Here I go!

Alright, so I had a request to post something that introduces me to our volunteers. The first thing anyone should probably know is not to ask me where I'm from. My sentence just ended with a dangling preposition, yes, I know. The short story is that I was born in Connecticut right after my dad graduated from UConn, moved to Nigeria when I was 6 months old, moved to Illinois when I was 5, moved to Texas when I was 7, came to Mississippi when I was 8 and spent 4 years in Chicago for college. While at school (Northwestern University, for any interested parties), I majored in Economics and minored in Political Science. This introduction business is starting to sounds like a celebration of self, so I'll bring it to a close.

It has been great to work with you SumVols so far, and I can tell that this is going to be a fun ride. Thanks for agreeing to hang out in our less-than-perfect digs, all the while dealing with other people's issues that may seem so different from the reality of your own lives. I can't tell you how humbling it is to see others willing to jump in wholeheartedly and do what we do. My personal wish for the three of you is that you take full advantage of learning about the law, human nature, your desires for the future and your beliefs from being in this unique position that straddles the best and worst of two diametrically opposed worlds: the world of the haves and that of the have-nots. May this be the beginning of a long and meaningful partnership!

Week of May 21st

We welcomed Brad and John into our office on Monday, May 21, for orientation and they started on Tuesday. Despite the continuous game of musical chairs that we play every day, much has already been accomplished.

Since it is still fairly early on Friday morning, I will say that these guys have worked three full days. In these few days, we have already received enrollment forms from two attorneys in small towns (the hardest types of attorneys to recruit) and an extended offer to assist in recruiting from a Chancellor in another County.

I have offered the Chancellor an opportunity to assist in our pro bono effort by recruiting the attorneys in his county and by allowing us to expand our legal clinics into his County. I informed him of the possibility of expanding our Wills Clinic and/or our Pro Se Divorce Clinic into his County.

This has been a great starting week for what I anticipate to be an awesome summer!

Brad and John, we appreciate your efforts in making this recruitment drive a success.

Enjoy your Memorial Day holiday and do not forget to "Let Justice Roll." :-D

Hi, my name is Brad Kerwin. I was born in Las Vegas Nevada but because my dad was an air force fighter pilot I have traveled extensively (air force brat). I worked at Northrop Grumman shipyard in Newport News, Virginia for 21 years while going to school at night. I received my undergraduate degree in History in 2004 and decided I wanted to do something more rewarding. I spent two years as an Americorp*VISTA volunteer in Grenada, Mississippi. I taught an Adult Literacy class that was funded by a Library of Congress grant and I taught English as a Second Language (ESL) to foreign born members of the community.

I am now a rising second year law student at Mississippi College School of Law. Volunteering at the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project is an awesome way for me to experience the kind of work I came to law school to do. My first week here has been amazing. Witnessing these dedicated people striving to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate is truly inspiring. I am looking forward to my time here at MVLP.

Brad Kerwin
bkkerwin@yahoo.com

Introduction

Hello, my name is John Biggs and I am volunteering with the MVLP this summer. I have already met most of you and look forward to working with you all this summer. Here's a little bit about me: I am a rising 2L at MSCOL and originally hail from Clarksville, TN. I enjoy the chance to volunteer my time and talents to help the lives of others. I also enjoy golf, music, and the ocassional run. I am very excited about what I can contribute to the program this summer and look forward to working with each of you to further the program's goals and have positive impacts on people's lives. See you all at the office!

John Biggs
Biggs@mc.edu
931-320-4595

A Summer of Volunteerism

The Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP), started in 1982, represents the nation's first formal association of a state Bar with representatives of the Legal Services Corporation. The primary mission of the MVLP is to provide high quality pro bono legal assistance to honest, hard-working Mississippians of low income and limited means, who would not otherwise have access to the courts.

Potential clients are screened by Legal Services to determine income eligibility and the legal merit of their cases. The cases are then forwarded to the MVLP and referred to Mississippi Bar members who agree to take the cases on a pro bono basis.

This summer, the Project will have three summer volunteers: Brad Kerwin, John Biggs, and Ashley Daniel. Brad and John will begin on May 21, 2007 and Ashley will begin in July.

Throughout their summer of volunteerism, they will blog about their time with MVLP, what they do and would like to do at MVLP, and provide us with stories.

Their first blog will be one introducing them and their plans.

MVLP would like to formally express its gratitude, in advance of their service, to the summer volunteers.

Hopefully, this will remind all that the privilege of practicing law is a gift that can be given continuously and not just once.