HAP’s Senior Staff Attorney Pat Malley and Director of Operations Tanya Rambert, with help from Dechert legal assistant Denise Neris, negotiated with the attorney for the Puerto Rico Department of Vital Records to obtain clarification of the application process to receive birth certificates from Puerto Rico.  After months of HAP volunteers having their clients’ applications returned due to lack of submission of a court-issued certificate of attorney “good standing,” HAP advocates were finally able to speak with the attorney in Puerto Rico and explain that PA License ID cards are issued yearly and only to attorneys in good standing. Now, under a new protocol, attorneys may submit copies of their attorney ID cards, state photo ID, and a copy of the PA Disciplinary Board web page that documents current attorney “active status.” HAP and its volunteers now have the go-ahead to resubmit recently returned birth certificate applications and will, hopefully, once again begin receiving these critical documents for clients. Click here for information on requesting Puerto Rico birth certificates for HAP clients.