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Effective July 1, 2015, most documents filed with the Minnesota Judicial Branch will no longer require a notarized signature. As a result of the changes to the statute and court rules, most documents signed by clients represented by VLN volunteers no longer need to be notarized. Read more >>
Submitted by: Tom Walsh, Resource Attorney
August Tip of the Month –Notary Requirements for Court Documents
Understanding the racial disparities that exist in our state provides critical context when working with pro bono clients. This article provides this background, as well as practical suggestions for lawyers in addressing this inherent subtext in providing pro bono services. Read more >>
Submitted by: Martha Delaney, Deputy Director July Tip of the Month –The Impact of Race on Pro Bono Services
Since passage of the new expungement law, we have been working in partnership with Legal Services State Support and the Council on Crime and Justice to reprogram the HotDocs criminal expungement document assembly tool (HotDocs). This tool guides the user through compiling criminal expungement pleadings using a fill in the blank style format. It relies on pre-programmed conclusions about the user’s inputs to select the appropriate legal grounds for relief and to generate the necessary pleadings. HotDocs generates the pleadings in Microsoft Word, allowing the user to make any necessary edits and changes before printing. It is an efficient way to generate pleadings for a single case, but it pays dividends in hours saved when compiling pleadings for multiple cases. Read more >>
Submitted by: Chris Hanrahan, Resource Attorney June Tip of the Month –Criminal Expungement Document Assembly Tool
May’s Tip of the Month focuses on financial coaching and how it can help VLN clients build a stable financial foundation for their future. This tip introduces what financial coaching is, how it can help low-income families, and how to refer clients to this new program. Read more >>
Submitted by: Don Fulton, Financial Coach May Tip of the Month –Introduction to Financial Coaching
April’s Tip of the Month focuses on what happens to pawned property in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This tip identifies a client’s right to redeem the property and the rules at play when a bankruptcy is involved. Read more >>
Submitted by: Margaret Henehan, Nancy C. Dreher Fellow April Tip of the Month –Pawned Property in Bankruptcy
March’s Tip of the Month focuses on the IRS tax form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt. Around this time of year, clients begin to see these forms in their mailbox and they often come as a surprise. This tip identifies why the form is issued, some exclusions that may apply and if a client is still legally responsible for the debt. Read more >>
Submitted by: Margaret Henehan, Nancy C. Dreher FellowVolunteer attorneys who do not normally practice in Conciliation Court may be unaware that there are two different processes for vacating default judgments entered in Hennepin County Conciliation Court, depending on the amount of time that has passed since entry of the default judgment. This month’s tip provides step-by-step suggestions for how to draft motions to vacate default judgments for each process.. Read more >> As more legal services clinics are co-located at social services agencies and schools, there are also greater opportunities for social workers and attorneys to collaborate to meet their client’s goals. While there are concerns raised with such collaborations, there are also tremendous benefits: for the client, the attorney and the social worker. January’s Tip of the Month focuses on the benefits of such collaborations and provides specific examples of when such collaborations are particularly helpful. This tip also identifies limitations and potential pitfalls of such collaborations and how they might be overcome. Read more >> As more legal services clinics are co-located at social services agencies and schools, there are also greater opportunities for social workers and attorneys to collaborate to meet their client’s goals. While there are concerns raised with such collaborations, there are also tremendous benefits: for the client, the attorney and the social worker. January’s Tip of the Month focuses on the benefits of such collaborations and provides specific examples of when such collaborations are particularly helpful. This tip also identifies limitations and potential pitfalls of such collaborations and how they might be overcome. Read more >> VLN clinics serve a number of clients involved in disputes with former employers over unpaid wages. The timing of an employee’s pay depends upon the circumstances of the employment termination. Different statutes, albeit with similar remedies, apply to wage claims depending on whether the employee quit or resigned, or whether the employee was discharged or terminated by the employer. This month’s tip provides basic information to assist attorneys in assessing wage claims and determining the applicable law. Read more >> March Tip of the Month –
Vacating Default Judgments in Hennepin County Conciliation Court
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February Tip of the Month –
Attorney – Social Worker Collaborations
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January Tip of the Month – Attorney/Social Worker Collaboration
Attorney – Social Worker Collaboration
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January Tip of the Month – Attorney/Social Worker Collaboration
Unpaid Wage Claims
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December Tip of the Month – Unpaid Wage Claims