October 25, 2024
GEORGETOWN LAW STUDENTS VISIT WITH MCR CO-CEO SHAMYLE DOBBS AND DIRECTOR OF LEGAL PROGRAM MAUREEN KRASNER DURING THEIR SPRING BREAK IN DETROIT IN MARCH 2024
One of the objectives of MCR's legal programs is to help attorneys understand the impact their pro bono service can have in increasing access to justice among community-based organizations. This extends especially to young lawyers and law students.
MCR has the privilege of hosting law students from Georgetown University in their Spring Break in Detroit Program through the Detroit Legal Alliance, a partnership of Georgetown Law and Detroit nonprofits.
In 2024, we hosted four Georgetown students. Student Lindsay Keiser wrote the following reflection based on her time with MCR.
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WRITTEN BY LINDSAY KEISER, GEORGETOWN LAW SCHOOL
Community, compassion, and counsel: these three words defined my experience at Michigan Community Resources this spring. My time at MCR offered incredible opportunities to connect with changemakers in the greater Detroit area who are serving their own communities through nonprofit advocacy work, particularly in housing, childcare, and vocational training. It was so inspiring to witness MCR bridge the legal assistance gap between nonprofits and competent, engaged attorneys who are passionate about pro bono legal work.
I spent most of the week creating guides for nonprofits to consult when deciding how best to approach election season and lobbying. Although both federal and state regulations surrounding nonprofit electioneering activities are strict, I learned that there are multiple ways nonprofits can get involved during election season. From get-out-the-vote activities and hosting forums for candidates to debate, to providing technical issue-area assistance to elected officials, nonprofits have a wide variety of permitted electoral and political activities.
GEORGETOWN LAW STUDENTS MEET WITH EASTSIDE DETROIT LEADER TAMMY BLACK AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER AT AB FORD IN MARCH 2024
I witnessed the benefit of my legal research firsthand when I was able to connect with nonprofit leaders and share this key electioneering research. Our team listened to stories of community engagement from leaders across Detroit, including Community Treehouse in southeast, Congress of Communities in southwest, and 360Detroit in northwest Detroit. These experiences inspired me as they demonstrated the grassroots work Detroiters are doing to uplift their neighbors.
Above all, what I learned from MCR is that pro bono legal work with Detroit nonprofits doesn't need to be complicated or daunting. Assisting nonprofits with reviewing foundational legal documents— including articles of incorporation, IRS tax records, and other early contracts for employment and property—can be done in a short time, and it saves nonprofits from days of headaches down the road. This proactive approach to counseling nonprofit leaders means that these organizations can hit the ground running in their advocacy and keep their focus on the work toward their missions.
As law students and future attorneys, we are often reminded of the disparities and injustices historically generated by our legal system. MCR creates opportunities for attorneys to fight against those injustices by using their power of counsel for good, providing these grassroots organizations with legal tools to which they would otherwise lack access.
For attorneys who value community development, support organizations who are working to break down barriers to vocational training, childcare, affordable housing, and other resources for Detroiters, MCR is the premier organization to get involved with.
It was a pleasure doing pro bono legal work with the MCR team over my 1L spring break, and I can’t wait to come back next year!
PICTURED ABOVE: GEORGETOWN LAW STUDENTS TOUR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES OF 360 DETROIT, INC. WITH MCR BOARD MEMBER GEORGE ADAMS
Lindsay Keiser is a 1L at Georgetown University Law Center interested in state and local transactional tax law. Lindsay received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan, after which she worked at the Walt Disney Company as an attractions hostess. At Georgetown Law, she is co-Vice President of the Detroit Legal Alliance and a member of Teach-In, sharing legal lessons with high school students in Washington, D.C.
