Visionary Legal Projects - Supporting Trends in Legal Thought and Practice
Gina has always been a person with big ideas with a bit of the "help change the world" spirit. With our unique experience in the legal field, these projects have quite naturally centered on aiding that profession in a number of ways.
DOCKETcms Software for Courts
Docket Software, LLC, develops innovative applications for lawyers and Judges. Docket Software's first product, DOCKETcms, will launch in beta in 2011. Available for testing to a limited number of judges, the focus of this project is to influence courts and legal professionals to take advantage of Web-based technologies, mobile and virtual computing environments while promoting time and energy efficiency for courts and litigators.
Legal Trends Network
Legal Trends Network is an online information service for lawyers, judges, academicians, law students and other professionals promoting therapeutic, restorative and social justice and exploring issues relating to satisfaction within the practice of law. A monumental undertaking, Legal Trends Network includes components on virtual technology for the legal community, alternative modalities of conflict and dispute resolution and criminal justice reform.
Legal Trends Network is intended to offer an additional layer of personal branding and exposure for professionals practicing law in more holistic ways, incorporating therapeutic remedies within the structure of the court system, and utilizing innovative practices within law office management and coaching.
Legal Trends Network pre-launched in June of 2008 and is and relauched in November, 2010. Legal Trends Network is a free service and is Gina Drew's personal pro bono effort in expanding legal thought and practice.
The Community Restorative Garden Initiative
Mission: "Our highest endeavor must be to create free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives."
~Rudolph Steiner, father of Bio-dynamic farming and Waldorf EducationThe Community Restorative Garden Initiative is an idea for an alternative sentencing juvenile justice program aimed at curbing incarceration and recidivism rates in non-violent youth up to the age 25. CRGI will provided alternative forms of education, creative inspiration and work-based skills in an organic farming environment.
In researching material for the Legal Trends Network, Gina became hyperaware of the challenges facing criminal justice system-involved youth. In light of this new awareness, an alternative sentencing project based in education, creativity and compassion - and the platform upon which it could be built - began to emerge and was developed more substantially through inspiration and skillsets acquired in creating the TEDx conferences (see below.) CRGI obtained its non-profit status in October, 2010. In January 2011, Gina partnered with Western Carolina University and AB Tech to build the foundations of a business, a therapeutic educational facility and a life skills training program in a package that can serve youth in all 50 states. It will take a while to get this one off the ground, but the future and the suppot is promising. To find out more about this important initiative, write gina@ginadrew.com.
TEDxAsheville 2009 & 2010
A long time TED fan, Gina served as Director of Marketing for TEDxAsheville 2009 and 2010. In August 2009, TEDxAsheville's premier event took place at The Orange Peel in Asheville, in a unique rock show format, to promulgate "ideas worth spreading". Working with some of the most professional talent in North Carolina - from stage managers to designers and videographers - the event was a technical sensation. Some of the inaugural speakers included David McConville (The Elumenati), Drew Jones (The Sustainability Institute), Dee Eggers (UNC-A Professor, Environmental Sciences), and Robert Zimmerman (Education Web Developer), along with preformers, slam-poet Glennis Redmon, and Stephanie's Id.
The 2010 conference took place on August 29 at the Orange Peel before a sold out crowd. The performance lineup included "The Last American Man" Eustace Conway, 2009 CNN Hero Doc Hendley, Innerprenuer John Miles, Filmmaker Angela Shelton, and Activist Laurie Masterson, with performers River Guerguerian, Billy Jonas and James Nave.
Community Projects
Habitat for Humanity 2011 Women's Build Project
Gina was appointed to the leadership committee for the 2011 Women Build Project for Habitat for Humanity. The first Women Build project was sponsored by the Buncombe County Women Attorneys in 1994 and the 2011 house will be the sixth such build of its kind. The 2011 Leadership Committee has been challenged to raise $42,000 to finance the cost of the Women Build home. Construction will start in March 2011.
Raise the Age North Carolina
As part of the overall push for a stronger juvenile justice system, Gina is dedicating her time to the Raise the Age North Carolina Campaign. North Carolina is currently (2010) one of only two states in the nation that manditorily prosecutes 16 and 17 year-old children in adult courts. The Raise the Age North Carolina Campaign is spearheading efforts to amend this legislation and raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18. This important legislation, promoted by Senator Don Davis, Representative Earline Parmon, Senator Ellie Kinnaird and Representative Alice Bordsen, is a necessary and foundational change to the landscape of juvenile justice in North Carolina. Please support it by signing the petition at Change.Org.
Pope for Superior Court 2010
In 2010, Gina was been selected from many candidates to provide legal marketing and administraitve services for District Court Judge Marvin Pope's successful bid for Superior Court in North Carolina. While the committee was vastly skilled in its breadth of knowledge and community, Gina provided website design, print media marketing, event coordination, social media management and helped in the administration effort for the campaign that strengthened the Superior Court bench in Buncombe County. Judge Pope's elevation to Superior Court represents a big win for the State and Gina was proud to be involved in this effort.
Twestival Community Projects to Benefit Charity
In its second year in Asheville, Gina helped to develop marketing and sponsorship support for the Twestival Charitable event in 2010. Twestival is a group of social media professionals and enthusiasts coming together in cities globally to support endeavors that better communities. The 2010 event raised money for Concern Worldwide. Twestival Global Asheville's 25 volunteers and 255 attendees raised over $4,700 to benefit education in poverty stricken communities - approximately three times the national average when population demographics were considered. Gina is proud to be a part of this worthwhile endeavor.
