Author Archives: Pam Robinson

COVID-19 Disaster Hotline Volunteers

The SC Bar has set up a COVID-19 Disaster Hotline and is need of a team of volunteers to help retrieve and manage the incoming calls. Right now we have limited knowledge how much this hotline will be used but just in case Betsy Goodale, the SC Bar Pro Bono Program Director and I have talked and are working on step by step instructions. Bottom line, volunteers will be assigned a scheduled day of the week, when they will retrieve any messages recorded.  Once retrieved the student will determine several lines of inquiry. Is the issue COVID-19 related? Is the issue civil or criminal? The volunteer will follow a series of steps to secure more information, keep track of the process and hopefully be able to refer the client to either a local organization for help or to one of the many lawyers who have volunteered to answer questions.  The lawyers will be asked if they would like additional help from the student thus allowing for a continued connection and more experience.

At this time to sign up, simply go to: https://uofsclawprobono.azurewebsites.net/forms/volunteer-enrollment-form/. Complete the form and enter COVID-19 as the project. I will respond with much more information.

Stay at home, boring, but…

keep on learning. Trying to keep a positive point of view these days can be challenging. Now is the time to embrace something new or revisit an idea you thought you would never have time for.  Such things as: watch a series of TED Talks, short presentations on a wide variety of topics.Here is one of my favorites!  https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership?language=en

All kinds of webinars are being offered and many of them are on timely subjects. Search for reputable organizations who have been on the forefront of an issue.  There will be a day when you interview for a job and the interviewer will ask ” what did you do during the COVID-19 pandemic”.  Do you really want to respond ” I lived in my pj’s and felt sorry for myself and ate chips and salsa?”  Instead you will impress with ” I attended a webinar from the National Consumer Law Center of the effects of the CARES Act on law firms “. Impressive!

Keep safe, stay at home, wash those hands and wear a mask- if not for yourself, for someone’s grandparents, parents, sister, brother, parent. child or fellow USC Law community member.