February 19, 2018
Injured in a car wreck? Curious about Social Security disability benefits? Dealing with landlord/tenant issues? Interested in changes to immigration law and policy?
During the 24th Annual People’s Law School at St. Mary’s University on Saturday, Feb. 24, local attorneys will provide free education about common legal topics.
The joint project of the San Antonio Bar Foundation and the St. Mary’s University School of Law’s Pro Bono Program will be held at the law school’s Law Classrooms Building. The doors for the event open at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Classes begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 1 p.m.
Greg Zlotnick, J.D., Pro Bono Program Supervisor for the St. Mary’s University School of Law, said he looks forward to the impact People’s Law School will have – not just on attendees, but also on the law students organizing the event.
“A lawyer’s service to the community can take many forms,” Zlotnick said. “Our law student volunteers will see attorneys share their expertise with individuals who may not otherwise have access to a lawyer. Our hope is that our law students remember this spirit of service and incorporate it into their own practices after graduation.”
Legal topics
Local attorneys will share their experiences during 45-minute sessions on a variety of topics, including:
- Wills
- Divorce
- Planning for nursing home or in-home care
- Protecting yourself against identity theft
- Guardianships
- Social Security and SSI disability benefits
- Immigration policy changes
- Landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities
- Bankruptcy and foreclosure
- Auto accident recovery
After each session, attendees can ask questions and speak with the presenters.
Attorney Steven Medina, who will teach the class “Wills and Powers of Attorneys,” said that the documents provided during this course are useful to individuals now, before “they are too sick or otherwise incapacitated.”
He adds that too many people request wills and powers of attorney after it’s too late and “their parent or spouse has been diagnosed with dementia or have already been determined to be mentally incapacitated and they are left with limited, expensive options.”
“These documents are relatively simple to understand and complete,” Medina said. “Living life thinking, ‘I will get around to doing it later,’ just never comes.”