for her efforts to ensure equal justice for all people, regardless of their financial means.
The NLADA announcement comes two weeks after the Virginia State Bar’s Access to Legal Services Committee announced that Abigail Turner has been selected as recipient of the 2012 Virginia Legal Aid Award. The award will be presented at a luncheon on Friday, June 15, as part of the Virginia State Bar’s annual meeting in Virginia Beach.
Read the full press release.
Read the NLADA press release.
Read the Virginia State Bar press release.
Changes To Solitary Confinement of Prisoners with Mental Illness Announced
Persistent advocacy by Litigation Director Abigail Turner, along with a coalition of elected representatives and human rights organizations, has resulted in significant changes to the use of solitary confinement for prisoners with mental illness in Virginia's Red Onion supermax prison. We will continue to monitor the situation to insure that real and meaningful improvements occur as a result of the changes announced by Virginia officials.
Read the March 31, 2012 article in the Washington Post, here.
For previous coverage of this issue:
Washington Post article, January 7, 2012
Washington Post editorial, January 15, 2012
Washington Post follow-up, March 30, 2012
Employment Opportunities: Managing Attorney (Falls Church) and Community Attorney (Petersburg)
The Legal Aid Justice Center seeks a Managing Attorney for our Falls Church office, and a Community Attorney to work in Petersburg, Virginia.
Visit our Job Openings page to find out more.
JustChildren's Angela Ciolfi Featured in Charlottesville Woman's 4 Under 40
Congratulations to Angela Ciolfi and the other deserving women who have been recognized as this year's 4 Under 40.
JustChildren's Angela Ciolfi Cited in Chicago Tribune Story
Ciolfi Questions the Wisdom of Granting States Leeway in Standards Set by No Child Left Behind
Excerpt: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he was granting 10 states exemptions from parts of the "No Child Left Behind" education law, a move that could prove popular in an election year with parents and teachers who have criticized the law - but raises concern among some advocates for low-income and minority students."
Read the full article.
Claire Curry Helps Present Award to Inspector General Levinson
Recently, the Legal Aid Justice Center's Claire Curry, along with Sarah Wells, the Executive Director of The Consumer Voice, presented an award to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, Daniel Levinson. The award was presented to the Inspector General for his and his office’s efforts in fighting the use of chemical restraints and over-prescribing of Anti-psychotic drugs in Nursing Homes.
The Legal Aid Justice Center is leading a national alliance of elder advocates to fight the improper and dangerous use of psychotropic drugs to restrain patients in nursing homes. Our elder advocates are educating consumers and other advocates about the issue and pushing for stronger regulation and increased enforcement of existing laws.
Use of Solitary Confinement in Virginia Scrutinized
A Washington Post article and editorial scrutinize the use of solitary confinement in Virginia. The article and editorial are based, in part, on issues raised by Legal Aid Justice Center staff.
Read the article, here, and the editorial, here.
Legal Aid Groups Seek Replacement Funding
Legal aid organizations across Virginia are banding together to seek increased support for the critical services provided by their organizations. Legal aid has been hit particularly hard by the economic downturn as one of the principle sources of funding, Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA), has plummeted from $4.7M to less then $700,000 over the last two years.
Listen to the NBC29 news story, here.
Click here to make a secure, tax-deductible donation to the Legal Aid Justice Center.
JustChildren Receives Press Coverage for "Educate Every Child" Report
Since its November 17 release, "Educate Every Child" has been the focus of media attention for its examination of the high suspension and expulsion rates in Virginia and the societal toll of removing students from the educational system. The report has reinvigorated the conversation among educators, policy makers, the media, parents, and students about positive models for school discipline.
Read press coverage of "Educate Every Child":
"Overused penalty of Last Resort," Virginian-Pilot, Nov. 30, 2011
"Schools Are Overreacting to Misbehaving Students," Washington Post, Nov. 29, 2011
"Group Criticizes Va. School Disciplinary Tactics," Richmond Times-Dispatch, Nov. 18, 2011
"Report: Suspensions, Expulsions Raise Dropout Risk," Washington Examiner, Nov. 17, 2011
View news stories about "Educate Every Child" here:
"Study Finds Suspension Not Positive for Students," WVIR Charlottesville, Nov. 17, 2011
"Study: Schools Should Change Suspension, Expulsion Policies," WHSV Harrisonburg, Nov. 17, 2011