Welcome Back In-Person Veterans Clinic Held in Caldwell County BY LESLIE SPATOLA
Leslie Spatola works with the Austin Bar Foundation’s Veterans Legal Assistance Program as the part-time Project Coordinator. Prior to this position, the 2008 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University worked for the Nacogdoches County Attorney’s Office, the Upshur County District Attorney’s Office, and the 420th Judicial District Court.
W
ith the invaluable assistance of Dr. Al Dos Santos, the Veterans Service Officer of Caldwell County, and Hoppy Haden, the Caldwell County Judge, the Austin Bar Foundation’s Veterans Legal Advice Program was able to hold its first in-person clinic in
Texas’s Executive Director Annie Melendez; Texas RioGrande Legal Aid’s Robert Garza; and Texas Legal Services Center’s Kevin Dietz, Julian Honor, and Cecile Collins. The attorneys were able to provide advice to veterans to their legal questions involving eviction, divorce, probate, and deceptive trade practice/consumer protection. Members of the Austin Bar Association recognized a growing population of veterans in the Central Texas area who did not have access to legal advice or services when faced with a legal issue due to limited income. Thus, the Austin Bar Foundation established the Veterans Legal Assistance Program with the mission to organize and provide free legal advice clinics for qualified, low-income veterans, active-duty service members, and their families who reside in or have a civil legal issue in the jurisdictional areas of Bastrop, Blanco, Burnett, Caldwell, Gillespie, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. Our program has been able to provide advice and pro bono services to hundreds of individual veterans and their families with legal issues such as
The volunteers of this program know the significance of having access to reliable legal advice without the burden of finding the financial means to pay for legal services, which has provided many individuals peace of mind.
of finding the financial means to pay for legal services, which has provided many individuals peace of mind. Over the years, we have had noteworthy working
relationships with other legal aid providers in Central Texas—all with the common goal of helping AUSTIN LAWYER AL AL indigent Texas veterans.
Free Legal Advice Clinics for Veterans The Veterans Legal Assistance Program is pleased to offer Texas Veterans, Active Duty military, and their families the opportunity to receive Free Legal Advice with civil legal issues in the following areas: Divorce | Child Support | Custody | Consumer/Finance | Contracts | IRS Debt | Criminal Expunctions | Wills/Estate Planning | Guardianship | Probate | Housing/Homeownership | Landlord/Tenant | Bankruptcy | Veterans Benefits | Powers of Attorney/Advance Directives
Dates:
*All dates are subject to change to Virtual Clinics depending on COVID-19 circumstances.
Time: Place:
Monday, May 9 Monday, June 13 Monday, July 11 Monday, August 8
1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
*Sign-in starts at 1:30 p.m. Please sign-in before 3:30 p.m.
Austin VA Outpatient Clinic 7901 Metropolis Drive, Austin, Texas, 78744
* Please check your email prior to the clinic or contact our office for confirmation of location and any changes or updates.
Complete the Intake Online Today!
25 months! The clinic had outstanding attendance from members of the Austin Bar Association (including Wayne Cavalier, Robert Meisel, Anthony Blazi, and Jami Hale) and received valuable assistance from Lawyer Referral Services of Central
estate planning advice and tools, aid in applying for disability claims, military discharge upgrades, financial assistance, and much more. The volunteers of this program know the significance of having access to reliable legal advice without the burden
To be placed on the Clinic List, you must fill out an application. Please scan the QR code or use this link to apply: https://memcentral.wufoo.com/forms/intake-form-veteran-legal-assistance-program/ *To best assist you, please bring any paperwork relevant to your case.
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation and Austin Bar Foundation provide support to this program. For any questions about the Legal Advice Clinic or Legal Assistance Program please contact the Austin Bar Association at 512-472-0279 x110.
MAY 2022 | AUSTINLAWYER
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