preLaw Magazine - Fall 2008 - (Page 18) The calm after the storm Drake students, among others, continue to clean up the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina by providing legal services and support BY DAVE THOMAS any students view spring break as a time to hit the beach, work on their tans and stay up until the wee hours. Then there are some other M students who take up a good cause. Although the deadliest storm in U.S. history — Hurricane Katrina — struck almost three summers ago, the impact continues to this day. Drake University Law School students, along with those from a number of other schools, have lent a helping hand in New Orleans trying to make life a little better for people still in a recovery mode. The trip was part of a mission by The Pro Bono Project. The goal was to match private bar attorneys with civil legal cases for those too poor to afford legal services. “We heard a number of compelling stories,” said Adam Gregg, a third-year Drake law student. Of the many heartbreaking stories, one included a man left homeless, like many others. “He was denied Social Security disability benefits,” Gregg said. “He’s never had legal representation regarding the benefits, and we prepared his appeal. Complicating the matter is the fact that many of his medical records were destroyed by the flood, following the hurricane.” The need for legal services for the poor and indigent more than doubled in New Orleans following the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That’s where the Pro Bono Project stepped in to recruit the volunteer services of law students and private bar attorneys. Making a difference Students from Drake, Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law, Villanova University School of Law, Indiana University School of Law, UDC David A. Clark School of Law, Howard University School of Law, Temple Law School and Saint Louis University School of Law, as well as from the Student Hurricane Network, spent spring break in New Orleans working with The Project. DRAKE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL students spent their spring break providing legal service to Hurricane Katrina victims. 18 preLaw
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