Finnegan attorneys Justin Hendrix and Morgan Smith are making an impact in Palo Alto. In an interview with the Daily Journal, they discuss the firm's pro bono partnership with Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto and how they are helping tenants who are facing eviction.
Justin and Morgan co-lead the firm's efforts with Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto. The organization pairs pro bono attorneys with pro se tenants for representation during settlement negotiation conferences, which are mandatory in San Mateo County before an eviction case goes to trial. After hearing their clients' side of the story, the attorneys predict defense arguments that could be raised at trial and then use them as leverage in the negotiations to try and reach a favorable settlement for the tenant.
Morgan said, "Housing is just such an important part of someone's life. It that piece isn't working, it's really hard for the rest of it to work. Being a part of helping people to either transition out of a situation that they're in or make it really as soft a landing as possible is really rewarding."
The experience is beneficial, especially for young associate who do not often get in-court experience in front of a judge. Justin said, "When we're doing pro bono work, it gives them the chance to get on their feet before a judge and just get the experience and get comfortable with it. The more times you do it, the more natural it becomes." Justin and Morgan also enjoy the fact that the work is very different from their work as intellectual property attorneys. It draws on different skills and has an emotional component that is not found in IP law. "You get to see gratitude. It looks a lot different physically than it does in a thank you email," Morgan said.
They hope to continue to grow the program in the firm's Palo Alto office and expand the partnership with Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto.
