Hurricane Katrina Disaster Legal Assistance Hotline 1-866-255-4495
The Hurricane Katrina Disaster Legal Assistance Hotline for victims located in the counties that have been declared disaster areas has been activated by The Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division. The Young Lawyers Division provides legal assistance through a toll-free hotline as well as on-site legal assistance at MEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. For disaster assistance call the toll-free Hurricane Katrina Disaster Legal Assistance Hotline at 1-866-255-4495 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday or visit the nearest MEMA Disaster Recovery Center.

Hurricane Katrina Disaster Training Manual for Mississippi Lawyers
The Mississippi Disaster Legal Assistance Reference Manual (Part I and Part II) can be downloaded for attorneys who will be manning a Disaster Recovery Center and/or handling telephone asistance. It is also a valuable resource for attorneys advising clients on disaster matters. In addition, a DVD of the September 12, 2005 Disaster Legal Assistance training is available for those who have not been able to attend one of the training sessions.

IRS Office Reopens in New Orleans
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in New Orleans has reopened and may be contacted at its pre-Katrina address.  The Technical Services – Advisory group at that location provided services for taxpayers and attorneys for specific types of Federal tax collection issues involving legal and technical issues.  It is no longer necessary to send correspondence to the IRS Technical Services – Advisory group in Houston, TX.  Members can see Publication 4235 for further information on Technical Services – Advisory contact information. All correspondence, including, but not limited to, notices of foreclosure and other issues involving the Notice of Federal Tax Lien, for property in Mississippi should be sent to:

Internal Revenue Service
1555 Poydras St.
Ste. 220, Stop 65
New Orleans, LA   70112-3747

Rebuilding Your Law Practice After Hurricane Katrina Seminar Materials Available
The materials from the "Rebuilding Your Law Practice After Hurricane Katrina" Seminar held on October 8, 2005 in Gulfport are available for download in Adobe PDF, Part I and Part II. Topics include: "What lawyers should do after disaster strickes," "Rebuilding your law practice after a disaster," "Technology triage-replacing your technology," " Retrieving client files and information," "Recreating your calendar," "Malpractice claims and concerns" and "Ethical issues after a disaster."

Supreme Court Amends Rule 1.8(e)(2), MRPC, For A Ninety Day Period to Enable Attorneys to Advance Funds to Clients in Dire and Necessitous Circumstances…as a Result of Hurricane Katrina Because of the extraordinary circumstances faced by the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Supreme Court of Mississippi, on October 3, 2005, issued an order amending the limitations of Rule 1.8(e)(2), MRPC, to allow attorneys to advance funds to clients in dire and necessitous circumstances who possess a FEMA Registration Identification Number. Rule 1.8(e), MRPC, prohibits attorneys from providing financial assistance to a client in connection with pending or contemplated litigation or administrative proceeding, except that it allows the attorney to (1) advance court costs and expenses of litigation, including, but not limited to reasonable medical expenses necessary to the preparation of the litigation, the repayment of which may be contingent upon the matter, and, it allows the attorney to (2) advance costs and expenses which shall be repaid upon successful conclusion of the matter for (a) reasonable and necessary medical expenses associated with treatment for the injury giving rise to the litigation or administrative proceeding and (b) reasonable and necessary living expenses incurred.  The Rule further states that the advancing of funds for reasonable and necessary medical expenses or reasonable and necessary medical expenses cannot be made until the expiration of sixty (60) days after the client has signed the contract of employment with counsel. The Rule also limits the amount the client can receive at $1500 unless payment in excess of $1500 has been approved by the Ethics Committee for The Mississippi Bar. Payments of $1500 or less must be reported to the Ethics Committee within (7) days following the making of each payment. The Amendment by the Supreme Court allows attorneys representing clients who possess a FEMA Registration Identification Number to receive these advances after the expiration of ten (10) days after the client has signed an employment contract with counsel and raises the limit from in excess of $1500 to in excess of $2500 for prior approval from the Ethics Committee. Payments of $2500 or less to must be reported to the Ethics Committee within seven (7) days of making such a payment. Advances may only be made to a client under dire and necessitous circumstances and are limited to minimal living expense of minor sums such as those necessary to prevent foreclosure or repossession or for necessary medical expenses. To read the Order in its entirety, go to http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/news/sn127102.pdf on the Supreme Court’s website. To read Rule 1.8, MRPC, go to the Mississippi Rules of Professional Conduct located under the “Rules” section on the Supreme Court’s website.  

