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Wyoming celebrates the work of Volunteer Attorneys

Cheyenne – On October 23, Governor Matt Mead proclaimed the week of October 22–28, 2017 to be Pro Bono Week in the State of Wyoming. In attendance were Chief Justice E. James Burke of the Wyoming Supreme Court, Angie Dorsch (Executive Director of Equal Justice Wyoming), Stuart Day (President of the Equal Justice Wyoming Board of Commissioners), Rob Jarosh (President of the Wyoming State Bar Association), Lee Dickinson (Attorney at Hathaway & Kunz, LLP and recipient of the 2017 Pro Bono Award), Liz Hutchinson (Staff Attorney & Pro Bono Coordinator at Equal Justice Wyoming), and Cathy Duncil (Pro Bono Coordinator at the Wyoming State Bar), among others.

Wyoming will join the national pro bono celebration, encouraging attorneys across the state to volunteer their time to provide free legal services in their communities. The week is also National Celebrate Pro Bono Week with lawyers volunteering across the country to help individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford legal services. Equal Justice Wyoming, the Wyoming State Bar, local bar associations, and legal aid providers will be organizing various events across Wyoming to make legal services available to the public.

"Thousands of people in Wyoming can't afford a lawyer and have no choice but to deal with serious legal issues without adequate help," said Angie Dorsch, Executive Director of Equal Justice Wyoming. "Pro Bono Week is not only an opportunity for the public to get free legal information and help, it is also a time to recognize and applaud the work of the many dedicated attorneys who give back to their communities all year long through their pro bono service."

"In my view, pro bono work is not only an honor to do, but also part of our professional obligation as attorneys," said Liz Hutchinson, Staff Attorney and Pro Bono Coordinator of Equal Justice Wyoming. "Access to civil justice is a pressing issue across the country, as the majority of civil legal needs go unmet in marginalized populations. Our goal during Pro Bono Week is to highlight the work that we are able to do to close the access gap."

In honor of Pro Bono Week, Equal Justice Wyoming and the Wyoming State Bar will host a Free Legal Advice Clinic and Resource Fair on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church, 108 E. 18th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming. Free legal advice clinics will also be taking place this week in Sheridan, Laramie, Jackson, and Buffalo.

 

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