May 2004
June "Wisconsin Lawyers Make a Difference" TV pilot spotlights
Baraboo lawyer's service to the poor
The State Bar will feature Beth Roney Drennan in a 30-second
television pilot, scheduled to air in June. This is the third TV pilot
in the "Wisconsin Lawyers Make a Difference" series highlighting lawyers
who demonstrate exemplary commitment to community or pro bono service.
Drennan runs the Teresa House Legal Assistance Center in Baraboo. The
center is built on Drennan's determination to provide access to justice
to poor families who cannot afford to hire a lawyer.
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Attorney Beth Roney Drennan (right) is spotlighted for her
service to the poor. Drennan has served more than 1,000 families and
individuals who cannot afford to hire a lawyer since 1993.
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Teresa House, a registered charitable organization, helps people who
have simple, noncriminal problems, such as uncontested divorces and
minor guardianships. The center does not represent anyone; it provides
information, help with legal paperwork, and guidance on how people can
represent themselves in court. The center will not offer assistance if a
case is contested or if the other party is represented by counsel.
Drennan has helped more than 1,000 families and individuals since
1993. Among clients served are the following:
- physically and emotionally abused mothers who have fled from their
partners but are unable to begin receiving child support because they do
not know how to file papers for a temporary order and cannot afford
counsel;
- a pre-school-aged girl who was living with a negligent parent
because the other parent could not afford an attorney to bring the
matter to the court's attention;
- a disabled and unemployed individual whose spouse was threatening to
take unfair advantage in a divorce;
- an elderly grandmother who wanted temporary guardianshp of her
grandchild but did not know how to proceed; and
- a young mother whose husband abandoned her, leaving the mother with
three small children, no support, and no money for court papers.
"Teresa House is able to serve the needs of people throughout
Wisconsin by making our services available through the phone and mail,"
says Drennan. "By relieving our clients from the burden of figuring out
cars and rides, we put legal assistance within reach of people in the
most rural communities."
Teresa House recently received a grant to provide special help to
victims of domestic abuse, who are too poor to pay for legal services.
"Our goal is to serve the poorest of the poor," says Drennan.
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Attorneys Dean Richards (right) and Lance Grady at the taping
of the May spotlight. Richards and Grady are spotlighted for their
involvement with Delafield's fire department, emergency medical
team, and search and rescue dive time. They have responded to more than
2,000 calls for help since 1998.
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April/May spots. Lance Grady, Waukesha, and Dean Richards,
Delafield, are featured this month in 30-second television spots for
their involvement with a local fire department, emergency medical team,
and search and rescue dive team (see photo). Madison attorney Troy Mayne
was featured in April for his work with Habitat for Humanity.
The vignettes, which incorporate the key qualities the public values
most about lawyers - community involvement and expert advice - are
airing on WISC-TV3 and UPN-14 to a potential audience of 645,000 viewers
during the three-month period. Additional information about the
spotlighted attorneys is posted to WISC-TV3's Web
site.
WISC-TV3 and UPN-14 serve Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge,
Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau,
Lafayette, Marquette, Monroe, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Vernon, Walworth,
Washington, Waukesha, and Waushara counties.
Inside the Bar
