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Letter
from the Executive Director
What is on my
mind this month is change - how you decide what treasures from the past
you will retain and what you discard; the past and future of our work,
social policies and litigation.
This is, at its most literal, what we are doing right now:
in preparation for our move, which is described below, we are sorting
through the documents that have accumulated here in the 23 years since
we took up our abode on South 9th Street. Michael Churchill has a
classic Tom Gilhool mark-up of a brief in one of our schools cases -
dense, brilliant scrawls that would create a masterpiece for those who
had the stamina. There is the original report on police abuse,
concluded in the 1970s; newspaper reports of Justice Brennan's
speech lauding the Law Center in the 1980s; dozens of files on fair
housing cases; hundreds of cases on behalf of children with disabilities
and litigation on behalf of communities overburdened with environmental
pollutants.
There are lessons that can be learned from these documents
(many of which will be available to the public through Temple
University's Urban archives). There is an intense focus on the
science; the best practices that are proven to achieve the changes we
seek. There is a lively, ongoing conversation between Law Center
lawyers and those whom we seek to influence-scholars, legislators,
community groups, organizations, individuals. There are issues
which today seem less pressing and issues that are as fresh today as
they were when we litigated them last.
We've also learned lessons through our recent celebration of our
founder, Ned Wolf, and his family. (Pictures and other details
are below.) In 1969, Ned started this great organization as a
fearless, passionate advocate of the poor and minorities in this
city. The speeches from that evening-including those of the
then-recent Stanford graduates who moved to Philadelphia to become the
Law Center's first Vista volunteers-reflect a time of great hope and
faith in the power of litigation as a tool for social change.
We are also thinking about change as we embark on a
strategic planning process, made possible by a generous grant from the
Philadelphia Foundation. This will be the first planning process
to systematically examine our work in a decade. We are proud of
our current work (a small sample is described below.) But we are
besieged daily with requests, many presenting fundamental issues;
and many more than we have the capacity to handle. Our goal is to
make sure that our case and issue selection proceeds with focus,
deliberation and quality and has the potential for maximum
impact.
We hope you will join and help us in this time of exciting
change. As part of the strategic planning process, we will
be reaching out to many of you, our clients, supporters, former
employees and friends to hear your views about your vision of the Law
Center. And be sure to visit us in our new space-details below on
plans for our office warming party!!
Jennifer R. Clarke
Executive Director
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THE
LAW CENTER IS MOVING - OCT. 31ST!
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After
more than two decades in our current office, the Law Center will move
to a new space in the United Way building at 17th and Benjamin Franklin
Parkway. We look forward to making our new home even more welcoming to
our clients and friends. Stay tuned for details about an office-warming
party! (Below, the view through our new entrance!)
OUR NEW
ADDRESS:
The Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Second Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
T: 215-627-7100
F: 215-627-3183
(our
phone/fax numbers and email addresses will not change)
Maps and directions
to our new office!
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The
Law Center Celebrates 40 Years with friends and festivities!
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On October 1st the Law Center celebrated its fortieth
anniversary with a festive day-long event featuring a symposium
confronting barriers to the workforce for persons with disabilities,
ex-offenders, minority construction workers, and others, followed by a
dinner honoring the family of Edwin. D. Wolf, the Law Center's founder
and first executive director, whose vision and commitment has sustained
the Law Center for four decades.
Thank you to the nearly 300 friends and supporters who
attended the event and helped to make our celebration a great success,
raising over $55,000 for the Law Center!
(Above, board members Don Joseph, Shelly Yanoff and Anna
Bryan enjoy the reception. Photo by Matt Cianfrani)
More photos and event
details.....
Thank you to our
Sponsors!
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Two
Law Center Publications on Education Named Finalists in 2009
National Best Book Awards
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 We are pleased to announce that "Education in the 50
States: A Deskbook of the History of State Constitutions and Laws About
Education," produced by Law Center staff and interns and published
by by The Institute for Educational Equity and Opportunity (IFEEO), has
been recognized as an outstanding candidate in the "History:
United States" category for this distinguished book award.
Also, "A Quality Education for Every Child: Stories from the
Lawyers on the Front Lines" has been named a Finalist in the
"Education/Academic" category. Attorney Michael Churchill
contributed two chapters to this book.
Learn more about the
book, read an excerpt or order a copy!
Read the IFEEO's
press release announcing the awards
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Law
Center fights for fair housing for victims of domestic abuse
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October
2009 - The Law Center has filed a case alleging housing discrimination
against a victim of domestic violence. Ms. J (name hidden to
protect her identity) and her children fled her abuser, and sought help
from the Women's Center of Montgomery County, which advised her to take
refuge in a nearby hotel. After four days at the hotel, Ms. J was
denied a room by a hotel manager who claimed all rooms were
unavailable, even though a later test showed that rooms were available.
The Law Center is representing Ms. J and the Fair Housing Rights
Center, alleging discrimination on the basis of Ms. J's gender.
"Under the Fair Housing Act, a hotel or motel that rents by the
week is considered a housing provider," Elizabeth S. Stamm,
Housing Right Center's directer of enforcement. That law is
enforced by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and prohibits
discrimination of all kinds, including gender discrimination.
Sandra Wang, a full time volunteer attorney for the Law Center who is
handling the case said,"This has been so difficult and
heart-wrenching for Ms. J. It almost shows why women don't leave their
abusers."
"No shelter for
family in need" Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/23/09
More on our Fair
Housing Project
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Neighbors
reach settlement on Sugarhouse Casino sewage and stormwater plans
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(The SugarHouse Casino site. Photo by Brad Maule,
courtesy of planphilly.com)
The Law Center's clients, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network
and Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association have reached a
settlement agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection in their challenge to the sewage and stormwater permits
issued to the Sugarhouse Casino. The DEP had approved a permit that
would allow Sugarhouse to discharge its sewage into neighboring sewage
systems, threatening to worsen street and basement flooding problems in
the Delaware River and Northern Liberties neighborhoods.
During the litigation the Casino developer, HSP Gaming, redesigned the
facility to "pull it out of the River and back from the River's
edge, decreasing the scope of the project and projected sewage
flows." In the settlement HSP Gaming agreed to provide public
notification regarding sewage plans and casino construction, administer
public informational meetings, publicize inspection reports and allow
community members an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns.
The Law Center's Adam Cutler, who
represented the NLNA and Herbert Shallcross, said the settlement was
"a step in the right direction for open and responsive government,
and an opportunity for a renewed focus on smart wastewater and
stormwater management in Philadelphia."
Coverage of the
settlement on PlanPhilly.com
More on our
Environmental Health and Justice Project
Follow the EJ Project
on Twitter
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Independence
Foundation challenges Law Center friends to double the impact of your
support!
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The
Law Center is pleased to announce that the Independence Foundation has
once again challenged our new and long-time supporters to increase
their impact!
If you are:
A
new Law Center supporter making your first gift
OR
A
previous donor making an increased gift
your contribution will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the
foundation!
Make your gift today!
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Spread the word
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Click on the button above to add email addresses and forward
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Visit the Law Center's Website for more on our work:
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