Pro Bono Project

PRO BONO SPOTLIGHT By: Caitlin Torney

Pro Bono Project Attorney Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Serving the Legal Community in Assisting Low-Income Persons To Navigate the Justice System

BE A PART OF A FEEL-GOOD STORY

Recently, a mother passed away and left her only child to receive her estate and assets. This client, left to pick up the pieces following her mother’s passing, sought to settle the estate and re-title the assets herself. Unfortunately, the Court of a neighboring county refused her pro se filing for probate. The client learned that, without the help of an attorney, she could never open the estate and find closure. Shortly after, she came to Legal Aid for assistance and advice. We advised her on how to protect her assets from potential creditors and began the search for a private attorney willing to go to the client’s county and open the estate for her to the satisfaction of that Court. After only a few days of asking, we were able to pair this client with a local attorney for full representation.

Because of the pro bono work of this attorney, the client maintained her safe housing, established funds to support herself, and found closure following the loss of a parent. The hours donated by this kind attorney saved days and weeks of stress and worry for the client. She could access and navigate a confusing legal system where she otherwise could never afford to do so. It is stories like these that encourage our work and remind us that pro bono time, no matter how limited it may seem, changes lives and outcomes for clients in need. We are increasingly getting calls from clients who are told they must have any attorney to file probate.

We are always looking for attorneys who are willing and able to provide full representation to help clients with probate. In addition to full representation, we are eager for volunteers willing to provide basic probate advice to help pro se litigants understand the process and provide them with the opportunity to ask questions and get tailored advice. If you are interested in helping clients with probate, please check out available cases on our website www.laet.org under the Pro Bono Matters section or email me to volunteer for phone advice at ctorney@laet.org.

The Pro Bono Project is also enthusiastically looking for volunteers willing to help us meet the increasing demand for assistance with conservatorships. As the population ages, more and more adult children need help obtaining a conservatorship to care for a parent with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia. The other major demographic calling for help with conservatorships is parents of children with disabilities who are approaching 18.

Recently a father called us seeking conservatorship over his son with profound disabilities. His son had recently turned 18, and the client found many of the things the son needed done on his behalf were not able to be done efficiently, if at all. He turned to Legal Aid and the attorneys who volunteer their time with us. Within weeks of placement, this father could once again provide the comprehensive and constant care his son required.

Just this month, a mother needed a conservatorship over her hospitalized son. The family’s physician shared the unfortunate news that he could no longer handle his own affairs, and the family was left to figure out what to do next. She came to Legal Aid, and we began searching for an attorney in the area willing to work with her family. It only took a few emails to find a private attorney that would step up. This private attorney, the family’s physician, and the client all worked together to establish the conservatorship, protect her son’s interests, and make sure that his future would be taken care of by those that loved him dearly.

Our conservatorship clients are often in stressful and sorrowful situations. They give much of their time and energy to those they love, but they face unique legal hurdles to obtaining the legal status they need to provide total care for their loved ones. Without private attorneys volunteering their time, these less privileged families face difficult situations and confusing legal systems alone. Your time could be the difference between a family fighting to hold on and a family that has the status they need to efficiently care for one another. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank Ryan McMillan and Kelsey Davis of Milberg Coleman for already taking 3 conservatorships in 2022! I’m so grateful for their commitment to our clients. Please consider reaching out to our office if this is a practice area that interests you. Call or email me directly or check out Pro Bono Matters online. We would love to connect you with one of the many families in need and help you be a part of a feel-good story!

2022 Clinic Opportunities

Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans: In person at the Public Defender’s Community Law Office at 1101 Liberty Street in Knoxville. Phone advice options available. • Wednesday May 11th, June 8th, July 13th Noon – 2pm • To sign up, please use the form on the KBA Website or email ctorney@laet.org.

Debt Relief Clinic: Public Defender’s Community Law Office at 1101 Liberty Street in Knoxville. advice options available. • Saturday June 25th, September 10th, November 19th 9:00am – Noon • To sign up, please email ctorney@laet.org.

Virtual Pro-Se Name Change Clinic: Via Zoom. Will serve clients across East Tennessee in partnership with law students from Belmont School of Law. • Saturday August 20th, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM • To sign up, please email ctorney@laet.org.