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| Mae Creadick |
Did you know that
when you choose The Hart Law Group, you are helping to support area nonprofits
and needy community members? Since I
began work at the Hart Law Group on May 1, 2013, I’ve observed how our
dedicated staff is giving back to our community.
We aspire to live
up to the words of the great late Nelson Mandela:
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
This
year, after leaving fourteen years of legal aid law practice, I feared that I
would lose sight of my passion for community service. Being an effective legal aid lawyer was as
much a part of my identity as being a good mom, wife and daughter. But luckily, I landed at The Hart Law Group.
What has Hart Law
done to help our neighbors this year, you might say? I give you exhibit A: within the first 26 days of joining the Hart
Law Group, our esteemed leader Mary Hart approved my acceptance of two cases
from the Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyer (MAVL) program of Pisgah Legal Services
(PLS). See www.pisgahlegal.org. Both cases involved complicated time-consuming
litigation on behalf of tenants whose landlords breached the implied warranty
of habitability by refusing to make essential repairs to their apartments,
causing the tenants to become very sick.
After filing Complaints on behalf of these tenants, the landlord’s
counsel requested a jury trial. Here we
go! It is important to note here that I
am just one of hundreds of MAVL attorneys in the PLS service area who donate
their time to help PLS’s clients with their most basic needs for safety, housing
and essential services. Observing the
generosity of these MAVL attorneys over my years at PLS was truly awe
inspiring.
We also have exhibit
B (complete with photographic evidence).
In August 2013, Hart Law sponsored an art auction wine-tasting
fundraiser for Pisgah Legal Services following Pisgah’s loss of vital funding
to serve victims of domestic violence.
We co-sponsored this event with the wonderful guys
at Appalachian Vintner. Check them out
at www.appalachianvintner.com.
Everyone at the Hart Law Group pitched in art, food or funds
to help support this fundraiser. By now,
I’m thinking “HOW did I score this AWESOME job?!” Shortly after the PLS event, our firm decided
to host a law conference to assist another area nonprofit, the Campaign for
Southern Equality (www.southernequality.org).
Visit www.lgbtinthesouth.com to learn more
about this event, titled LGBT in the South: Advocacy Within and Beyond the Law.
Lastly I give you exhibit C:
the staff of the Hart Law Group. As
I now enter my 8th month as the civil litigation attorney at Hart Law,
I’ve observed my co-workers regularly accepting pro bono cases. Attorneys Joanne Dykes and Mary Hart help
MAVL clients with essential end-of-life planning documents and resolve disputes
arising out of probate. Real estate attorney Margaret Toms works with MAVL
clients on real estate disputes or real estate documents that protect their
rights. The Hart Law support staff is
involved in events supporting area nonprofits or those who are less fortunate. As I write this, I know staff is gathering
food and toys for families to adopt for the holidays.
Why is this so
important, you may ask? Because a strong
pro bono culture at the Hart Law Group makes us better advocates for our clients. Our social responsibility makes us an
integral part of our community. Regular
community service work strengthens our morale, and enhances our firm’s
reputation both in the general public and the legal community. In addition, a strong public interest law
firm is enticing to lawyers with integrity and a strong sense of justice:
essential traits in a good attorney.
I feel fortunate
to have found a private law firm that supports the value of pro bono work and supports
lawyers who strive to “live in a way that respects and enhances the freedoms of
others.” For more information about The
Hart Law Group, visit our website at www.thehartlawgroup.com and “like” us on Facebook.
M. Mae Creadick
