LEGAL REFERAL SERVICES AND LITERACY AGREEMENT

This agreement sets for the terms and understanding between WEN and the undersigned and other legal resources not currently in WEN network of legal resources to citizens, including marginalized or underprivileged groups.

Background
WEN is a 501(c)3 culture whose vision is to be a platform that provides a practical approach to cultural competence services, products, and results that pleads and advances the socio-economic causes of people of African ancestry and other heritages (see website). Education and Government Relations are among its ten (10) program areas. Its Legal Literacy reinforces the 3Ps found in our mission and their application to modern-day civic duties. The program objective includes learning age-appropriate skills, ranging from understanding fundamental law and your rights to understanding how to be involved in shaping the law that governs the nation and the geographic area, in particular.

Its Legal Referral Services help community members find legal representation at full price, discounted, or pro-bono rates. Because WEN is aware that every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay and that a lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year, the organization is offering its professional, accountability, and ethical platform to accomplish this.

PURPOSES
The goal of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to establish a partnership with you and/or your firm as one of the participating resources in our network of legal resource available to offer legal literacy workshops and/or legal services to members of the communities, through a formalized legal referral service.

The above goals will be accomplished by undertaking the following activities:

ACTIVITY & OWNER
LEGAL LITERACY

1. Identify individuals and/or communities in need of legal literacy (WEN)
2. Establish a formal agreement with the community in need of legal literacy with terms and conditions, duration, scope, and budget (AS AGREED UPON) (WEN)
3. Notify and identify YOU or YOUR FIRM as a presenter from WEN Network of Legal resources (OPTIONAL) (LEGAL LIAISON)
4. Convey and sign off on the terms and conditions (WEN/PRESENTER)
5. Schedule workshop date and time with all parties (WEN)
6. Deliver workshop (WEN/LEGAL PRESENTER)

LEGAL REFERRAL SERVICES
1. Request for legal services via Phone, Email, Website (CLIENT).
2. Complete Intake Form (Website or Scan via email) (CLIENT)
3. Notify legal resource via WEN network of legal resources (WEN)
4. Legal Liaison identifies attorney through your firm or another source (LEGAL LIAISON)
5. The interested attorney determines and communicates one of the following fee types (pro bono, low bono, or regular charge) based on information from the Intake form (ATTORNEY)
6. Accept for WEN to manage client/lawyer relationship – communication flow & expectations (CLIENT/ATTORNEY)

Additional activities will be agreed upon by all parties.

REPORTING
WEN will evaluate effectiveness and adherence to the agreement and when the evaluation will happen to ensure minimal burden on stakeholders. This is subject to change based on agreement by all parties.

FUNDING/FEES
It will be prudent of all parties to appreciate the effort involved in running this program. This MOU is not a commitment of funds. Funding may be required based on the nature, scope, and size of the audience. It may be possible to charge administrative fees for services or workshops in the future. This is subject to change based on the effectiveness and workload of this program.

DURATION
This MOU may be modified by mutual consent of authorized officials from WEN and the undersigned. This MOU shall become effective upon signature by the authorized officials from WEN and the undersigned and will remain in effect until modified or terminated by any one of the partners by mutual consent.