LBA Sets a High Bar
Part of our mission at the Louisville Bar Association is to provide legal services to the community at large. To that end the LBA provides many pro bono services including the Call-A-Lawyer program which allows members of the public to speak anonymously with, and receive free legal guidance from, our member attorneys, and our Pro Bono Outreach Program which provides services to nonprofit organizations serving our community that do not otherwise have access to or cannot afford legal services. However, the LBA also encourages its members to take an active and positive role in the community, even if that role is non-legal in nature. As a result, each Section of the LBA is required to perform at least one public service project in the Louisville community each year.
As Chair and Vice-Chair of the LBA Real Estate Section respectively, Steph Horne and I are responsible for selecting the public service projects for 2010. While there are many worthy causes which deserve our support, our challenge is to select a project that will not only have a positive impact on the community but will also be meaningful to our membership and address those causes and issues which are important to our members.
Providing access to affordable housing for all segments of our community, especially the economically disadvantaged, and promoting environmentally responsible behavior and sustainability are issues of great importance to our membership. As a result, we are extremely excited to join YPAL’s Green Team in the construction of the first LEED Certified Habitat for Humanity house in the City of Louisville.
On Saturday June 26th our membership will come together to create something that would normally be unattainable for a low-income family in our community, a home of their own. That by itself is a worthwhile endeavor. But providing a new home AND promoting a greener community at the same time? Well let me just say that I cannot think of a public service project which would be more worthy of our time and support. I am confident that I speak for all of our members when I say, we can’t wait to get started.
By Erik Lattig, Vice President Real Estate, Louisville Bar Association
