Pro Bono @ JALA:

The Public Service Project

Pro Bono Participation

There are many ways you as an attorney or volunteer may assist JALA in providing legal services to low-income persons.  You may sign up online to take referred cases from JALA, you may co-counsel with a JALA attorney on a case, or you may assist with any of the many clinics we hold at JALA to educate our clients about legal issues that affect them.  Please see below some of the many opportunities available here at JALA for you to help change a person’s life for the better. 

1. PRO BONO PANEL
Volunteers agree to accept case referrals in those areas of the law that they have designated on an enrollment form.  Clients are screened for eligibility and legal merit prior to referral. Attorneys are expected to take 2 to 5 cases per year.

2. PRO BONO INTAKE
Volunteers assist with initial client interviews in general and specific areas of the law at JALA’s downtown office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.  Intake also occurs at JALA’s main office on Thursday nights from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.  Volunteers may also assist with intake at the Sulzbacher Center on the third Tuesday of each month.  A project of the Jacksonville Bar Association, the intake hours for the Sulzbacher Center begin at 7 p.m.  Attorneys may also contact the Christian Legal Society at 391-0091 to assist in that organization’s intake efforts at the City Rescue Mission.  Please call the Society for intake dates and times.  Attorneys may also participate  Although not a requirement, attorneys are strongly encouraged to accept cases for representation from the interviews.

3. RYAN WHITE PANEL
Volunteers represent people with HIV/AIDS with various legal problems.  Common areas requiring legal assistance are family law, advanced directives and wills, SSI/Social Security claims, discrimination and/or insurance problems.

4. FAMILY COURT SERVICES LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT
Attorneys are needed to provide legal advice to groups of clients with their general legal questions about their family law cases.  Attorneys are also needed to serve as a speaker/trainer at a legal clinic which provides legal assistance to groups of low income clients on their legal rights and options in a variety of areas.

5. GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROJECT
Attorneys can either represent an abused or neglected child, serve as a guardian ad litem of an abused or neglected child, or represent the guardian ad litem in “proceedings.”

6. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Attorneys provide assistance to groups of low income clients on their rights and options in a variety of areas.

7. MEDIATION
Attorneys can serve as a mediator either in family law cases, county civil cases, or circuit civil cases.  Attorneys must be a certified mediator or willing to undergo certification.

8. MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY PROJECT
The project focuses on helping mentally ill clients gain access to treatment for their mental illness.  Attorneys are also needed to assist the clients with their specific legal needs.

9.  SURROGATE PARENT PROJECT
This project focuses on assisting children with educational issues.

10.  INFORMATIONAL CLINICS
JALA also presents many informational clinics to the public.  Attorneys are encouraged to volunteer to assist with these clinics, detailed below. 

Remember, the Public Service Project benefits the volunteer attorneys as well as the clients; participating in a project can be a very rewarding experience.  Please join this effort today!
Click here to enroll