The situation with public defenders in New Orleans is not one with which I'm particularly familiar (though I did send your article to our pro bono coordinator).

That said, I have been working with a dedicated and talented group of volunteer lawyers who have been helping hurricane victims get back on their feet by resisting efforts by the federal government (FEMA in particular) to seek repayment of disaster aid. Some 60,000 hurricane victims have received so-called "recoupment notices" in the last six months. Many of these people live at or near the poverty line, and receved a few thousand dollars in emergency assistance and other aid after Katrina.

The GAO reported that FEMA mismanaged (read: lost) approximately $1 billion in aid money after Katrina. Rather than conduct an audit, FEMA is engaging in a scortched-earth policy, essentially turning due process on its head and demanding aid recipients to prove that they are not crooks.

Pro bono attorneys from large firms nationwide, working closely with Mississippi Legal Aid, recently won a huge victory in Federal Court. FEMA is enjoined from further collection activities until it comports with due process.

Meanwhile, those of us 'in the trenches' continue to fight for individual clients. The going is slow but steady, and the tide appears to be turning in our favor.

It's too bad that this situation hasn't garnered the sort of media attention that it deserves - FEMA making victims of Gulf Residents all over again.