Events
Throughout the year, Neighborhood Legal Services hosts a variety of meetings and community events. Check back often to stay up-to-date.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 | 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
60 Years of Impact: Landmark Cases that Shaped Justice in Western Pennsylvania
(In Person CLE Seminar)
Location Change: Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C., Wiley Conference Center at Four Gateway Center, 444 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Please do not go to the City-County Building.
For six decades, Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS) has stood at the forefront of advocacy, utilizing civil legal aid as a powerful engine for systemic change across Western Pennsylvania. In celebration of NLS’s 60th anniversary, this CLE program brings together longtime advocates and local institutional memory to examine pivotal cases that redefined public interest law in our region and beyond.
The panel will delve into historic milestones, including:
School Desegregation & Civil Rights: The landmark Dorothy Hoots v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 359 F. Supp. 807 (W.D. Pa. 1973) litigation. Filed in 1971, this historic case spanned over 30 years, resulted in eight Third Circuit decisions (e.g., 639 F.2d 972), and brought together the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and pro bono counsel to desegregate local public schools and establish the Woodland Hills School District.
Institutional Reform & Jail Conditions: Eighth Amendment conditions litigation in Inmates of the Allegheny County Jail v. Wecht, 573 F. Supp. 454 (W.D. Pa. 1983), which reshaped local detention conditions and ultimately drove the construction of a new Allegheny County Jail.
U.S. Supreme Court Precedent: The legacy of Clark v. Jeter, 486 U.S. 456 (1988), the second NLS case argued before the nation’s highest court, which successfully challenged disparate statutes of limitation establishing paternity for children born out of wedlock on Equal Protection grounds.
Public Housing & Civil Rights: Systemic civil rights litigation addressing racial segregation in public housing in Sanders v. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 872 F. Supp. 216 (W.D. Pa. 1994).
Elder Justice & Innovative Impact Advocacy: Creative applications of civil RICO statutory remedies in Hopkins v. Nursing Home Defendants (Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas) to dismantle widespread financial abuse targeting vulnerable senior citizens in nursing homes.
Through firsthand stories from lead litigators and veteran news coverage, this panel explores effective impact litigation strategies, multi-decade structural reform, and the lasting power of civil legal aid in Western Pennsylvania.
This seminar has been approved for 1 substantive CLE credit and .5 ethics CLE credit.
Presenters:
- Don Driscoll, Esq. (Of Counsel; Community Justice Project)
- Daniel Haller, Esq. (Emeritus Attorney, Neighborhood Legal Services)
- Harold Hayes (Retired Journalist, KDKA-TV)
- Eileen Yacknin, Esq. (Emeritus Attorney, Neighborhood Legal Services)
Moderator: I. Kristine Bergstrom, Esq. (Executive Director, Neighborhood Legal Services)
Advance registration is required.
For any questions, comments, concerns, or disability accommodation requests, please contact: Quiona Glover, Pro Bono Coordinator, at GloverQ@nlsa.us
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Community. Cases. Coffee
(We've got the last one covered!)
Join us for a morning of coffee, pastries & gratitude for your dedication to the incredible pro bono work you do!
Stop by our Allegheny County office located at 928 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 from 9 AM to 11 AM.
To let us know you're coming, please click here and if you have any questions, please contact: Quiona Glover, Pro Bono Coordinator, at GloverQ@nlsa.us
Friday, November 6, 2026 | 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM
(Registration and Breakfast begins at 8:30 AM)
Helping Domestic Violence Victims Obtain Protection from Abuse Orders
(In Person CLE Seminar)
Help domestic violence victims obtain Protection from Abuse orders! Join Neighborhood Legal Services, the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, and the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh for this informative event.
This CLE will train attorneys to assist domestic violence victims in obtaining protection from abuse orders in Allegheny County. This seminar has been approved for 3 substantive CLE credits and 1 ethics CLE credit.
Advance registration is required. Registration will begin at 8:30 am and breakfast and lunch are included courtesy of the event host.
For any questions, comments, concerns, or disability accommodation requests, please contact: Quiona Glover, Pro Bono Coordinator, at GloverQ@nlsa.us