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The legal profession is an honorable profession. The
United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights set forth
the law that provides for orderly and civilized conduct in our
society. Lawyers perform a myriad of functions in government
service and private practice. They use their legal training
to serve as judges, legislators, educators, consultants, advocates,
mediators, arbitrators, administrators, and board members.
The legal profession sets high ethical
standards to ensure the integrity of lawyers. Attorneys
are bound by a code of conduct called the Virginia Code of Professional
Responsibility that sets the strict guidelines under which a
lawyer is to practice. In Virginia, it is the Virginia State
Bar that enforces the Code of Professional Responsibility. The
VSB is the only agency authorized to license and discipline
attorney conduct in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The legal profession establishes rigorous
training and licensing standards to ensure the quality of legal
services provided by members of the profession. After years
of legal study, attorneys must pass a two- day bar exam that
extensively tests his/her knowledge of Virginia and federal
law before being licensed to practice law in Virginia. Once
licensed, a lawyer's education continues in order to maintain
a license to practice law. Annual continuing legal education
is required in Virginia.
The client-attorney relationship is afforded
special protection under law. Generally, client confidences
revealed to his/her attorney are confidential. An attorney cannot
generally be called to testify against his/her own client, similar
to the legally protected relationship between a patient and
his/her doctor or members of the clergy.
Payment guidelines for legal services vary
by region. An attorney can require payment by the hour, or for
a set fee, or for a contingency fee for the services they provide.
A "contingent fee" provides for an attorney's fee
to be determined by a percentage of the money recovered by the
attorney for the client's claim.
If you cannot afford
an attorney, and face criminal charges that may result in incarceration
(jail time), an attorney may be appointed for you. Court
appointed counsel are licensed attorneys who are bound by the
same standards of conduct and professionalism that all licensed
attorneys are governed by in Virginia. All court appointed attorneys
in the Thirty-first Judicial Circuit also maintain a private
law practice where clients retain them for their services.
The Prince William County Bar Association,
Inc. (PWCBA) provides a variety of pro bono services
to residents living in Prince William County, the City of Manassas,
and the City of Manassas Park. These services are provided through
established community outreach agencies such as ACTS/Turning
Points, (Action in the Community through Service), a domestic
violence shelter; Legal Services of Northern Virginia; and the
B.A.R.N., (Benedictine Aid and Relief for Neighbors), a transitional
housing facility for homeless women and their children. By working
through these agencies, the PWCBA is able to utilize their well
established screening protocols to determine client eligibility.
This enables the attorneys to focus on what they do best, which
is practice law. Approximately 25% to 30% of the membership
of the PWCBA is involved in pro bono programs, and an
even greater number provide community service through other
programs not mentioned here, all to the benefit of the local
community.
ACTS/Turning Points: PWCBA
members provide pro bono services to clients seeking
temporary restraining orders. This program is initiated in conjunction
with the court services intake office. At the time an individual
files a petition for a restraining order, a Turning Points representative
meets with them and, if necessary, attempts to locate an attorney
from a list of about 50 volunteers. Attorneys often go beyond
the initial obligation, assisting with appeals, visitation arrangements
and related issues. To volunteer, contact ACTS/Turning Points
at 703 792-4782.
Legal Services of Northern Virginia:
PWCBA members provide pro
bono services to clients seeking uncontested divorces. Potential
clients should contact Legal Services at 703 368-5711 to be
screened for eligibility. If eligible, volunteers will assist
the clients in completing the necessary forms and an attorney
will provide legal representation in court or during the commissioner's
hearing. Not only are the attorneys providing pro bono
services through this program, but over 20 local Commissioners
in Chancery have agreed to volunteer their services as well.
Training is provided annually through a free CLE in exchange
for a volunteer commitment. Additional volunteer attorneys to
represent clients are needed. If interested, contact the chairman
of the PWCBA's Pro bono Committee which can be found
on the current leadership roster.
To learn more about Legal Services, visit their Web site at
www.legalaidhelp.org.
B.A.R.N.: PWCBA
members volunteer to teach legal clinics at the B.A.R.N. Transitional
housing facility, providing advice on a variety of legal topics
to benefit current residents. The PWCBA hopes to expand its
services to the area's homeless as time and resources permit.
To volunteer to teach a legal clinic, contact the chairman of
the PWCBA's ProBono Committee, which can be found on the current
leadership roster. To learn
more about the B.A.R.N. Transitional Housing Shelter, visit
their web site at www.barninc.org.
Beat the Odds ® Banquet and Awards
Ceremony: June 2007
The Prince
William County Bar Association, Inc., sponsored the first annual
Beat the Odds ® banquet and awards ceremony on April 30,
2003. The BTO program is modeled on the Children's Defense Fund's
national program, and seeks to recognize area youth who have
been involved with the Prince William County juvenile justice
system, and have achieved educational and social progress in
spite of tremendous odds against them. The local BTO program
was first sponsored by the J & DR District Courts, then
by the Prince William County Bar Foundation and now finds a
permanent organizational home with the Bar Association. . In
2007, the PWCBA, with financial support from the Bar Foundation,
awarded $325,000.00 in scholarships and educational grants to
deserving youth, affirming their achievements in the face of
adversity, and hopefully, encouraging other youth in similar
circumstances to strive to succeed.
"So You're
18": May 2007, Law Day Event
The PWCBA is the only
local bar association in the state of Virginia to purchase and
distribute copies of the "So You're 18" handbook for
every high school senior enrolled in local public schools. The
funding for this project comes from the PWC Bar Foundation.
