[SCBA] LSEM really needs your help for Pro Bono Month! having trouble viewing this message? read it online Members of the Bar, I know this email is long but we really need your help so please read!  Time commitments vary and the work is easy.  For people who can have their criminal record expunged, it can be life changing! LSEM, Saginaw Michigan Works! and the Saginaw County Clerk are hosting an Expungement Clinic to be held Friday, October 22, 2021 at the Michigan Works!  Saginaw location at 313 E. Genesee AVenue. The time for the event is 10:00am- 3:30pm.   For many people, having a criminal record is a roadblock to employment and housing.   This is a great and easy opportunity to serve your community, make a difference and gain some pro bono hours.  We are currently seeking YOUR HELP with this event in October (National Pro Bono Month) AND future clinics.  Applicants are prescreened for initial eligibility.  After that screening, there are several ways you can help: 1. ICHAT REVIEW: Prior to the event, we are looking for pro bono attorneys to perform ICHAT reviews to determine if the person meets the eligibility criteria to have their convictions set aside. The ICHATS would be provided to you.  You could do this on your own time in your office or home.  We can provide training on how to review the ICHATS and guidelines on how to determine eligibility.  This work would need to be done before the actual event.  We are ready to start having ICHAT's reviewed.  It can take as little as 5-10 minutes to review an ICHAT and the Saginaw Register of Action because there are only 1-2 convictions.  Others take more time but rarely more than 20-25 minutes. 2.  Form Preparation:  Many of the attorneys that did the ICHAT review for the August Clinic also did the form preparation.  www.michiganlegalhelp.org has a great tool for this.  This tool can also guide you through the eligibility process.   Using this tool can take about 30 minutes for a case, especially at first.  However, once you are familiar with the tool, it can be very easy to do the preparation.  The length of time also depends on how many convictions a person has.  We have many clients with only one( 1) very old conviction.    The preparation can be very quick.  It is also possible to just use the SCAO forms.  THE MORE HELP WE HAVE AT THIS PHASE, THE MORE EFFICIENT WE CAN BE AT THE CLINIC!  Again, this is something you can do when you are available. 3.  Clinic Help:  The day of the event, we are looking for attorneys to meet with clients to prepare the court forms and answer questions.  Training would be provided.  This is where we need the most help!  We had a great turn out for the clinic we held August 5, 2021.  We were able to help 118 people at the event. We expect this clinic to be bigger.  At this time over 1000 people have submitted pre registration documents through Michigan Works! for the August clinic and this clinic combined.  Even if you are only able to help for part of the day, all help is welcomed! 4.  Hearings: We are also looking for pro bono attorneys to attend the hearings with the clients.  This does not need to be the same attorney who completed the forms.  No attorney will be listed on the forms.   In our recent experience these hearings will be scheduled about 2-3 months AFTER filing.  We are trying to work with the judges to see if we can schedule several at the same time. Since we are planning this clinic in October and possibly beyond that, all of these are ongoing opportunities!  Even if you are not available right now, we need your help in the future! If you are interested in volunteering for any (or all three) of the above options please contact our Pro Bono Coordinator, Jamie Clayton at jclayton@PROTECTED.  If you have questions you can reach Jamie  at 989-252-7329. Please feel free to reach out to me as well! Amy   Amy L Meilink (P45398)     Directing Attorney Legal Services of Eastern Michigan  A    301 E. Genesee St., 5th Floor       Saginaw, MI 48607  P  989-244-4239 or 800-322-4512 x 139     F   989-244-4239  E  ameilink@PROTECTED    W  www.lsem-mi.org PLEASE NOTE:  For the safety of clients and staff, LSEM offices are currently closed. I am working remotely for the foreseeable future. Phone calls and intakes are still being accepted, Thank you for your patience and understanding. IMPORTANT: This electronic communication may be subject to the attorney-client privilege and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, any distribution, copying, or disclosure is strictly prohibited. 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