ACLU-WV Celebrates the Hiring of First Staff Attorney
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2004
Contact: Andrew Schneider,
(304) 345-9246
CHARLESTON – The ACLU of West Virginia will hold a public reception to welcome its first staff attorney, Terri Baur. This newly created position will vastly increase the organization’s ability to take legal action when constitutional rights are violated in the Mountain State. Ms. Baur joins an ACLU affiliate that only ten years ago had no paid full-time staff.
“The hiring of a staff attorney comes during a momentous period of growth for our affiliate,” said Andrew Schneider, Executive Director of the ACLU of West Virginia. “In the past two years, in response to the growing threats to civil liberties under Attorney General John Ashcroft’s Justice Department, our membership has more than doubled and our fundraising has more than tripled. Our new staff attorney will transform our ability to be the watchdog, and if necessary, bulldog for the Bill of Rights.”
The welcome reception and fundraiser for the ACLU-WV’s first staff attorney will be on Monday, March 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 205 Capitol Street in Charleston Food and refreshments will be served. Minimum contribution is $20 and is tax-deductible. Please RSVP by Thursday, March 25th to wvclu@aol.com or call (304) 345-9262.
Ms. Baur is a native of Charleston, West Virginia. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Florida with a B.A. in English. She also received an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado. Terri enjoyed a long career in human services before earning her J.D. degree from California Western School of Law in 1997.
Since graduation, Terri served as a volunteer immigrant rights attorney for a year with the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program where she was recognized for her Pro Bono Legal Services. Between 1998 and 2001, she served as a staff attorney for that organization, providing legal assistance to prisoners and other indigent civil rights litigants. For the last three years, Terri was Executive Director of the State of California Developmental Disabilities Area Board XIII where she advocated for the civil rights of persons with developmental disabilities in the San Diego area.
“As a member of the ACLU, Ms. Baur is passionate about civil liberties issues. She describes this position as her ‘dream job,’” said Andrew Schneider. “We are fortunate to have someone of her caliber and enthusiasm join our team.”