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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1974)
, vf . y e if - w usiness By Mary Beth Grange After five months of operation, it is difficult to get an appointment with the Student Services Center. According to ASUN president Ron Ciingenpeel, "students are booked up four or five days in advance." Ciingenpeel estimates that lawyers H. Bruce Hamilton and Douglas German have been contacted by about 100 students a month since the center opened in mid-November. Free legal service is available to all UNL students at the center. Its establishment was a major ASUN project of Ann Henry's administration. After the idea was approved by the ASUN Senate, a committee researched the proposal, established administration procedures and interviewed lawyers. The Board of Regents approved the plan, but restricted the lawyers from making court appearances for their student clients. This restriction has not been as limiting as he first anticipated, German said. "Students realized the limites were imposed by the regents," he explained. "They genuinely felt the service they were getting was valuable." German estimated that students are referred to other lawyers about three times a week for legal assistance the student lawyers can't provide. "The majority of questions are very simple but very unnerving to individuals if they don't, have the answer," German said. "They would be reluctant to go to a downtown law firm." Typical cases fall in two catego ria s' fu I i ihdlord-tenant problems and students who have been arrested for driving while intoxicated, German said. 10-peel (iersilleur fer -port style handlebar Dual-Position caliper twake lever Twin StikTM gearshift control 0.0 : $103.95 At home on the campu, in tow", or on a country lane, Schwinn't out landing lightweight bike with feature costing much more. Twin Stik gear l-iift control, dual pention caliper ltrke lever. Diamond style carbon U'I frame. Oumwtll tire. Come In today for a test ride you'll be g!J you did. linCQLN SCIlWlfli J CYCHilY 3321 PIONEER 488-2101 Weekdays: 8-5:30 Thursday: 8-8 Saturday: 0-4 booming He said in each case he assesses whether it wouid be profitable for the client to hire an attorney. He informs Students Of ilieii" jiyiils and responsibilities. "The layman, even in major cases, doesn't know the first two or three steps to take," he said. In addition to a half -hour interview, German said he works about a half an hour on each case. He estimates 85 of the students who consult the lawyers live off campus. He said male clients outnumber females 4 to 1 . Although most of the first month's clients had some connection with ASUN, German said now they're "getting a pretty good range of THE ENTIR i 1 FEATURI OF BEAU EUROPEAN CLASSICAL RECORDINGS SELECTSON3 PERFORMED ON ORIGINAL INSTURMENTS a t i mm i n i. w i wii' HOURS MON-FRI 10-9 SAT 9-6 Every LP & tcps gvsrcntegd ncv lipsrt fsbspteyb fa fee!? yet at Student Legal S students." The legal service is financed by ASUN. "It is the largest ASUN budget item this year," Ciingenpeel said. The lawyers work a combined 20 hours a week at $12.50 an hour, about haif the average fee at a downtown law firm. Student clients who responded Jo a questionnaire said they were willing to contribute from $1.25 to $10 of their student fees for the program. Sue Overing, former ASUN second vice president, said she questioned the procedure for paying the lawyers. "There needs to be closer control on funding," she said. A provision in the lawyers' NG, FRO 1 'gl,lW''''i' 1FUL SOU THE NEW DON ELLIS-"HAIKU" I if rft- P. v. - . - ., 1 f :: ! o V 1 244 N. 1 2th 475-6296 I ffi,.f I ' " contracts provides for overtime pay, she said, but there is no provision if the lawyers work less than 20 hours per week. Next year's budget request is the same as this year, Ciingenpeel said. $7,500 has been requested for the lawyers' salaries, $1,620 for secretarial work and $250 for office supplies. German suggested the office be moved from ASUN offices on the Nebraska Union third floor. He said the ASUN office had "quite a bit of activity." A separate office also would insure students of confidentiality, he said. Overing said she would like the office to be more visible to the students. ifj i gg g CATALOGUE REDUCED 35 OFF LIST MT HE RAINBOW NDS r-. n f?4 rp FROM ISffiASlf o , - ' ... t i ..ie8" : IN lUNt ;ir, r 1 J STEREO j harmonla mundi THE I 'HI in -i. .iff. .1 fc-t I .1 . I 3 If r enippQ Both Overing and Henry said the idea of merging the legal center with the University ' ombudsman's office had possibilities. Henry said German is writing a booklet giving renters advice about leases. It is scheduled , for distribution before school is out. The two lawyers also helped with a seminar this semester on how to use the small claims court. German said at this time he and Hamilton do not intend to reapply for the positions. Ha jsaid he wants to spend time on problems more interesting and 'concentrate on the growth of Ihis own law firm downtown. Ciingenpeel said interviews for next year's lawyers will be this summer. ' GNU "1 ... 1 1 r.!US!C PEOPLE if II i I . 'w v-..mt. 4 ' ffmmv 8 .. I Lav I I I I L i v 1 t V 1 C r - '. " If . .. . - r -..-- a I 1V t I t i "; x 1 M WuikJ VCi: ,' page 1 1 Wednesday, april 24, 1974 daily nebraskan