State and Federal Court Updates
All various state and federal courts have issued orders related to Hurricane Katrina:

(Nov. 4, 2005)--Chancery Judge Jim Persons has ordered that hearings and trials scheduled for the November term of Hancock County Chancery Court will be held at the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport.
     The three-week term of court opens on Monday, Nov. 14. Judge Persons will preside over the term of court for Hancock County Chancery Court. There is no facility available to conduct Chancery Court proceedings in Hancock County. The Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis was damaged by Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29 and is closed for repairs. Temporary courtroom facilities are being set up in trailers at the Hancock County Civic Center on Longfellow Drive in Bay St. Louis. Those facilities are not expected to be ready for use before Dec. 1.
     In an order signed on Nov. 3, Judge Persons said, “Hurricane Katrina damaged the court facilities in Hancock County, Mississippi, to such an extent that, although progress is being made to provide alternative facilities, there is no location in Hancock County which is adequate and available to hold hearings and/or trials during the November Term of Chancery Court.” 
     The order noted that all summonses, subpoenas and/or other process issued for the November Term of Hancock County Chancery Court shall be deemed returnable to the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport without further order.
     Judge Persons stated Friday that he will conduct all Hancock County Chancery Court proceedings in Chancery Courtroom No. 1 in the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport.
     Most other Hancock County Chancery Court proceedings that have required hearings since Aug. 29 have been conducted at the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport. 
     Any document which needs to be filed in Hancock County Chancery Court at this time should be filed at the court’s temporary office in a Quonset Hut at the Hancock County Civic Center on Longfellow Drive in Bay St. Louis. 

(Nov. 4, 2005) The Hancock County Chancery Court is scanning all its records for electronic retrieval. A documents preservation company was hired to scan all Hancock County Chancery Court records. |
     Hancock County land records dating back to the 1800s have been available for public access via computer terminals in the clerk’s temporary office since Oct. 17.
     The Hancock County Chancery Clerk’s office is now in a Quonset Hut at the Hancock County Civic Center on Longfellow Drive in Bay St. Louis. The Chancery Clerk’s offices are expected to move into two trailers at the Civic Center location by Dec. 1. Officials haven’t decided yet whether to move the land records access area from the Quonset Hut into one of the trailers. Authorities will evaluate how the Quonset Hut stands up to the weather.
     Land records were needed for title searches and other purposes as people who lost their homes attempted to rebuild and seek loans.
     “Our county can’t rebuild without having access to the land records. That was the first priority, and those records were really in the worst shape of all of our records. They took on more water,” said Hancock County Chief Deputy Chancery Clerk Pamela Cuevas.
     The land records were dried and treated to kill mold. The originals were scanned. The paper originals are now in a refrigerated truck, Cuevas said.
     Wills, estates, divorces and other Chancery Court records are now being scanned. Cuevas said that project is expected to be completed within three or four weeks. Anyone needing public access to such records before that time may contact the clerk’s office.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Mississippi has issued an amended order regarding the place of filing petitions. To read or download the order in its entirety, click here. The court has also issued a notice concerning the relocation of the Dan M. Russell, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Gulfport to the Hattiesburg Bankruptcy Court that is now officially open for business. Click here for complete information provided in the notice. You may contact the Clerk of the court at 601-264-9024 or visit the website at www.mssb.uscourts.gov.

Mississippi Supreme Court Issues Additional Orders: Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice James W. Smith Jr. said on Wednesday that his primary focus is assessing damage at courthouse across south Mississippi. A Damage Assessment Committee will start with courthouses in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Stone counties. The Mississippi Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday addressing free legal services to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Supreme Court has also issued a series of administrative orders extending appellate and bar disciplinary filing deadlines as a result of delays created by Hurricane Katrina. The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed that all free legal services provided by lawyers to victims of Hurricane Katrina may be credited toward satisfying professional obligations to provide pro bono services. Pro bono assistance is defined under Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers as free legal assistance to the poor. The Supreme Court in an order on Wednesday said that any free legal assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina would count as pro bono service. An order signed Wednesday by Chief Justice Smith said, “The Court, en banc, at the request of the Mississippi Bar, has recognized the serious need for legal assistance to victims of hurricane Katrina, regardless of whether those victims fall within the scope of those recipients defined in Rule 6.1.” The Supreme Court also issued an order Wednesday extending filing deadlines for 30 days in attorney disciplinary proceedings involving attorneys whose offices or homes are within the Second Supreme Court District. Chief Justice Smith stated,  “The court is attempting to address all problems promptly as they arise from the bar and the judiciary.” The Court’s latest actions regarding Hurricane Katrina issues may be viewed online under “News” at http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/.

