Both prospective clients and volunteer attorneys can sign up now to take part in the April 9 virtual event, co-presented with the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association
The Philadelphia Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Committee and the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association are seeking prospective clients and volunteer attorneys for a pro bono Name Change Clinic on Saturday, April 9. The clinic, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will take place virtually via Zoom.
The clinic is open to transgender, gender non-conforming, persons of trans experience, and/or non-binary Philadelphia residents who are otherwise unable to access legal services in order to change their legal name. Prospective clients can sign up for a time to meet with a volunteer attorney, who will provide pro bono representation for a simple name change through the Philadelphia courts. The volunteer attorneys will also provide guidance for clients who may qualify from waivers to some of the court fees associated with a legal name change.
“For many members of the trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming community, a legal name change is not merely a choice; it’s a necessity,” said Ian Evans, co-chair of the Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Committee. “Presenting identification documents that do not match an individual’s identity can lead to confusion, shaming, discrimination, harassment, and even violence.” This will be the Committee’s first virtual name change clinic, but Evans and Committee co-chair Andrew Slom are hoping to make it an annual event.
“Although some individuals may have the resources necessary to proceed through the process of getting their petition filed or hiring an attorney to complete it on their behalf, many members of our community often face barriers limiting access to a name change and the benefits that come with it,” Slom said. “The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania is a remarkably open and accessible venue for residents to process a legal name change petition, and helping members of the community take advantage of that openness has been a consistent goal of the LGBT Rights Committee."
Prospective clients for the April 9 clinic should submit an online intake form by Wednesday, April 6 to request an appointment. Clients must have copies of a photo ID, Social Security card, birth certificate, and a fingerprint card ready for their appointments in order for volunteer attorneys to submit their name change petitions. The IDs and birth certificate can be sent via email, but the fingerprint card must be the original copy.
Volunteer attorneys will participate in an April 6 Bar Association continuing legal education (CLE) program on the name-change process and on providing culturally competent representation. Participants in the CLE, which is free to volunteers for the clinic, will receive 1.0 SUB and 1.0 ETH credit. Registration for the CLE is available on the Philadelphia Bar Association website. Prospective volunteers should also submit an online sign-up form by April 6.
