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Elder Law Prof Blog
Katherine C. Pearson, Editor, and a Member of the Law Professor Blogs Network on LexBlog.com

Center for Elder Rights Advocacy to partner with AoA’s National Legal Resource Center

By Elder Law Prof Blog

TheCenter for Elder Rights Advocacy (CERA) is proud to announce that itwill be the partner in the the Administration on Aging’s National LegalResource Center that provides technical assistance to senior legalhelplines throughout the nation. 

After years of personalexperience, the staff of CERA believe that senior legal helplines arean effective, low-cost mechanism to serve the senior populationsthroughout the nation.  We also believe that helplines are mosteffective when they are an integrated part of the legal and agingservices delivery systems.  It is CERA’s goal to support and promoteefforts to further these beliefs through the collaborative efforts ofthe National Legal Resource Center.

The CERA staff have manyyears of experience in all aspects of setting up and running a seniorlegal helpline.  While many of you may already know us, here is a briefintroduction of who we are:

ShoshannaShoshanna Ehrlich,Program Specialist.  I have been involved in elder law and legalhotline/legal service delivery for almost two decades: as SupervisingAttorney at a statewide Senior Legal Hotline in Florida and for thepast 12 years, as the head of the Legal Hotline Technical SupportProject at AARP Foundation. As part of the Technical Support Project, Ideveloped a website devoted to legal hotlines, moderated egroups forhotline managers and legal assistance developers, developed workshopson legal delivery topics, and provided individual consultation and sitevisits to legal hotline developers. The work of that project now restswith CERA, and I am delighted to be participate in this exciting newprogram.

David GodfreyDavid Godfrey,Program Specialist.  As the Managing Attorney at Access to JusticeFoundation in Kentucky, I am responsible for the development andoperation of the Legal HelpLine for Older Kentuckians andimplementation of a model approaches to legal service development workplan. I started as the first staff attorney for our HelpLine nearly 10years ago and grew the program from a handful of calls a month to astable program with a carefully managed case volume. I am in my secondyear of the work plan on a Model Approaches to Legal ServiceDevelopment project in partnership with the state department for agingand independent living and our legal assistance developer aimed atimproving access to legal assistance through the aging services networkfocusing on the aging and disability resource centers. I have presentedtraining on issues in law and aging and legal service delivery in 24states over the past 7 years. I have an extensive background inorganizational communication and marketing with over 15 years work inaffordable housing prior to attending law school. 

Keith MorrisKeith Morris,Project Manager.  As the Director of Operations and Legal Services atElder Law of Michigan, I have run the Legal Hotline for MichiganSeniors–one of the largest in the nation–for the last five years.  Ihave extensive experience in operations, nonprofit management,fundraising, volunteer management, and effectively using newtechnology.  I also have a strong background in data analysis andmarketing because before going to law school, I was a marketing analystin the private sector for seven years.

If you have anestablished helpline or are thinking of starting one, we are ready toprovide you with assistance on most operational andprocedural issues, including technology, personnel, case management,and outreach.