For the Southern District Federal Court: View the Extension of Time for Filing Notices of Appeal and Other Documents Pursuant to Rule 26(A) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in PDF format here. View the Public Notice of Rescheduled Meetings of Creditors in PDF format here. View the Order Extending Automatic Stays in PDF here. View the Order Regarding Place of Filing Petitions in PDF here.

Notice To Attorneys From the U.S. District Court for the Northern District: The Electronic Case Filing System has been restored in the Northern District of Mississippi and attorneys may now file all documents electronically. To access the Electronic Case Filing system, please visit www.msnd.ucourts.gov/ecf.   

Office Centers Open for Coast Attorneys in Bay St Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula
The Board of Commissioners approved a special expenditure for the purchase of computers, printers, etc. to equip office centers for lawyers in the Coastal counties. The Bar is coordinating this effort with the Hancock, Harrison and Jackson county bar associations. Office centers in Harrison County have been set up in the Gulfport and Biloxi courthouses. The Hancock County Chamber of Commerce is letting the Bar join in their Business center in Bay St Louis. Scranton's Catering in Downtown Pascagoula has been secured for an Office Center in Jackson County. The offices allow attorneys displaced by Katrina to have a place to type documents, send/receive email, do online research using Casemaker, etc. The office centers also have copies of the Mississippi Legal Directory, Mississippi Rules Annotated book and Luther Munford has donated copies of his Mississippi Appellate Practice book for each Center.

U.S. Trustee Announces New Guidelines for Bankruptcy Debtors Affected by Katrina
The U.S. Trustee Program has issued bankruptcy enforcement guidelines that take into account the hardships experienced by victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Program also announced a temporary waiver of the statutory requirement for credit counseling for bankruptcy filers in Louisiana and the Southern District of Mississippi. View and/or download copies of the news release from the U.S. Department of Justice on the bankruptcy enforcement guidelines.  Also, view and/or download the press release on the temporary waiver of statutory requirement for credit counseling. 

Tax Commission Established New Address for Bankruptcy Section
The Mississippi State Tax Commission is pleased to announce that it has established a new mailing address for its bankruptcy section.  Effective immediately, the following address should be used for service of any and all bankruptcy related correspondence, payments, and §1308 pre-petition tax return filings: Mississippi State Tax Commission, Bankruptcy Section, P.O. Box 22808, Jackson, MS  39225-2808.

State Law Library Offers Services to Lawyers Affected by Hurricane Katrina
The State Law Library in Jackson is offering free Westlaw research and free copying to attorneys displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The Law Library will waive copying fees and make its fax machine available to send copies for lawyers whose practices have been affected by the hurricane. The waiver approved by the Mississippi Supreme Court is in effect through Dec. 31. Attorneys should present a bar card to use the free services. Legal research collections were among the resources lost in law offices damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. “We want to help the individual attorneys resume their practices. We can help them with library research,” said State Law Librarian Charlie Pearce. The State Law Library is located on the second floor of the Gartin Justice Building at 450 High Street in Jackson. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on state holidays.  To reach a member of the Law Library staff, call 601-359-3672.

2004-05 CLE Reporting Deadline Extended
The Mississippi Commission on CLE has announced that the deadline for reporting CLE credits 2004-2005 has been combined with the deadline for 2005-2006 so that 24 hours of CLE credit, including 2 hours of ethics, will be due by July 31, 2006. A copy of the order may be viewed on the Supreme Courts website under "News" http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/. 

