SIDESBAR WINTER 2021 - 19

MONTGOMERYBAR.ORG

By identifying a client's potential civil legal issues earlier
in the criminal case with the public defender's office, LASP
can address civil matters proactively while working within the
guidelines provided through Legal Services Corp., LASP's major
federal funder. " The goal is a more holistic defense, " she said.
" Legal Aid offers free civil legal assistance to eligible clients, but
we are not always connecting with clients in this population
when they need help. "

With over 30 years of experience,
The Fleischmann Law Firm offers an
objective and fair assessment, weighing
all circumstances and options for solid
recommendations to move forward.
The Firm focuses on working in
conjunction with clients to minimize
any risk or liability while providing
superior representation.

Two of the model programs, The Bronx Defenders and the
Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, Civil
Legal Services Division, embed civil legal aid within the public
defender's office.
To meet COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, Austin
instead will hold virtual weekly office hours to discuss civil
legal issues with public defenders' clients. She also plans
separate, virtual meetings with attorneys in the Office of Public
Defender, to discuss the civil collateral consequences that
clients can face upon conviction, or even before that stage.
" For example, a person living in public housing or receiving a
Section 8 voucher to help pay rent can face an eviction action
or termination of voucher assistance because of certain 'criminal
activity,' with such actions being possible before or without an
actual conviction, " she noted, adding, " Conviction of certain
offenses can lead to no longer being eligible to adopt or act as
a foster parent, or receive financial aid for college, and more.
The goal is to help clients avoid the imposition of collateral
consequences or remove them. "

Always operating on high standards of integrity, costeffectiveness and value, Firm clients are educated on
the entire process from beginning to end, having the
transparency a good attorney-client relationship demands.
Practice Areas: Business representation, Commercial Debt
Collection and Commercial Litigation,
Construction Law, Estate Planning and Administration,
Elder Law and Orphans Court matters.
(215-234-3344) * craig@fleischmannlawfirm.com
www. fleischmannlawfirm.com
P.O. Box 798, 3900 Skippack Pike, Suite A8, Skippack, PA 19474

For more information about the partnership, contact Carol
Sweeney (610-278-3308) or Greg Nester (610-278-3318) at
the Montgomery County Public Defender's Office, or Lily
Austin at LASP (laustin@lasp.org).
The Independence Foundation Public Interest Law
Fellowship Program supports free direct legal representation
for disadvantaged residents of the Philadelphia region. More
information on the fellowship is at: https://bit.ly/37ow89o.
Additional resources
*

The Collateral Consequences Resource Center's
Restoration of Rights Project outlines Pennsylvania law
and summarizes some of the collateral consequences people
face: https://bit.ly/3nPZ2FZ.

Pennsylvania Juvenile Collateral Consequences
Checklist: https://bit.ly/39ewfXl.

National Conference of State Legislatures: https://bit.
ly/39eR458.

The Crime Report: " How the 'Collateral Consequences'
of Conviction Can Last a Lifetime " by Cynthia A.
Golembeski | June 23, 2020: https://bit.ly/33hdfnr

National Inventory of Collateral Consequences
of Conviction (online database of 40,000-plus
collateral consequences in the U.S.): https://niccc.
nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/

Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center:
https://csgjusticecenter.org/

Joseph W.
Fluehr

Michael J.
Torchia

Michael B.
Dubin

Alexis Dillett
Isztwan

Frank P.
Spada, Jr.

Stephen C.
Goldblum

Our Employment Group

Our firm provides comprehensive employment counseling for our
business clients. Our attorneys routinely appear in state and federal
courts and in arbitrations on employment and labor related matters.
Contact us to assist you or your clients.
Hiring and Background Checks
Termination
Severance
Discipline
Drug testing
Job references
Paid time off
Exempt and Non-Exempt
Employees
Independent Contractor/
Employee Classification

Workplace violence
Defense against Discrimination
and Sexual Harassment Suits
Defense against Wage and Hour,
Overtime and Minimum Wage
Claims
Defense against investigations by
State and Federal Agencies
Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Managerial Responsibility
and Sensitivity Training
Mediations

Enforcing Non-Compete,
Non-Solicitation and
Confidentiality Provisions
Employee Handbooks
and Policies
Employment Agreements
Private Seminars for Clients on
Employment law topics
Separation and Severance
Agreements
Workplace Investigations
Montgomery County Office:
2617 Huntingdon Pike
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Bucks County Office:
140 East Butler Avenue
Chalfont, PA 18914

215.887.0200

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WINTER 2021 19

http://www.fleischmannlawfirm.com https://www.bit.ly/37ow89o https://www.bit.ly/3nPZ2FZ https://www.bit.ly/39ewfXl https://bit https://www.bit.ly/33hdfnr http://www.nlccc.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/ https://www.csgjusticecenter.org/ http://www.sogtlaw.com

SIDESBAR WINTER 2021

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