This informative booklet, developed by the VSB, presents a variety
of legal rights and responsibilities that change when a young
person turns 18. The PWCBA also offered the schools the option
of live presentations in tandem with the booklet distribution.
In 2007, (the 9th year for this project), 5,000 booklets were
distributed, and several local high schools invited PWCBA members
to give class presentations, involving approximately 30 members.
By providing legal resources to the schools, the PWCBA hopes
to make model citizens of the area's maturing youth.
The Senior Citizen Handbook: May 2007,
Law Day event
The Prince William County Bar Association
distributed copies of the Senior Citizens Handbook, to interested
persons, through the Prince William County Area Agency on Aging.
The Senior Citizens Handbook presents information on issues
and concerns of interest to adults, 55 and over, including financial
assistance, health care, long term care, planning for the future
and protection of legal rights. Members from the PWC Bar made
brief presentations of some of the topics covered in the Handbook
during seminars held at the Manassas and Woodbridge Senior Citizen's
Centers. Each seminar ended with a question and answer session.
The Handbooks were provided free of charge, compliments of the
Virginia State Bar, while supplies last.
The Senior Citizens Handbook was developed
by the Senior Lawyers Conference and the Young Lawyers Conference
of the Virginia State Bar. The distribution of this helpful
guide is a statewide priority of the Virginia State Bar, and
is embraced by the Honorable Leroy R. Hassell Sr., Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Character Counts! Essay Contest, November
2006
The Prince William County Bar Association
sponsors an essay contest open to all students enrolled in area
middle schools, which encourages students to focus on the positive
character attributes that form the six pillars of character,
the foundation of the nationally recognized Character Counts!
Program. Those pillars are Trustworthiness, Respect Responsibility,
Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. Students are asked to select
one of the pillars of character and to write an essay telling,
"What it means to you." More than 800 essays were
received from 12 schools during the 2006 contest. Members of
the bar volunteered to judge the essays, and the winners, one
winner per pillar received commemorative medallions from the
Bar Association, $100.00 cash prizes from the Bar Foundation,
and lots of gift certificates, movies passes, etc., donated
by area merchants. Runners-up received a $50.00 cash prize from
the Bar. The Bar Association considers this an age appropriate
ethics program for middle school youth and members look forward
to reading these essays every year. This is the sixth year for
this program.
Candidates Forum:
October 2005
In an effort to encourage
greater voter participation in the general election, the PWCBA
sponsored a Candidates Forum in October 2005, (the fourth year
for this project). The forum was open to all individuals running
in contested races for seats in the Virginia Senate and House
of Delegates. A three-member panel prepared questions for the
candidates on a variety of issues of interest to constituents.
Those attending the forum were also given the opportunity to
submit questions for the candidates. A brief "meet and
greet" followed the forum and the event was received broadcasr
media coverage on News Chanel 8, as well as print media coverage
inthe local press. This event places lawyers and lawmakers together
in a congenial setting for the purpose of heightening community
awareness of the election process, and is open to the public.
Working with a Lawyer public education
brochure: Begun February of 2005
The Prince William County Bar Association,
Inc. (PWCBA) has developed and produced a public education brochure
which addresses frequently asked questions about hiring and
working with a lawyer. The brochure addresses when to hire a
lawyer, where to find a lawyer, how lawyers charge, what to
do if you can't afford a lawyer, and most importantly, how to
work with a lawyer. It is available through the PWCBA office,
through the courts and clerks offices and through public service
offices through out the Thirty-First Judicial Circuit. Plans
are currently underway to translate this brochure into Spanish.
This project is funded via grants from the PWC Bar Foundation.
Guardian ad litem for Children public
education brochure: Begun April of 2004
Nearly one third of the members of the Prince
William County Bar Association, Inc., (PWCBA), practice family
law. Many of these attorneys find themselves opposing pro
se litigants in the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District
Courts, (J&DR), in hostile situations, where the court has
appointed a guardian ad litem for a child or children.
Recognizing that the general public does not fully understand
the role of the GAL for a child, the Family Law Committee of
the PWCBA developed an educational brochure to be distributed
to both parties through the J&DR District Courts in the
Thirty-First Judicial Circuit, when a guardian ad litem
for a child is appointed. The purpose of the brochure is to
explain the role of the GAL and what can be expected. The information
presented is helpful to all litigants, and is presented under
the following subheadings:
Who is a Guardian ad litem? What does
a Guardian ad litem do? How can you help the Guardian ad litem?
How does a Guardian ad litem get paid?
Court Appointed Attorney public education
brochure: Begun December of 2001
The Prince William County Bar Association,
Inc. (PWCBA) has developed and produced a public education brochure
given to clients receiving court appointed council. The brochure,
"You and Your Court Appointed Attorney", is the first
of its kind, and seeks to dispel many of the common myths about
court appointed council and to provide a general guide for working
with an attorney. This brochure, printed in English and Spanish,
is distributed through all three courts, at the time such appointments
are made. This piece is a collaborative effort between the PWCBA,
Court Appointed Attorneys, and the Judiciary in the Thirty-first
Judicial Circuit. This project received funding, in part, by
grants from the Prince William County Bar Foundation and the
Virginia Law Foundation. Approximately 10,000 copies are printed
and distributed annually.
To contact the PWCBA's Lawyer Referral Service,
or to use the Bar's Lawyer Locator Service, find a list of attorneys
by practice area.
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