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Lance Francis
October 2004
Lance is a second year
law student
who has been volunteering
with the
VLP since last spring.
At first, he
volunteered with the
Bankruptcy
Court Reaffirmation
Hearing Project
through the VLP
Advocates. Since
last summer, he has been
assisting
the VLP in bankruptcy
cases. When
asked why he participates so extensively, he
simply notes, "Public service is
important. VLP offers an
opportunity to contribute to the community in a direct
and
meaningful way."
The VLP is not Lance’s
first brush with public service. Originally from Ohio,
Lance
relocated to Berkeley, California to provide support and advocacy
for
refugees. He has built low-income housing in rural
Appalachia and has
performed fundraising and advocacy for homeless
families through the Family
Emergency Shelter Coalition. While
a senior systems engineer with the
Maricopa Community College
District, Lance managed to find time to volunteer
with the Western
Maricopa Consortium to develop a website that partnered
vocational
students with local employers.
Currently, Lance
interviews clients, reviews financial data, and prepares court
documents for pro se Chapter VII bankruptcy filings.
Director
Michele Mirto
comments: "Lance has made an enormous contribution to
the VLP. The staff
has come to rely upon him and clients truly enjoy
working with him. Frankly,
I'm not sure what the program would have
done without his help this past
summer. His dedication inspired us
all."
After graduation, Lance
hopes to continue to serve the public as an attorney in
the
government sector. He firmly believes that the VLP has
prepared him for
this venture, noting, "The VLP has provided me with
an opportunity to gain
practical legal experience, to interact
directly with clients, and to learn about
bankruptcy law."
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Past Outstanding Volunteer
Student Awards |
