West Pasco Bar Association

Pro Bono Matters

BAY AREA VOLUNTEER LAWYERS PROGRAM: 

Northwest (Pasco and North Pinellas County)

About Us:
Bay Area Legal Services partnered with the West Pasco and Clearwater Bar Association's to establish the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program - Northwest office (BAVLP-NW) in January of 2014. BAVLP-NW provides pro bono services to the under-served population of North Pinellas County and Pasco County.  Similar to the Original Volunteer Lawyers Program in Tampa, attorneys are able to donate their time and share their expertise to help residents of these counties.  The BAVLP-NW collaborates with professional associations, law firms, the judiciary and the local bar sections and committees to offer a wide array of pro bono projects.

 Pro Bono Opportunities for Pinellas and Pasco County Attorneys:

There are a variety of pro bono opportunities available. Whether you are a new or seasoned attorney, we can assist you with choosing a volunteer opportunity that suits your interests, skills and availability. If you would like to join our pro bono efforts, we would love to hear from you! To volunteer, contact Julie Ann Ember at jembler@bals.org or Nery Alonso at nalonso@bals.org.


Case Referral Panel

Accept civil case referrals in those areas of the law that you have designated. Low-income clients are screened for eligibility and cases are reviewed for legal merit prior to referral.

Client Intake

Interview and advise eligible clients at various intake locations around the community. No experience is necessary. New volunteers can shadow experienced attorneys. Training provided.
 

Family Forms Clinics

Help pro se litigants complete family law forms. Staff is available to answer any questions. New volunteers can shadow experienced attorneys. No family law experience needed. Training is provided.


Stetson Bankruptcy Practicum

Handle a Chapter 7 or 13 Bankruptcy case via Stetson Law School’s new Bankruptcy Practicum. Experienced bankruptcy attorneys are needed to mentor up to three Stetson students during the course of representation on a Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy case. For details, contact Sue-Helen Motley at smotley@bals.org

Law Firm Pro Bono Collaboration

Is your firm looking for a pro bono project? If so, we would love to join forces and make it happen! 


Pro Bono Attorney Benefits:

Volunteer attorneys who participate in a BAVLP-NW pro bono project receive some great benefits, including:

  • The opportunity to expand your legal expertise or develop new legal skills
  • Training, mentoring, and supervision for many projects
  • Assisting clients with meritorious claims who have been pre-screened for eligibility
  • Reimbursement for litigation costs and other case-related expenses
  • Participation in projects that have been exclusively developed to address the legal needs of our community
  • CLE credit for some training
  • The opportunity to network within the legal community
  • Liability insurance coverage for BAVLP-NW projects
  • An accounting of your pro bono hours for reporting to the Florida Bar
  • Acknowledgement and recognition among your peers and the community
  • The satisfaction of knowing you helped someone in need


Training
:

The BAVLP-NW offers free training in a variety of practices and specialties to meet the needs of volunteer attorneys.  Training is provided through seminars, online, or by DVD recording.  Some training may qualify for CLE credit. For more information and a schedule of upcoming training's please visit: www.onepromiseflorida.org.



     Contact Us:

Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program:

       800 Drew Street, Clearwater, FL 33755

           For additional information

Tel: 727.490.4040 (Ext. 201 or 202) / Fax: 727.201.4331 

                                 www.bals.org




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