Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Summer 2020 - 13

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Special Times
Those early years of legal services were a special time. Sharon
says, "We had no idea how lucky we were to be working among
bright, open minds with such grand ambitions when we were
young. It never felt like work. Now that I have worked for the
school district, the county as guardian ad litem and the federal
government, I realize what a rare gift it was to start out with no
limitations on our dreams."
Pursuing those dreams had an impact across the
Commonwealth, as well as making waves nationally, but it really
accomplished a lot for the poor of Berks County. While not every
case on behalf of an individual was won, Lou believes "poor people
now finally had a voice and were able to push back to achieve a
measure of justice. Over the years, we represented thousands of
clients and that fact always gave me a sense of satisfaction."
Rick, Jim, Gene, Lou, Mark, Lee, Barbara, Herb, Sharon,
Sanford and George have left a legacy, one that established a
foundation upon which legal services survives today, despite more
limited resources and more restrictions on the practice. Lou's
conclusion to his 2012 article is worth repeating. "I would like
to recall a vignette which I believe captures the essence of legal
services...So it was one late winter afternoon when...a bunch of
us gathered informally in Sanford's office.

"During the course of our conversation we complained about
judges who didn't interpret the law exactly as we felt they should;
other attorneys who had the temerity to represent their clients
as zealously as we represented ours; bureaucrats who wouldn't
advocate for our clients as vigorously as we thought they should;
and, if you can believe it, landlords and merchants who believed
they had a right to make a profit.
"As we began to lose steam, Sanford, who had merely
listened, finally spoke up and, in a voice barely above a whisper,
said: 'You know, there are two things that will always be present
in this world-evil and poverty. There will always be disease,
homelessness and hunger, and there is nothing we can do to
eliminate it.' Sanford then hesitated a second before continuing:
'But it's wrong not to try.'"
Five decades later, the attorneys of MidPenn Legal Services,
the successor organization to CPLS, continue the work of trying
to make a difference in the lives of those living in poverty, thanks
to the vision of Uncle Gerry.
Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esquire, the Executive Director
Emeritus of the Berks County Bar Association, is a former
president of MidPenn Legal Services and a current
volunteer with them, representing tenants facing eviction.

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Summer 2020 | 13
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Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Summer 2020

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