D.C. Law Firm, SCALJC to Litigate Public Phone Case in S.C.

S.C. Appleseed Voice. Volume I, Issue II (June 2003)

The D.C. law firm of Levine, Blaszak, Block and Boothby and Columbia attorney Bill Hines have joined SCALJC in its efforts to preserve the availability of pay phone service for the people of the state. They have agreed to join SCALJC in representing The Women's Shelter of Columbia in an intervention of BellSouth Public Communications' petition to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to discontinue their pay phone service in South Carolina. Over 10,000 pay phones would be shutdown around the state if the petition is approved. The Women's Shelter provides emergency and transitional housing to numerous women each year; concerned that it would not be able to provide affordable phone service for these women, shelter director Kathy Riley turned to SCALJC for help.

LBBB attorneys Laura McDonald, Marc Lindsey and Steve Rosen are providing expert assistance on this case. Hank Levine, senior partner with LBBB, serves on the Board of Appleseed Foundation and is the Board liaison to our Center. His firm specializes in telecommunications law and was happy to provide co-counsel for the case. Bill Hines, a former S.C. Bar Pro Bono Service Award winner and long-time supporter of the Women's Shelter, also readily agreed to provide representation.

This issue is critical because many low income South Carolinians cannot afford landlines or cell phone service and rely on pay phones for work, health and safety. The matter is now pending before the PSC.