Doug Tate Finds Joy in his Pro Bono Practice
MAVL Attorney Doug Tate of McGuire, Wood & Bissette knows what it means to put your heart into your pro bono work and find joy—just ask Jeri Sorrells. Jeri was on the verge of homelessness when her landlord cut off the water to her dilapidated trailer. Doug stepped in and won her a rent abatement settlement that allowed her to move into a nicer apartment with her dog.
Doug viewed the case as a "joy" because his client took responsibility for herself and, with his help, lifted herself up out of a bad housing situation. Doug was concerned for Jeri's welfare, but more importantly, she was too. As Doug reports, "she had reached a point in her life where she was not going to take it any longer. She didn't want to sit idly by and wait for the legal system to do something; she wanted to be an active participant in the process. She wanted to stand up for herself. I just facilitated her being able to do it."
Doug explained the impact of the MAVL Program and his pro bono services: "I think the thing that helped her the most was knowing that she wasn't alone and she had MAVL on her side. She knew that with our help she was going to be able to create a better situation for herself, her dog and cat. Because she had confidence in Pisgah Legal Services and MAVL she did exactly what she was asked to do every step of the way. As a result, she is taking better care of herself and living in a place that she doesn't have to worry about."
Jeri relays that MAVL has a "real jewel" on its hands with Doug Tate. He was extremely concerned about her living conditions and her personal welfare, in addition to her legal situation. According to Jeri, Doug not only transformed her housing problems, he also encouraged her stand up for herself against abusive authority for the first time in her life; thus, helping her both personally, as well as legally.
In fact, the entire legal process was fun, according to both, because Jeri repeatedly joked and tried to teach Doug the law. According to Doug, Jeri watched too much Law and Order and kept wanting to "habeas corpus" someone. While Doug had to explain that "habeas corpus" wouldn't work in this situation, he knew what she meant and that she was on the right track. She was always appreciative of anything and everything he did.
Doug Tate's story shows us that it is possible to forge meaningful, and even fun, bonds with our pro bono clients. It is possible to empower our clients, not only to win their legal cases, but to assert themselves to stand up and fight injustice, perhaps for the first time in their lives. Jeri's case demonstrates that the caring, sensitive, human hand of an attorney can be the catalyst for both legal and personal transformation.
