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Legal aid attorney takes the helm at the Portage County Bar Association
Published: April 30, 2012
She became an attorney to help level the playing field for the poor and less fortunate, and that is exactly what Jennifer van Dulmen has been doing for years.
Managing attorney for Community Legal Aid’s volunteer legal services program since 2006, van Dulmen recently took the reins as president of the Portage County Bar Association, hoping to encourage the spirit of volunteerism among attorneys even more.
“One of my goals is to find ways to communicate to the public about all the good work that lawyers in Portage County are doing,” said van Dulmen. “As a managing attorney, I deal with members of eight bar associations, but I was very involved with those in Portage because I lived there for so long.
“I know for a fact that attorneys at this bar association have a high rate of participation in pro bono activities, and I want to make sure their commitment does not go unnoticed.”
Born in South Dakota, van Dulmen moved to Minnesota, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in family social science and a master’s degree in family education from the University of Minnesota. She graduated from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2004, moving to Kent right after graduation where she worked for a small law firm, and later opened her own practice, handling bankruptcy, criminal, juvenile and domestic relations cases.
Her job at Community Legal Aid Services Inc. in Akron involves helping clients to connect with private attorneys as well as developing pro bono programs and working with local bar associations to find resources for those with legal needs.
She also works with the organization’s HelpLine, which screens clients to assess their needs, offering paralegal and attorney assistance when appropriate.
“My family has always been supportive of my career, and I think the fact that I’ve chosen to use my law degree to help the poor and elderly makes them proud,” said van Dulmen.
A recent resident of Stow, van Dulmen and her husband spent years in the Kent community, where her husband is a professor at Kent State University. Just last year, they adopted three children between the ages of four and seven.
“I have a very supportive husband, and my kids are proud of me. They always ask if I helped someone today,” said van Dulmen, who added that her work and family keep her quite busy.
She is currently helping to organize a free walk-in legal clinic on Wednesday, May 2 for Law Day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Job Center at 1040 E. Tallmadge Ave., in Akron.
“In past years this clinic has been very successful. We’ve had over 100 people show up and receive legal advice on a wide variety of civil legal problems. There are also a number of representatives from government and consumer agencies who provide supplementary services.”
Although she is still settling into her role as Portage County Bar Association president, she said she has a good role model in former president, Stephen Smith.
“He did a great job as president in working to maintain the programs and stature of the association,” said van Dulmen. “He also got the website up and running and helped make sure our grievance committee remained intact. As president, I will continue to monitor our progress in meeting the more formal and strenuous requirements for maintaining certification.”
Smith said he feels confident handing over the reins to van Dulmen.
"She is very organized and focused and gets things done. As vice president, she was very committed and came to understand the duties of the president. I believe this preparation and her interest will enable her to do a great job."
Jane Taylor, associate director for pro bono and communications at the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, also expressed confidence in her abilities.
“I have known Jennifer since she started at legal aid and I think she is awesome,” said Taylor. “I work with her to help maximize the legal services delivered to low-income people by recruiting volunteer lawyers in private practice to take pro bono cases and making sure those pro bono resources are utilized in the most efficient way possible. There is no challenge too daunting for her. She seems to get bored if she is not working hard enough.
“As a legal aid attorney, she is very involved in the bar associations in the communities which she serves. She has had a positive impact on the pro bono culture in Akron, and enhanced the environment that already existed in Portage. I think she will make a great bar president,” said Taylor.