The People's Law School is a non-profit community legal education program initiated in this area by retired State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Gerace Sr. and Attorney Arthur Bailey to raise local citizens' awareness of the legal system and help them navigate through the laws that affect their daily lives. It is sponsored by the Robert H. Jackson Center Inns of Court in partnership with Jamestown Community College and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and modeled after a similar program sponsored by The New York State Bar Association that educates the general public on legal matters.
Each Tuesday, beginning October 11, 2011, the lectures will be held in the Distance Learning Laboratories of the Jamestown and Dunkirk campuses of Jamestown Community College from 7:00 to 9:45 p.m. The JCC ITV Distance Learning network will enable attendees at each site to participate in the same presentations and interact with local respected attorneys who will lead the discussions. Through informative, interesting and easy-to-understand sessions, they will use real-life examples and anecdotes to explain how the law works and how costly legal entanglements can be avoided.
People's Law School Administrator Theo Collins has said, "The presenters of each lecture are highly educated and respected members of the local community who spend much of their time in practice in these areas of the law. They are donating their expertise and knowledge and receive no compensation for their time."
The Elder Law and Estate Planning for the Young and Elderly seminar is the first of the six weekly lectures. Attorneys Kameron Brooks of Brooks & Brooks, and Dale Robbins of Burgett & Robbins, will provide attendees with a working knowledge of creating a will, establishing a trust, and crucial areas of elder law such as powers of attorney, health care proxy, and guardianship among others. This course is sponsored by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and will be offered free of charge.
On October 18, attorneys Robert Leibers of Burgett & Robbins, and Arthur Bailey of Arthur Bailey & Associates will lecture on Facing Bankruptcy, Debt Collection, and Avoiding Foreclosure. They will address issues people may have when faced with debt collection and bankruptcy and present strategies for avoiding foreclosure on residential and commercial properties.
The seminar entitled Entrepreneurship 101: Developing a Business, Product, or Idea, will take place on October 25. Attorney Byron Bilicki, of the Bilicki Firm and Andrew Goodell of Goodell & Rankin will educate attendees on legal issues and concerns associated with developing a business, product or idea.
November 1, Jeffrey Passafaro, Esq. and a local Town Assessor will discuss Challenging Tax Assessments on Residential and Business Property. They will present information crucial to challenging a tax assessment on a home or commercial property and presenters will walk attendees through the steps necessary to challenge an assessment.
On November 8, Former US Marine Corps JAG attorney Kurt Gustafson, Former US Navy JAG Attorney Robert Nieto and Troy Smith, Chautauqua County Veteran's Services Director will provide attendees with knowledge of Veteran's Rights and Legal Issues including (re)employment rights, reservist issues, new legislation pertaining to veterans and the newly established veteran's courts.
The final course will be held on November 15. Attorneys Kristen Wright, Coordinator of the Center for Child and Family Services at the Center for Resolution & Justice and Michael Bobseine, Support Magistrate of the Chautauqua County Family Court will speak on Matrimonial and Family Law regarding issues such as grounds and the process for divorce and separation, child custody and visitation disputes, child and spousal support, and the use of free mediation to resolve many of these issues.
The fee for each course is $10, except Elder Law for the Young and Elderly or $45 for the entire series. Interested persons should contact JCC's Center for Continuing Education at 716-338-1005 for the Jamestown campus, or 716-363-6500 for the Dunkirk campus. Seating is limited and early registration is suggested. More information can be found at www.facebook.com/ThePeoplesLawSchool and www.thepeopleslawschool.org