MS Commission for Volunteer Services Establishes Hurricane Recovery Hotline
The Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Hotline Center has been created to manage donations coming into the Governor's Office, to ensure that these donations are properly matched and dispersed to needed individuals. The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service (MCVS), which primarily coordinates activities of Americorps and Learn and Serve programs. The Center is a multi-faceted center, which handles calls from all across the Nation, regarding donated goods, services and money that will go to individuals affected by the hurricane. These donations include: medical supplies, computers, emergency equipment, baby items, and many others. Another function of the Center is handling calls from individuals who are requesting services, which could include such things as food, shelter, water, transportation, utilities, jobs, location of loved ones, debris removal, etc. Vendors, who are interested in contracts relating to hurricane cleanup, are receiving appropriate referrals as well. The Hotline number is 1-866-230-8903.

Government Disaster Assistance for Lawyers
To find out more about these and other assistance programs, go to http://www.fema.gov/rrr/inassist.shtm.  To find out more about the disaster assistance process or to register on-line, go to http://www.fema.gov/about/process/index.shtm.  You can also call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or visit a Disaster Recovery Relief Center in your area. For specific information concerning unemployment or small business assistance, please visit http://www.fema.gov/press/2005/katrinaworkers.shtm or Mississippi’s Hurricane Katrina Disaster Information page at http://www.mema.ms.gov. A free technical assistance provider for the SBA is the Mississippi Small Business Development Center. The MS BDC may be able to help you with free valuable information and counseling for business recovery efforts through Business Physical Disaster Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. You can reach them at http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/mssbdc or by calling 662-915-5001 or 1-800-725-7232 (in MS only). Questions will no doubt arise as you work through the disaster assistance process.  A list of FEMA generated responses to “frequently asked questions” can be accessed at http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=14183. 

Online Resources for Legal Technology, Practice Management and Disaster/Data Recovery for Law Offices Affected by Katrina
Click here for articles, resources, websites, handbooks, etc. available online with useful, practical, step by step information on restoring law offices after a disaster.

Searchable Database of Missing/Status for MS Lawyers
Gulf Coast News has a searchable database of missing/status at http://wx.gulfcoastnews.com/katrina/status.aspx.

Texas Bar Provides "After Katrina: Emergency Response for Lawyers" Ten Minute Mentor Videos
An addition to the Ten Minute Mentor programs which offer a variety of topics in free streaming video in a short, pithy format, The Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) has added a topic category called "AFter Katrina: Emergency Response for Lawyers." These videos are free, downloadable segments designed to cover two topics: How lawyers can recover from offices wiped out by natural disasters: and how lawyers can counsel clients who are dealing with legal issues arising out of natural disasters. Texas--no stranger to natural disasters--offers these short, free, web-accessible presentations which capture the hard-won wisdom of those who have "been there, done that." There are 18 segments currently, but more will be added as time permits. View the segments at www.TenMinuteMentor.com.

Commercial Vendors Offer Assistance for Attorneys Impacted by Katrina
Several commercial vendors have offered assistance to attorneys impacted by Hurricane Katrina. View the list and a brief description of services offered below:

Blumberg Excelsior – Free replacement of destroyed letterheads, envelopes and business cards if your order was placed with us within 6 months prior to Katrina. New customers will receive 20% discount for the above. Willing to help in any way we can. Call 800 LAW MART (529-6278) for assistance. Visit the Blumberg website at www.blumberg.com.

Casemaker – Free and available to all Mississippi Lawyers, Casemaker offers online legal research through a powerful search engine providing access to a combination of state and federal case materials. Visit The Mississippi Bar’s website at www.msbar.org and click on the Casemaker logo to get to the login page complete with instructions on how to login.

CLC Technology – ClientAttorney.com, an extranet product, is being offered at no cost for a period of up to one year for any attorney and/or law firm whose practice is suffering as a result of this recent tragedy. Our product offers attorneys, clients and staff members the ability to review, retrieve and complete documents, calendar key dates and schedule court hearings and trials, manage tasks effectively and much more. For more information visit www.ClientAttorney.com or call Katie Winkler at 866-262-5750.

Legal Career Center Network – The “Katrina” Career Assistance Program is designed to help meet the interim career needs of legal professionals impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Our online network of legal Career Center will provide what we are calling “Katrina Openings” to law firms and corporate legal departments. LCCN will honor the Free “Katrina” listing as long as the need is there for those impacted by this event. “Katrina” listings will remain active on the LCCN network of Career Centers until they are filled, asked to be removed by the employer or deemed that it no longer exists. For more information call the Legal Career Center at 800-659-5589.

