Volunteer Lawyers Show What a Difference Legal Help Can Make for Low-income Tenants

Debra Hill1 contacted Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham last November with an already difficult situation. Her landlord had filed a Notice of Unlawful Detainer, although she was receiving Section 8 assistance and believed she had a zero balance on her rent. Hill filed an Answer to the Landlord’s Claim and had no choice but to wait and see what happened.

Then she arrived home one day to find she was locked out of the property.

It was early December. She had been preparing already for Christmas and had a refrigerator full of food along with all of her personal possessions. Now she had no choice but to leave it behind and go stay with her daughter.

Meanwhile, the landlord’s attorney, having been informed that the landlord now had possession of the property, filed a motion to dismiss the case. Without the help of volunteer lawyers willing to intervene, the case may well have ended there.

Instead, Douglas Robertson, who volunteered to take on the case along with Kaylie Becker (both from Bradley), filed a motion to reinstate the case and get the facts in front of the judge. The matter was reinstated and quickly set for a hearing.

They were able to reach a compromise with the landlord that was very favorable to the client. She also regained access to the home and was given more time to stay while she looked for new housing.

Robertson and Becker say she was thrilled with the outcome, as were they. “I would say this was probably the most rewarding case I have worked on all year,” Becker says. “Doug and I practice civil defense for larger clients, and you know you’re helping, but this is something where you can see the law really working for someone. When we filed our motions, that triggered a series of events, and Doug negotiated a great settlement for her. It’s very fulfilling. This was someone’s home. It’s not trivial. In cases like this, it’s a huge deal for the people you’re helping. We are fortunate to work for a firm that supports pro bono efforts.”

There is an often-quoted statistic that around 90 percent of landlords nationwide are represented by lawyers in eviction cases, while only 10 percent of tenants are. Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham has long made fighting for tenants’ rights a core area of service for this reason, and this client’s case was a perfect example of the power that legal representation holds for the most vulnerable members of our community.

“This is obviously a best-case scenario for what Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham can do,” Robertson says. “The proper process wasn’t followed. As lawyers we’re able to identify that, represent clients, and get them the best-case outcome.”

Robertson adds that he derives satisfaction from stepping outside the comfort zone of his daily law practice to try something different. “It feels good to exercise a different skill set that also is helpful,” he says. “I feel like it’s an opportunity to be more well-rounded and get a better perspective. We work in downtown Birmingham, and people with legal needs are all around us. We pass them on the street. It feels like I’m more connected to my community and my city when I’m able to do things like this through Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham.”

Tiffany deGruy, a partner at Bradley who mentored Robertson and Becker in this case, echoes the value of volunteering both for the clients who receive help and the lawyers who share their time and talents to provide it. “Bradley is very proud of the pro bono work that Kaylie, Doug, and others are doing with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham,” she says. “As a young lawyer, I benefited greatly by being given the opportunity to broaden my skill set serving pro bono clients. These opportunities also provide critical legal services to those without means to afford a lawyer. As a partner at Bradley, I am very proud of the efforts to support the remarkable pro bono work being done within our city.”

If you are interested in volunteering with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham, contact Michelle Horn Brown at 205-623-0901.

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