Community Legal Services Office: Main Entrance in Wintertime
Not Your Typical Downtown New York Office Tower
The image at the left shows the entrance to Bob Hanson's home office during the winter time. Snow on the ground isn't unusual for the entrance to Bob's office, situated at the shore of White Sand Lake on the Ojibwe Reservation in rural northern Wisconsin, near Lac du Flambeau: his Jeep gets him to and from court (when the roads allow), and his clients get to his office by snowmobile, foot or horseback, as well as car and truck. For Bob, going to court can mean travel to one of two tribal courts (one more than 60 miles away), or the nearest state court (a 73-mile round trip).
The population of the Lac du Flambeau area is about 2000 in the wintertime, but expands to about 100,000 when tourists flock to the area in the summer.
Technology Where Access Often Is Truly "Remote"
Until recently, Bob Hanson's office was limited to slow dial-up modem access to the internet: if Bob's office manager and assistant (wife, Dedie) wanted to download large files or take advantage of faster access, she would drive to a casino in a nearby town, and access the internet there. Now, Bob and Dedie have satellite access to the internet, but the nearest 3G service is still more than 100 miles from the office.
Bob's clients are a mix of native and non-native residents of the Lac Flambeau area, and Bob does a lot of legal aid work. Even with the challenges of access to services and the occasional power failure, Bob and Dedie Hanson have made a point of keeping up with technological change. "We like this life, and I want to keep serving this community, so we have to be very concerned about efficiency while providing clients with the representation they deserve" says Bob. Bob's wife, Dedie (office paralegal, bookkeeper and manager), agrees: "Bob is in court most days, so I'm the one who handles the front-line contact with our clients. I need to know Bob's schedule, and the status of his files. I also have to be able to check for conflicts, and know how to contact clients and witnesses in a hurry when I have to. LawStream helps me keep everything under control. Even if there isn't a fancy coffee shop around the corner, we want to be able to do the best for all our clients; and besides, coffee's always on for clients in our office."
Community Legal Services Office Paralegal, Dedie Hanson"With one paralegal/assistant and two part-time staff working with me, we're a small office; but with cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides, we need powerful software to help us keep the office finances and time under control."
A Holistic Approach to Law
"Our LawStream software isn't the most important part of our office, but it definitely is important, and it helps us focus on the most important reason for our work: helping clients." Dedie's comments reflect her background and training. Clients arrive at the Community Legal Services Office with all sorts of problems, and they arrive in all sorts of psychological states. Dedie is very close to completing her master's degree in counseling, and she has plenty of opportunities to use her education, compassion and understanding in helping the firm's clients. "This law office is only one part of a suite of services that Bob's clients need", says Dedie. "When I meet with clients in this office, I try my best to guide them into services that will, I hope, end the cycle of criminal activity. I can really see how their actions can be fueled by alcohol, drugs, poverty and desperation."
Service to Clients and Country
Vietnam vet Bob Hanson continues to dedicate his energies to helping others. Dedie Hanson's admiration for her husband Bob is clear, when she describes the kinds of serious cases he handles: "It is very humbling to have someone's life in your hands, and Bob is very aware of the responsibility he has." Bob arrived in the legal profession later in life than many. He was in his early forties when he became an attorney, after serving his country in the Vietman war, and after his "first career" as an art teacher (you can see an example of one of his paintings, near the bottom of this web page). Although Bob hasn't totally abandoned his artistic side, he has wholeheartedly dedicated himself to the community he serves.
Bob has served others all his adult life, and continues to do so. Starting with his clinical experience in law school, he became very aware of the need to make legal services available to those in need, and has spent most of his career helping the less fortunate. Bob (with the dedicated assistance of Dedie) has had an office in the Lake Flambeau area for almost ten years, and he is clearly an important part of the community. Bob not only helps his clients in court: he also speaks at a local treatment center, where he teaches people about addiction and legal issues. Bob and Dedie also remain active in politics.
Service to Law Offices
When you have a home-based office on the shore of White Sand Lake, you can't rely on a service center in your building, or a tech consultant who can arrive at your office on a moment's notice. You have to use your own skill, and when necessary you have to count on support personnel for the software you use. Here's what Dedie says about the support the Community Legal services gets from PowerSoft Innovations:
"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to use LawStream, but sometimes we do need help in using it. When it comes to support, we have been totally pleased and impressed by the support we get for LawStream from the people at PowerSoft Innovations. I can always count on the LawStream support staff to guide me through areas where I need help. They have really gone above and beyond what I expected."
Bob Hanson: Community Legal Services
Small Office - Big Commitment
Bob Hanson at his home overlooking White Sand Lake
