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@eppink
November 30th, 2010
Today we’re tweeting with legal aid lawyer, justice architect and friend to the poor and oppressed @eppink
This is the funnest thing I’ve done today (I hope). What do I do first?
- @Eppink, thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Tell us: who is @Eppink?
I’m about home, family, hard times, whiskey, salvation, rebellion, patriotism, tragedy, rowdiness, heartbreak &love. &Mother. & God.
And my opinions throughout the day are prob not those of my employer. Just to be clear.
– - Understood. Tell us about your law practice.
I’m a legal aid lawyer, providing civil legal services to disadvantaged families who can’t really access them any other way.
– - Can you talk a bit more about your clients? Who are they? What types of problems are they facing?
Low-income families (<$2300/mo fam of 4) in crisis- e.g., abt to be homeless, escaping violent abuse, losing access to meds.
– - You wrote that 80% of the poor seeking legal aid are turned away. How do you decide which cases to take on?
We set formal priorities w/ client and board input. & then each case is assessed for merit and potential impact. It’s tough.
– - What happens to the ones you can’t help? Do they have other options?
Great q’n. Pro bono or self-help is about it. The latter is very hard for those w/ little education and under v high stress.
– - Can you tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had?
I have some bad faith foreclosure cases rt now w/ major legal import. Most signif to me tho are the dozens who’ve cried in gratitude
– - That must be extremely satisfying. What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
We look together at all that’s going on & try to minimize stressors, so they can make good decisions while in a tough spot.
– - What’s the most active area of your practice at the current time? Is that typical?
It’s all off the charts. Job loss, budget cuts, & record income disparity are leaving all kinds in our lobby. I hope it’s atypical.
– - Me too. You’ve called yourself an “emergency room lawyer.” What does that mean?
To be effective at this work, you can only triage, treat, and move on. & some DV clients literally arrive at my desk bloody.
– - What’s the hardest part about being a legal aid lawyer?
Limited resources. No $$ usually for depos, fancy trial prep, etc. It’s like trying to fix a transmission w/ a hammer & some twine.
– - So what can be done to improve the current state of legal aid in this country? Is money the biggest obstacle? The only one?
Besides $$, reduce the cost & complexity of common legal experiences (divorce, bankruptcy). & require the bar to serve all.
– - You’ve said that you were homeless before starting law school. How did you get from there to here? What did it teach you?
W/ lots of help from friends, family, & mentors. It’s taught me the honesty, humility, and common sense that too many lawyers need.
– - How do you describe what you do to people you meet at a cocktail party?
I design justice. Then build it with sweat, beer, and carefully chosen words. And then defend it from its enemies.
– - That’s fantastic! What led you to become active on Twitter? Has it been a worthwhile endeavor?
I joined @twitter with the surge at start of @sxsw 2007. It motivates me to keep track of caselaw & legislation, mainly.
– - Are you active in other Web 2.0 / social media channels? Which ones?
Not really. Can’t stomach @facebook, decided @foursquare wasn’t helping much, but do keep up w/ @linkedin. I mean to keep it simple.
– - What is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
The profession handles the #accesstojustice problem like an alcoholic in denial. We’re a public utility leaving millions in the cold
– - What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
In the USA, we live in Rome. If we don’t check our decadence, it will look ever more embarrassing for the bench and bar.
– - What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
Easiest one yet! The same thing: “leave something of sweetness and substance in the mouth of the world,” however I could.
– - How do you want to be remembered? (And no fair giving the same answer as the last question….)
How abt another quote? What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
– - What do you do when you’re not working?
Grow & handcraft vege food, hunt out sublime nooks of NW wilderness, bike around cars in DT Boise. And most of all, share.
– - What advice can you pass along to lawyers currently under- or unemployed due to the economic crisis?
1 Network to build trust & respect. 2 Soak in CLE whenever possible. 3 Be vigilant to avoid emotional and career dead ends.
– - And finally, what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
If yr going b/c you want to help people, then think about other ways before you commit. If yr going for more $$, don’t.
Great advice. Thank you so much for answering our questions today. It was a pleasure getting to know you and your practice
This was an unmitigated blast! Thanks ever so much for the opportunity.
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