The Colorado Supreme Court Oath of Admission asks future attorneys to swear to “use their knowledge for the betterment of society and the improvement of the legal system” and to “never reject . . . the cause of the defenseless or oppressed.”

CPLP partners with Colorado attorneys to help the critically indigent tackle legal barriers to avoid or transition from homelessness.

In this regard, CPLP provides Colorado lawyers with diverse opportunities to fulfill their Oath of Admission and professional responsibilities under Colorado's Rules of Professional Conduct (Rule) 6.1 whose official comments provide that “[e]very lawyer, regardless of professional prominence or professional workload, has a responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay.”n(Colo. RPC 6.1; Colo. RPC 6.1, cmt. 1)

Blair Kanis, CPLP co-founder explained CPLP was created to address the critical need for legal services among the disadvantaged and persons of limited means, “the legal issues faced by individuals living in poverty are delicately interconnected. If one unravels, it can quickly have a disastrous effect on so many other aspects of someone’s life. For example, an improper benefit denial for even just a couple of months can lead to eviction and homelessness that impacts child custody... CPLP seeks to help this population mitigate as many of these negative impacts as possible, or to help provide guidance on how to pick up the legal pieces afterwards [sic] (Colorado Lawyer, Jan 2019)."

3 OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE SOMEONE's LIFE:

1. Monthly pro bono Legal Clinic

2. Know Your Rights Education and Training

3. Eviction Prevention Program

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• This month, CPLP launched a pilot program in Adams County as part of its new Mobile Home Park Initiative to expand education and representation for mobile home residents

• More than 100,000 people live in more than 900 mobile home communities across Colorado. The Colorado legislature adopted the 1985 Mobile Home Park Act (MHPA) because mobile homes represent one of the only accessible, affordable housing options for many people in Colorado.

• Corporations and developers continue to raise rents and to close mobile home parks to maximize land values to the detriment of the working poor.

• The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected mobile home residents, decreasing housing stability even further.

• The 2019 Mobile Home Park Amendments provided additional protections for mobile homeowners and established the MHPA Dispute Resolution and Enforcement Program.  However, these protections are ineffective if mobile home residents don't know their rights.

• A free 90-minute Colorado approved CLE webinar, "A Colorado Lawyer’s Guide to Mobile Homeowner and Tenant Advocacy Under the Mobile Home Park Act and Amendments, Including New 2020 Legislative Protections" featured Jason Legg with Cadiz Law, LLC (Denver, Colorado), CPLP co-founder Blair Kanis and CPLP Deputy Executive Director Shannon MacKenzie.

a volunteer attorney, you will benefit from:

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• Continuing Learning Education Seminars

Recently, the free 90-minute Colorado approved CLE webinar, "A Colorado Lawyer’s Guide to Mobile Homeowner and Tenant Advocacy Under the Mobile Home Park Act and Amendments, Including New 2020 Legislative Protections" featured Jason Legg with Cadiz Law, LLC (Denver, Colorado), CPLP co-founder Blair Kanis and CPLP Deputy Executive Director Shannon MacKenzie.

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• Support from the CPLP Leadership Team & from our partners; organizations that advocate for protective laws