From April 27 through 30, Alpine Legal Services (ALS), a nonprofit that provides legal assistance to those who may otherwise not be able to afford it, is hosting free educational sessions on a variety of topics. Law Week, or La Semana de Derecho, will offer both in-person and virtual presentations to community members in English and Spanish at Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs.
Executive Director Jennifer Wherry explained to The Sopris Sun that ALS’ capacity to provide legal aid is outweighed by the area’s demand.
The first annual Law Week is the result of the nonprofit working with 12 attorneys and four community partners who are all donating their time for the event. There will be free lunch and childcare provided for those who attend in-person sessions. Registration is required — so don’t delay!
“We’re hoping people will walk away with legal information that empowers them to uphold their rights or the rights of their friends and family,” Wherry stated. “Our entire community is stronger and safer when we have at least a basic understanding of the laws that impact our lives and uphold them.”
The sessions will cover employment, civil rights, immigration, housing and elder law. Convey Language Solutions will be helping with the Spanish interpretation during the presentations.
“We know there are a lot of people in our community whose first language is Spanish and we wanted to remove as many barriers as possible to accessing this important information,” Wherry relayed.
Claire Noone, from Noone Law Firm in Glenwood Springs, is one of the attorneys presenting at the Immigration Law session on Saturday, April 27. Noone, who speaks both languages, also noted the significance of Law Week being bilingual.
“The law is already a foreign language even in your native tongue,” said Noone. “Speaking to someone in their native language is an act of connection, humility and respect that engenders trust in the lawyer and the legal system.”
Noone will be presenting on Adjustment of Status — the legal process of adjusting an individual’s non-immigrant status. She described the process as tedious and costly, with some information only available in English.
“The legal system was not designed to only be accessed by lawyers,” continued Noone. “Language equity is an essential part of the pursuit of justice … Lady Justice may be blind, but she certainly is multilingual.”
Jennifer Smith, another bilingual and local attorney, will be presenting on updates to U.S. immigration policy. Smith hopes that attendees of her session will “gain a better understanding of the complicated nature of our immigration system,” which, she further detailed, “is very broken and needs updating.”
In addition to Law Week, ALS provides a free legal helpline Wednesday evenings from 5 to 7pm (also in English and Spanish). Noone is one of the volunteer attorneys who answers the hotline and said that being involved with such programs grants her the privilege and responsibility to seek justice when someone is wronged.
“Laws and regulations affect every aspect of every life, yet the access to legal knowledge is gatekept,” she stated. “People who don’t speak English, noncitizens or people without a thick financial cushion are more likely … not [to] receive the protection they are entitled to. For justice to be done, there must be equity in access to legal resources and knowledge in our community.”
IN A NUTSHELL
When: April 27-30
Where: Morgridge Commons, 815 Cooper Avenue, Glenwood Springs
Cost: Free
To register: Visit www.alpinelegalservices.org or call 970-945-8858.