The ongoing pandemic has created unique legal challenges in our community. Consider donating your time and legal knowledge by volunteering with The Pro Bono Project. Our current opportunities to volunteer include:
Accepting representation in a pro bono legal matter. You can find a full listing of cases awaiting placement with a volunteer attorney here. We have cases spanning the breadth of civil legal issues, including domestic, consumer, wills and estates, child welfare, and immigration matters.
Assist struggling tenants by accepting representation in a habitability case or by signing up for our Evictions Relief Program. The COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous for renters. Although federal protections were recently extended, tenants still face housing instability. Volunteers for this effort sign up for a week of duty during which a small number of evictions clients will be referred to the volunteer.
Staffing our Self-Help Resource Centers. The Pro Bono Project operates self-help centers for pro se domestic litigants at both Orleans Civil District Court and at the 24th Judicial District Court. These centers operate Monday through Friday from 9 AM until noon. Additionally, we operate a self-help center for pro se bankruptcy filers at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. This center operates on the first Friday of each month from 9 AM until noon. All centers are currently operating on a virtual basis only via telephone hotline, so volunteers can field calls from visitors wherever they are. We are currently seeking a regular volunteer for the Thursday shift.
Conducting an in-house divorce workshop. Meet with clients in the comfort and convenience of your own office in staggered appointments to review and sign divorce pleadings and answer client questions about the divorce process.
Try your hand at a small succession. Small succession affidavits are easy to prepare, and provide a great deal of satisfaction and stability to our clients.
Other opportunities to volunteer include mentoring other volunteer attorneys or providing a CLE training or client-oriented informational video on a topic of your expertise. Register as a volunteer using our online registration portal and contact Director of Legal Services Jesse S. George at 504-581-4043 x 211 to find out more about volunteering.