LexisNexis – LexisNexis is working to assist legal professionals who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. As lawyers are able to assess their current situations and their needs for the near future, LexisNexis will continue to provide resources to help them restore their businesses and practices. In the areas of technical assistance, LexisNexis has taken initiatives and is extending system recovery services as needed to legal customers affected by Hurricane Katrina. Legal professionals affected by Hurricane Katrina are eligible for a complimentary 30-day ID to access lexis.com®. Go to http://www.lexisnexis.com/katrinarelief/ for more information. In addition, LexisNexis is providing assistance to law students affected by the hurricane, including the provision of free course books to all displaced students. Affected students should contact their local LexisNexis representative for more information.

Venture Technologies – Offering a “unique” and “specific” service that will help get your law firm up and running again very quickly. Our FREEDOM service allows you to access your business software from any location (home, office, hotel room, etc.) as long as you have a computer and a connection to the Internet. FREEDOM service is offered to firms that have lost everything and firms with no physical building or dispersed employees, but still have their data. For more information contact Stephen Edmondson at 1-800-844-8895 ext. 129, direct line 601-978-6129 or email sbedmonson@ventech.com.

Volunteer Medical-Litigation Services – Experienced Medical-Legal Consultant volunteers are willing to donate services to attorneys affected or displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Many of us work regularly with attorney-clients who are out-of-state and anticipate offering the same type of litigation support to assist firms whose usual in-house or independent consultants may be temporarily unable o meet commitments or deadlines. For more information email MedLegalAnalysis@aol.com or phone/fax Tamara Heptinstall, RN at 850-248-6162.

Westlaw – To assist in the rebuilding effort, Westlaw has set up a dedicated hotline for Thomson West customers affected by Hurricane Katrina. If you have been displaced by the disaster, contact Thomson West Customer Service at 1-800-328-4880, ext. 67281, to let us know that you’re safe and what your needs are. When you’re ready to get back on your feet, we’re ready to help. Affected Westlawâ customers can contact their Sales representative or call the Customer Service hotline to access a complimentary Westlaw password. Thomson West Reference Attorneys are standing by to help support your research needs. Our Technology organization can help establish new high-speed connections to support your practices. And, when it’s time to rebuild your library, Thomson West will replace any print or CD-ROM product for current subscribers free of charge. For legal professionals who use our products but do not have current active subscriptions, we’re offering a 50% replacement coverage to ensure everyone is able to restore their collections. For our law school customers in the affected areas, we’re replacing texts free of charge and working closely with the law schools in the area to support their rebuilding efforts. And lastly, Thomson is offering a double-match contribution for all employee contributions to the American Red Cross in support of the relief effort.

LJAP Addresses Coping After Hurricane Katrina
Since 1990, the Mississippi Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program (LJAP) has provided assistance to hundreds of Mississippi Bar members who have experienced problems that interfere with their personal lives or their ability to serve as counsel or officers of the court. The threats of Hurricane Katrina and the actual destructions are evidence of these interferences, so the LJAP offers the following information to help in coping during these trying times. The devastation from Hurricane Katrina has been traumatic for all Mississippians no matter the level of damage, destruction, or loss.  In the wake of a disaster, it is likely that ordinary people will experience distress reactions. If you have experienced a personal disaster or other stresses, you may find yourself even more likely to have distress reactions.

As a result of these events, it would not be unusual if you have:
- Trouble sleeping
- Preoccupation with the event (being riveted to the television, uncomfortable if you are not watching, having images intrude into your thinking, rehashing events)
- Difficulty thinking, feeling, acting (Staring at the wall, feeling flat, feeling nothing when in the past something might please or upset you)
- Anger, depression, anxiety, fatigue
- Crankiness, irritability, crabbiness
- Avoidance of completing tasks, acting as if nothing has happened.
- Headaches, stomachaches, back problems, or a flare up in a more chronic medical condition.
- Confusion
- An urge to undertake routine housekeeping tasks such as cleaning, organizing papers, cooking, or rearranging your office
- A desire to be near people or a wish to be isolated

Children may be particularly affected by these events. Small children in particular who may not truly understand the events themselves nevertheless react to the distress of the adults around them. Small children should have limited exposure to the television coverage. They are typically not able to determine if they are seeing the original footage or new disasters and therefore may be traumatized over and over. They might regress to earlier stages of behavior. Children often work out their feelings in their play:
- They may play at buildings blowing up or planes crashing.
- Older children and teens might become more oppositional, angry, sad, or anxious. They need to vent, ask the difficult questions for which you may not have answers. They may not act very nice but still want to be around you.

