John Kacavas, a partner at the Manchester-based law firm Kacavas & Ramsdell, offered five hours of confidential individual consultations in half-hour blocks Tuesday in Collis.
The service was first offered in the spring of 2006 following Green Key weekend.
"We're offering it again this year because it was a huge success last time," said Josh Jacobson '09, chair of the Committee on Student Organizations, which organized Kacavas' visit.
A project proposal had to be resubmitted again this year, but depending on success this term, Jacobson plans on submitting a proposal that will allow for regular attorney visits every term. Of the Assembly's total budget of $68,000, $950 was allocated for this project, up from the $875 spent last year because of the firm's yearly rate increases.
Kacavas is the same attorney hired last spring. According to Neil Kandler '09, who directed the project and was also on the committee last year, Kacavas was chosen because he was the most cost-effective option and also had experience both as defense attorney and prosecutor, a background relevant to both the accused and victims.
Kacavas said he agreed to the project after he represented a Dartmouth student who had been falsely accused of a crime (which he would not name). Most of the students that come in for advice, he said, are already in a legal conundrum.
"It's important for students to understand what their rights are so they can preempt these problems," he said.
For instance, Kacavas mentioned a legal advantage of living in New Hampshire: In some legal situations, students in the state are protected more by the New Hampshire State Constitution, which took effect in 1784, than by the United States Constitution, adopted in 1788.
Jacobson says he expects the majority of legal questions to concern alcohol infractions. When students signed up for the service they were asked to provide a brief summary of their questions which varied from legal emancipation from parents to acting as plaintiffs in their own cases.
"It's not just for students who are only looking for a free card out, there's a lot of other random issues," said Kandler.
Kandler sees this service as a stepping stone to the creation of a permanent legal service offered by the College. He cited the University of Vermont as an example of a school that provided free legal services for its students.
"We realize there's a service hole and this [project] is a way to advocate for the school to create more legal services," Kandler said.
Kandler also plans on taking advantage of the attorney's legal expertise to compile a "legal handbook" for students. He envisions the handbook -- which will include legal advice regarding landlords, housing leases and alcohol and academic infractions -- to be something students can conveniently turn to.
Ten students signed up for the service this term -- fewer compared to last spring -- but Kandler attributes this to the lower enrollment winters in Hanover typically beget. All the offered time slots were filled, and the hours may be extended for next term.
