Post Date: February 23, 2006
The Harvard Legal Aid Bureau has elected a new board of directors, with Kimberly Harbin, 2L, taking the helm as president. Joining Harbin on the new board are 2Ls Jean Kosela, Julie Park, Paul Pineau, Humayun Khalid, Mira Edmonds, Vivian Chum, Libby Brown and Jonathon Bashford.
“The Bureau is such a unique institution on campus, but I’m afraid that not enough people know who we are or what we do,” Harbin said. “I plan on working this year to make sure that students know about the Bureau not just during recruitment season, but before they even come to HLS for their first year.”
Other board members also have plans for the year ahead. “I think the Bureau needs to address the fact that we don’t have very many Asian or Asian-American clients,” said Park, who will direct HLAB’s intake and outreach. “I hope that we can accomplish this by reaching out to community organizations in Chinatown and Dorchester.”
Founded in 1913, the Bureau includes approximately 45 members who make a two-year commitment after being selected through a competitive process in the spring of their 1L year. The Bureau’s student-attorneys provide free legal services to low-income clients in the areas of housing, benefits, family, and wage and hour law. The Bureau recently became a clinical program but continues to be student-run, offering members the opportunity to practice law and to gain leadership experience.