What helps?
Remember that you are human and are experiencing normal human reactions to a disaster. Let yourself and your loved ones do things that soothe.  For an adult, this might be something as routine as reorganizing a cupboard or weeding a flowerbed. For a very young child, it might be going back to a transitional object such as a blanket or favorite stuffed toy and for an older child, it might be spending more than the usual time with their peers either on the phone or in person.
- Honor tradition or create new rituals that acknowledge what has happened such as candle lighting ceremonies or the wearing of national colors.  Practice your faith if you have one.
- Be tolerant of yourself and others. Pace yourself. Be willing to acknowledge and address situations in which you become fatigued or anxious.
- Maintain your routines such as mealtimes, exercise programs, and bedtimes. Regular physical activity is particularly helpful in relieving stress.
- Talk about it. Write about it. Even young children can benefit from access to paper and writing implements to express their feelings.
- Take heart in the heroes, the small acts of heroism, and the individual contributions to the relief effort.
- Don't be afraid to cry or to laugh. Both help heal.

For more information about the LJAP, call 1-800-593-9777.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance Disaster Unemployment Assistance provides financial assistance to individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster declared by the President of the United States. Before an individual can be determined eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, it must be established that the individual is not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits (under any state or federal law). Due to damages, the WIN Job centers along the Gulf Coast, received from Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) has sent Mobile WIN Job Centers to various locations as temporary centers for customers to file for Unemployment Insurance, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Workers' Compensation benefits or search for employment opportunities. All WIN Job Center locations statewide have extended their hours to be open from 7:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice: Biloxi - 2306 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39535; Gulfport - Crossroads Shopping Center, 15150 Hwy 49, Gulfport, MS, 39503; Pascagoula - Deep South Shopping Center, 1604 Benny Avenue, Pascagoula, MS 39568; Picayune- 1839 B. Cooper Road, Picayune, MS 39466; Long Beach, Pine Belt Plaza, 19099 Pineville Road, Long Beach, 39560.

ABA Establishes Website for Disaster Assistance Attorneys
ABA has established a website to assist those attorneys who are providing assistance to people whose lives have been shattered. The website will be continually updated over the coming weeks as more information and resources are made available. The website may be accessed via the ABA homepage at www.abanet.org where you can volunteer to provide legal assistance, find information on making donations for disaster relief and receive guidance on how you can most effectively help the victims of the hurricane. For our members directly impacted by the disaster, resources are available on rebuilding a law practice and disaster recovery plans. In addition to providing assistance to lawyers, the ABA website also serves as a valuable resource for the general public, offering referrals, hotline numbers, assistance for military personnel, small business owners and others.

ABA Provides Law Office Recovery Resources
The Mississippi Bar is receiving calls from many lawyers with issues about recovering their law practices in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  The ABA has gathered many resources to help attorneys recovering from this disaster that can be accessed at www.abanet.org.  Click on the tab “Lawyers Needing Disaster Help.”  Listed there are “Law Practice Management Issues” for disaster recovery, an “Office Space Directory” for locating temporary office space, and a “Technology Related Resources” list for disaster recovery of computer data. 

Atlanta Bar Association Implements AttorneyAssist.org
The Atlanta Bar Association has established AttorneyAssist.org so that the legal community around the country can offer assistance to lawyers and employees of the legal system who have been displaced due to Hurricane Katrina. Visit AttorneyAssist.org at http://www.attorneyassist.org.

Supreme Court Grants Limited Authority for Non-Licensed Attorney to Provide Pro Bono Disaster Legal Assistance: MS Bar Issues Instructions on How to File and Provides Sample Affidavit
Download instructions and sample affidavit in Adobe PDF.

Because of the extraordinary circumstances faced by the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Supreme Court of Mississippi, on September 9, 2005, issued an order granting limited authority for attorneys from other jurisdictions not licensed in Mississippi to render legal assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina through the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division Disaster Legal Assistance Program. The legal services authorized under the Court’s order are distinguished from and supplemental to practice pro hac vice in courts and agencies regulated under Rule 46 of the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure. The legal services authorized under the order are those services identified and defined in the Agreement between the American Bar Association on Behalf of Its Young Lawyers Division and the Office of Disaster Assistance Programs Federal Emergency Management Agency Concerning Disaster Legal Services. To read the Order in its entirety, go to http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/news/126579.pdf on the Supreme Court’s website.

