LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW
OF THE BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION
294 WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 443
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02108
TEL (617) 482-1145
FAX (617) 482-4392
Email: office@lawyerscom.org
Web: www.lawyerscom.org
THE ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROJECT
REPRESENTATION GUIDELINES
Attorney Agreement
In accepting a matter through the Economic Justice Project (“EJP”), each volunteer attorney agrees to:
1.
Consult the EJP with any questions or problems, or for additional information.
2.
Keep track of the amount of time you and other attorneys and para-professionals work on the
matter.
3.
Inform the EJP when the matter is complete and complete the attorney evaluation form.
4.
Conduct all legal work in a timely manner and with the same degree of professionalism given to
any other client.
5.
Treat the client with the same respect given to any other client.
6.
Inform the client of any fees they will be responsible for during your initial client meeting.
Referral Process
1.
Entrepreneurs contact the Economic Justice Project
Most clients are referred to the EJP through community economic development organizations that
provide entrepreneurs with business technical assistance and, where possible, help individuals
access credit for their business.
2.
Initial client screening
The EJP screens each business that contacts us to determine whether the business and business
owner(s) meet our eligibility guidelines and have a legal matter appropriate and ready for referral
to an attorney.
3.
Referral request sent to participating attorneys
For matters accepted by the EJP, we send a request for assistance to attorneys through the EJP’s
referral network. Attorneys who need more information about the matter should contact the EJP.
4.
Attorney obtains approval
Attorneys interested in accepting the request for assistance contact the EJP. We then send the
attorney an intake sheet summarizing the client’s information and legal issues, along with any
other relevant information the attorney requires to run a conflict check and obtain internal
approval. After obtaining approval, the attorney notifies the EJP and the EJP will contact the
client.
5.
Volunteer attorney contacts client and sends client engagement letter
The attorney then should contact the client and arrange an initial meeting. The attorney also
should discuss the scope of representation and send the client the attorney’s own engagement
letter for the client to sign. The attorney should send a copy of the signed engagement letter to
the EJP.
6.
Ongoing support from the EJP
The staff of the EJP is available for any questions the attorney may have and to provide any
support the attorney may need related to the matter. A staff member of the EJP will attend the
initial client meeting if the attorney so requests. An EJP staff member will contact the attorney
periodically to see how the matter is progressing.
7.
Case closure
Upon completion of the representation, the attorney should notify the EJP. The EJP will then
send the attorney an evaluation to complete. Because the EJP relies substantially on foundation
funding in order to support its activities, the EJP must be able to demonstrate the quantity and
impact of time and resources donated by the attorney to the clients and their communities.
Consequently, completing the evaluation is essential to the long-term success of the EJP.
8.
Follow-up representation
The scope of the attorney’s representation is limited to the discrete matters identified in the
engagement letter. Once the representation is complete, in certain instances the client may
contact the attorney directly seeking additional legal assistance. Please have the client contact the
EJP and we will handle the referral. Alternatively, we are happy to have the attorney work
directly with the client on subsequent legal matters, we simply ask the attorney to inform the EJP
of the legal matters they will be handling.
Fees and Costs
The volunteer attorney agrees to represent the client on the matters referred without charging fees for the
attorney’s services or any internal costs (e.g., copying and faxing costs, long distance charges, or
secretarial support). The client is responsible for all filing fees and other extraordinary costs, such as state
and federal filings, closing costs or title reports.
If you have any questions, please contact Jill Feldman at 617- 482-1145 or jfeldman@lawyerscom.org.