by Professor Ryan Sullivan
On Friday, September 20, College of Law students performed “Legal Triage” at this year’s Project Connect Lincoln at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Project Connect Lincoln is a one-stop shop for veterans and people of limited means to get things like free dental check-ups and haircuts, as well free legal services. Law student volunteers interviewed participants as they arrived at the event to identify whether they needed legal assistance, and if so, guided them to one of the several legal service providers offering free legal services at the event.
The Legal Triage program was a collaborative effort between Legal Aid and the College of Law’s Pro Bono Committee. It was developed to provide law students a unique pro bono opportunity and provide participants assistance in identifying their legal issues and guiding them to the appropriate resource. Over 700 participants attended this year’s Project Connect event. This year’s student volunteers included: 1L Dimon Mcferson; 2Ls Sarah O’Neill, Mauricio Murga Rios, Amy Sonnenfeld, Allison Seiler, Bobby Larsen, and Melissa Jo Araiza; and 3Ls Amanda Berman and Brianna Duda.
Additionally, Clinic students offered free legal services through the Civil Clinic in the area of “Clean Slate” relief. The Civil Clinic was one of several legal service providers offering free legal services at the event. Under my supervision and led by the Clinic’s Clean Slate Project team, Alex Sycher and Noah Rasmussen, nine Clinic students assisted participants in cleaning up their past criminal history to improve their access to employment, housing and other opportunities.
Collectively, the students served over 100 participants in some capacity and reviewed and evaluated over 200 criminal records. As part of the services provided, students evaluated participants’ eligibility for post-conviction relief, drafted all necessary documents, and filed petitions and motions on their behalf. In addition to Alex and Noah, participating students included: Civil Clinic students Shelby Rowan, Brittany Shultz, Brianna Poppert, Jake Schneider and Lauren Ziegenbein, and Immigration Clinic students Luke Hautzinger and Nichole Costanzo Sklare.
Professor Ryan P. Sullivan is the director of the Civil Clinical Law Program at the University of Nebraska College of Law and serves as chair of the College’s Pro Bono Committee. Sullivan is also a member of the NSBA Legal Services Committee and the Nebraska Pro Bono Collaborative.