VLS Returns to In-Person Legal Advice Clinics

BY MEGHAN ALEXANDER

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas plans to resume in-person legal clinics. VLS’s in-person clinics have been paused since March 2020. Details are currently being worked out for a new partnership with Austin Community College (ACC) to offer the new clinics in a venue to better serve the community’s needs. The in-person clinics will be held on designated Wednesdays from 6 – 8:30 p.m. VLS will also continue to hold weekly telephone advice clinics.

ABOUT VLS CLINICS

VLS has historically held in-person clinics to provide the Central Texas community with legal advice and representation. In April 2020, VLS launched telephone clinics to safely address the legal needs of the community during COVID. Through the phone clinic, individuals can receive no-cost legal advice over the phone through licensed attorney volunteers. Depending on case type and eligibility, an individual may qualify for additional legal services. Attorney volunteers staff the clinic by providing advice over the phone on civil issues such as divorce, child custody, wills and probate, eviction, bankruptcy, and more.

The phone clinics will continue to occur on Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Wednesday evenings from 5 – 8 p.m. Applications for assistance will remain online. The application period for both in-person and phone clinic will open Monday mornings at 9 a.m. and will close on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. or when applications have reached capacity. When filling out an online application, applicants will choose either in-person or phone advice.

STAFFING CLINICS

In-person clinics and phone clinics are operated by VLS staff, and attorney volunteers, as well as non-attorney community members who volunteer. Volunteer attorneys at the in-person clinics are asked to consult with four applicants during their shift. Attorneys may spend up to 30 minutes with each applicant. Volunteer attorneys at the phone clinics are asked to consult with two to four applicants during their shift, depending on the length of the shift. For both clinics, attorneys will be provided an assignment packet with the information on the applicant, their legal needs, and any documents they have available. These assignment packets are provided to attorneys at least one day in advance of clinic. Attorneys at in-person clinics may also be asked to consult with walk-in appointments.

Additionally, there are several other volunteer opportunities for attorneys, paralegals, law students, interpreters, and others who want to be a part of ensuring that the members of our community have access to legal representation. In addition to providing legal advice at our in-person and phone clinics, we also utilize volunteer attorneys to provide direct representation. Opportunities for direct representation include volunteering for the Eviction Taskforce, representing a survivor of abuse in a family matter, and representing a client on a civil legal case.

Phone Clinic Volunteer Opportunities

VLS needs attorneys to volunteer for shifts giving advice by phone on issues related to probate, debt, employment, general civil issues and family related matters. Volunteers can sign up in advance for reoccurring weekly or monthly shifts.

A particularly pressing need is for probate attorneys to give legal advice at VLS phone clinics. Every week, VLS serves multiple families needing advice on probate and estate planning. To keep up with the demand for this type of advice, VLS needs probate attorneys to dedicate at least one morning or evening each month to provide advice by phone. We are seeking experienced attorneys who are comfortable providing advice on probate matters. Alternately, VLS also seeks back-up probate attorney volunteers, who are willing to be on stand-by in the event a scheduled volunteer is unavailable.

Eviction Task Force

The VLS Eviction Task force was launched to help indigent tenants facing eviction in Travis County. A culmination of many efforts over the last year, VLS’s innovative representation system puts volunteer attorneys right in the courtroom where they’re needed most. With the assistance of experienced and knowledgeable mentors and helmed by VLS staff attorneys, volunteers appear at eviction dockets via Zoom and represent assigned clients currently facing eviction.

Family Law Cases

The VLS Family Law team needs attorneys who can represent survivors of abuse in family law matters. In addition to representing survivors, the family law team also needs assistance with representation of clients in probate, estate planning and guardianship matters.

General Law Cases

The VLS General Law team has a great need for attorneys to take a case. Cases available include debt, bankruptcy, employment, consumer, expunctions, public benefits, and administrative.

“While the range of legal issues facing applicants varies, the VLS staff always provides the necessary resources and prepares the volunteer attorneys to provide sound legal advice.”

In-Person Clinic Advice Attorney Volunteer Opportunities

VLS seeks attorney volunteers to meet with clients at the new in-person clinic and give advice on Family Law issues, Probate related questions, and General Law matters including; Debt, Employment, Eviction and Housing.

In-Person Clinic Non- Attorney Volunteer Opportunities

During our in-person clinic, VLS will need paralegal and law student volunteers to greet attendees, keep time, and help applicants with technology (filling out applications, scanning and e-filing documents as needed. In addition, VLS needs Spanish interpreters to provide interpreting services.

VLS OFFERS A STELLAR VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

VLS is honored to host numerous volunteer attorneys who sign up for reoccurring phone clinic shifts monthly and weekly.

Dan Fabian with DLA Piper is a dedicated volunteer who has been volunteering at VLS clinics since 2019. He makes himself available weekly to participate in phone clinic shifts giving advice to general law applicants. Fabian shared, “I have found that the clinics provide a unique opportunity to efficiently and effectively provide legal guidance to local residents in need. While the range of legal issues facing applicants varies, the VLS staff always provides the necessary resources and prepares the volunteer attorneys to provide sound legal advice to applicants and, if appropriate, recommend a referral. During the pandemic we have seen a dramatic increase in applications relating to actual or threatened evictions and it is clear that countless community members are relying on VLS and its volunteers to help them face dire challenges and remain in their homes.”

I began volunteering with VLS after my retirement to keep my hand in the law and give back to the community. The legal clinics give me both flexibility and the opportunity to assist clients who would otherwise have little or no access to an attorney.

Carolyn Mobley, a long-time VLS volunteer, has experience volunteering in both in-person and phone clinics. When asked about why volunteering was important to her, she conveyed, “I began volunteering with VLS after my retirement to keep my hand in the law and give back to the community. The legal clinics give me both flexibility and the opportunity to assist clients who would otherwise have little or no access to an attorney. I’m glad to be able to engage with fellow Texans on their legal issues and offer support in a way that many of them desperately need.”

No matter if you are helping give legal advice at an in-person clinic, volunteering for a phone clinic shift or representing a client in a family law or general law case, VLS staff and mentor volunteers will be there through the process to help support you.

KEEPING VOLUNTEERS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY SAFE IN THE PANDEMIC

VLS is committed to keeping staff, volunteers and the community safe through the pandemic. Safety protocols will follow ACC guidelines, which currently includes wearing masks and social distancing. Also, for those community members and volunteers who do not feel comfortable with in-person clinics at this time, the phone clinic will remain open.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The fact is, VLS could not serve the needs of the community without our dedicated volunteers. The Texas Lawyer’s Creed, Section 1(3), says “I commit myself to an adequate and effective pro bono program.” VLS can be that program for you. The needs and disparities in the Central Texas community continue to grow, as does the need for more volunteers to ensure that poverty is not a barrier to justice. You can sign up for clinic shift on Volunteer Hub or reach out to Director of Pro Bono Services Hollie Toups at htoupsvlsoct.org. If you wish to take a direct representation case, you can reach out to Martha Contreras, family law case supervisor at mcontreras@vlsoct.org for family law cases and Maria Font, the general law case placement coordinator at mfont@vlsoct.org for general law cases.

If you need any additional information or have questions, please contact Director of Pro Bono Services Hollie Toups at htoupsvlsoct.org. AL

Meghan Alexander, with Gottfried Alexander Law Firm, is an avid supporter of VLS and one of its regular phone clinic volunteers. Alexander has participated in over 150 mediations, over 300 bench trials, and several jury trials.