How many good viable cases go unnoticed.
MSW/JD, University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work offers an MSW-JD degree. Over twenty universities offer the jd-msw degree.
This was very interesting to me as in Broward county florida a social worker has been up against some severe criticism for starting a bar Association. Lets take a further look. According to the university of Pittsburgh:
more and more, social workers (MSW's) and lawyers are working together to enhance the well-being of their clients. These areas of union exist in practice with individuals, families, and groups as well as with communities and organizations. The intersection of the legal community and social worker is also evident at the policy level, and research from both professional disciplines has been used to inform these activities. It is not uncommon for practitioners from both fields to work together to draft, implement, and/or advocate for legislation at the local, state, and federal levels.
So it appears we may have a new place for social workers. What an interesting combination.
There are many unique benefits in putting this team together.
The skilled social worker (MSW) can bring many helpful communication tools
to the practice of law include interviewing, empathic
listening, identification of clients' goals, evaluation, crisis
intervention, and trust. In addition,both a social workers clients and an attorney clients must
often overcome a number of barriers, legal and otherwise.
Since the two fields complement each other so well, both lawyers and
social workers can work as a team in the legal practice and the community at large
to provide better service to the client seeking legal advice.
clients.From the clients' perspective, a social worker is non threatening,a listener and a helper.
People with legal problems feel helpless. There are very few MSW/JD's. Even without a JD a social worker who has worked with attorneys and clients in need of legal help can be the sensitive voice for the legal community.
The social worker has been trained to understand the client in distress. This is not part of the lawyers background. Wht an unbeatable combination and winning team. In Broward county Florida a social worker saw this potential and took a step foward. And old friend once told me
dont create a need but, find a need and fill it.
Lisa Spitzer,M.S.W.,L.C.S.W,is the founder of The Jewish American Bar Association. She began her career in downtown Brooklyn, NY working for Family Court visiting families to help remove endangered infants and children. She interned at Matteawan Psychiatric Hospital for the Criminally Insane,is a graduate of NYU School of Social Work and enjoyed a career with The NYS Dept.of Mental Hygiene,eventually rising to executive administrator of the geriatric psychiatric facility at Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in Wingdale , New York.
A Boca Raton ,Florida resident for over twenty years, she has won several awards for successful women in business.She has devoted herself to working with people in need ,first with a medical referral service, and since 1996 with a Florida and Georgia Bar authorized lawyer referral service. Her continuing dream is the establishment of Senior Protective Service , helping assure that as we age we are never alone.
A social worker teaming up with and the voice for a legal organization. What an interesting concept. Perhaps we can finally change the public view of the legal community.