Supreme Court Grants Limited Authority for Non-Licensed Attorney to Provide Pro Bono Legal Assistance Via Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project: MS Bar Issues Instructions on How to File Affidavit and Provides Sample

View and download instructions and sample affidavit in Adobe PDF.

On October 14, 2005, the Supreme Court of Mississippi issued an order granting limited authority for attorneys from other jurisdictions not licensed in Mississippi to render legal assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina through the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project.  The legal services authorized under the Court’s order are distinguished from and supplemental to practice pro hac vice in courts and agencies regulated under Rule 46 of the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure. The legal services authorized under the order are those services identified and defined by the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyer’s Project.  To read the Order in its entirety, go to http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/news/sn127311 on the Supreme Court’s
website.

IRS Office Providing Services for Lawyers on Federal Tax Collection Issues Relocates to Atlanta
Due to Hurricane Katrina, the Internal Revenue Service office in New Orleans will be closed for an indefinite period of time. The Technical Services – Advisory group at the New Orleans location provided services for taxpayers and attorneys for specific types of Federal tax collection issues involving legal matters. Notices of non-judicial foreclosure (foreclosure by executory process), judicial foreclosure (foreclosure by ordinary process) and interpleader suits for property located in the state of Mississippi where a Notice of Federal Tax Lien is involved should be sent to: Internal Revenue Service, 401 W. Peachtree St., NW, Room 900, Stop 333-D, Atlanta, GA   30308-3539.

Business Relocation Assistance Program Announced for Corporate Victims of Hurricane Katrina
The MetroJackson Chamber of Commerce and the MetroJackson Economic Development Alliance in Mississippi have teamed up to create the Business Relocation Assistance program, which has the sole purpose of aiding businesses of all kind from all states affected by Hurricane Katrina get back up and running. “The normal progression for a disaster of this kind is to locate survivors, then get them food and shelter, and finally, to help them get back on their feet,” said Bill Farmer, Chairman of the MetroJackson Chamber of Commerce. “Once people are fed and clothed, their next thought is how to provide for their family. Our purpose is to facilitate that step … to get businesses operational so they can once again provide these essential jobs and payroll.” The Business Relocation Assistance program will help any business in Louisiana or Mississippi that has been decimated by Hurricane Katrina temporarily relocate to the metro Jackson area. “As an economic development authority, our usual mode of business is to wage a competitive effort to recruit businesses to our area,” said Duane O’Neill, President of Chamber and Board Member of the MetroJackson Economic Development Alliance. “This program is completely different in that we are offering assistance and creating a setting where businesses can rebuild from the core up here in the metro Jackson area, but the success of this program would eventually lead those businesses to a point where they are operational and have the choice to re-establishing their home base.” Services included in the Business Relocation Assistance program include: Helping businesses find new physical locations – whether that be warehouse or storage facilities or Class A office space; Providing a resource for helping the employees of those companies find available housing and plug into the education system; Providing access to a full, built-in network of suppliers, including those that supply computer equipment, professional services, office or warehouse equipment, etc. “The Business Relocation Assistance program will be a one-call/one-stop solution for business owners,” stated Ross Tucker, Executive Director of the MetroJackson Economic Development Alliance. “What we’re offering is a way for business owners to get the information they need in a matter of minutes or hours, rather than the days or weeks it would take for the owner himself or herself to attain. This is imperative to those businesses right now, as many of them have already been shut down for almost two weeks.” For further information on the Business Relocation Assistance program, contact Duane O’Neill at (601) 948-7575, or email doneill@metrochamber.com.

Bar Association Katrina Related Links
A number of state Bars have resources of interest to lawyers impacted by Katrina including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Access some of the links here: 

Alabama State Bar
Florida State Bar - Also, view materials on licensing issues affecting lawyer displaced by Hurricane Katrina and those offering Pro Bono legal services here.
Georgia State Bar
Louisiana State Bar
Texas State Bar
Atlanta Bar

ABA site that has all the information on Supreme Court orders: http://www.abanet.org/cpr/KatrinaServices.html

American Bar Association (ABA) Katrina Disaster Relief site - http://www.abanet.org/katrina/