Access to Justice Foundation Meeting

September 9th at Noon via Zoom

Agenda & Materials

  1. Welcome and Introductions – Mr. McKinney
  2. Business Items
    • Determination of Quorum-Mr. McKinney
    • Acknowledgment of Ms. Pectol’s board service. Welcome to Kyle Burton.
    • Approval of June Minutes-Mr. McKinney
    • Scipio Africanus Jones Painting Update-Mr. Waddell
      • Photo of the artist, Ed Wade, with the painting
      • The Foundation has purchased prints to use as donor recognition.
      • Given the subject of the painting, the board should consider restricting funds associated with the use of the painting for racial justice initiatives.
    • Finance Committee-Ms. Schild
    • Grants Committee-Ms. Rucker (for approval)
      • Authorization to disburse $50,000 in general support grants split according to poverty population between the Center for Arkansas Legal Services and Legal Aid of Arkansas.
    • Scholarship Committee Report-Ms. Lee (for information)
  3. Executive Director’s Report–Mr. Bates-Rogers (for information)
    • Pro Bono Portal Updates
      • The training of legal services organizations has been completed.
      • Our vendor is finalizing the site and we expect to be able to soft launch the site this month.
      • Our formal launch and publicity efforts will start in October during Pro Bono Week.
      • Our intern is working on an article about the portal for the Arkansas Lawyer.
    • Language Access Initiative
      • I have a meeting scheduled with the chair of the Judicial Council’s Interpreter Services Committee.
      • We will discuss implementing the “no wrong way in” recommendations from the Justice Index.
      • Expect my 2023 budget to request funding for implementing these recommendations. We will need funds to hire contract interpreters and to grant fund implementation by the Courts.
      • We need a native Spanish or Marshallese speaker for the Commission. They must be employed by a nonprofit organization. Please send any recommendations.
    • IOLTA Compliance Efforts
      • The compliance review identified one bank that had failed to report IOLTA accounts for about six months. Back interest will be paid.
      • Several individual accounts that were not correctly set up and failed to remit were identified and corrections were made.
      • One out-of-state firm with a presence in Arkansas is contesting our determination that they need an Arkansas IOLTA account. We have requested an ethics opinion from the Office of Ethics Counsel.
    • Fee Negotiations with New IOLTA Bank
      • After a merger, an out-of-state bank has been charging high fees, some over $400 per account.
      • We are in negotiations with the bank to reduce or eliminate the fees.
      • Only two of 87 banks charge fees.
      • If we are unsuccessful, the board should consider proposing an amendment to Administrative Order 22 to cap fees.
  4. IOLTA Report-Ms. Parker (for information)
    • IOLTA Trends
    • Preferred IOLTA Banks
      • New Preferred IOLTA Banks
        • Wells Fargo
        • Merchants and Farmers Bank
        • Today’s Bank
        • Century Next Bank
        • Citizens Bank
      • Total of 26 out of 87 banks are now Preferred IOLTA Banks
      • We are in negotiations with a few more banks to add them to the program.
      • Preferred IOLTA Rate to stay steady at 0.50% through the end of the year.
  5. Project Reports–Ms. Brenneman (for information)
  6. Partner Organization Updates (for information)
    • Access to Justice Commission/Joint Resource Development Committee– Mr. Mayfield
    • Legal Aid Program Updates – Ms. Carter & Mr. Richardson
  7. Next Meeting Date: November 11th, 11:30 a.m. via Zoom
  8. Meeting Adjourned