AZFLSE Newsletter April 01, 2006 - Volume 1, No.4
Educators, Public Officials, & Community Leaders Join in Colloquy
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor,Ret. United States Supreme Court, and Chief Justice Ruth V. McGregor, Arizona Supreme Court, welcomed over a hundred guests to Join other Arizona Leaders for a Colloquy, "THE HISTORY, PURPOSE, AND FUTURE OFJUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE" on March 3rd at Pointe Squaw Peak Resort.Tour After Hurricane Katrina
Christina Urias, Director of the Arizona Department of Insurance and Foundation Board member, has offered to share a slideshow of pictures from her recent trip of the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Many Arizona attorneys volunteered their assistance to hundreds of families impacted by the storm. This slide show offers a frontline view of the shattered communities those helped once called home.Arizona High School Students Shine in Statewide Competition
On January 6, 2006, Arizona's top high school civics and government classrooms competed for a chance to represent Arizona in the 19th annual "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" competition, a highly prestigious academic competition in which students will act as experts testifying on constitutional issues in a simulated congressional hearing. This year, Dobson High School (Mesa) takes home the 1st place trophy and will get a chance to compete for the National title in Washington D.C. in April; 2nd Place goes to Hamilton High School - Chandler; 3rd Place goes to Marcos de Niza High School - Tempe; and, 4th Place goes to Mountain Ridge High School - Glendale.April is Access To Justice Month
Last year, 2005, Governor Janet Napolitano designated the month of April as “Access to Justice” month for Arizona. This proclamation was to encourage awareness of the need for an open door to the justice system for all and to honor the dedicated work of many who work tirelessly to promote equal access to the justice systems.The Foundation, too, wants to bring recognition to the outstanding work: In 2005, through the work of our grantees and with the efforts of many volunteers, over 18,000 families were provided with free legal services and over 300 schools were provided with law-related education. In addition, the lawforkids.org website was viewed over 5 million times each month.
While we send out our deep appreciation for all the efforts, we also need to build awareness that in that same year of 2005, over 6,000 families could not receive the legal services they requested and 75% of the schools did not have access to law-related education programs.
The need is great. April is Access to Justice Month: celebrate and renew your commitment remembering that when even one person is denied equal access to the justice system, the scales of justice are tipped for all.
Law Related Education Leadership Conference Held in Phoenix
The American Bar Association held their 24th Law Related Education Leadership Conference in Phoenix Arizona January 26-28, 2006. The conference attracted over 175 leaders in the field of Law Related Education including teachers, attorneys, judges and law school students.
The theme of the conference was "Separation of Powers: Principles and Conflicts."; Conference sessions examined the Constitutional principles and powers behind each of the three branches of the U.S. government, and the conflicts that arise as these branches work together for the common good.
