The Volunteer Lawyers Program is located in the George Edgecomb Courthouse, Suite 207
(813)226-8685 ext 110.
Are you an attorney who believes you don't have the time or expertise to provide pro bono legal assistance? If you answered yes, one of the following pro bono projects is just right for you!
1. Client Intake: 2 hours/once a month
Interview and advise legal aid applicants at the George Edgecomb Courthouse, downtown Tampa Courthouse on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. No experience or expertise needed. Training and supervision provided.
2. Mentor Panel: 1 to 2 hours/as needed
Attorneys experienced in family law, probate, consumer, guardianship, real property employment, tax, insurance and general civil litigation assist less experienced volunteer attorneys handling pro bono cases or Bay Area advocates. Assistance can be provided by telephone.
3. Family Forms Clinic: 1 to 2 hours/once a month
Assist pro se family law litigants in completing court approved family law forms. No experience or expertise is needed. Training DVD provided. Volunteers provide assistance at the George Edgecomb Courthouse, Downtown Tampa, Monday through Friday.
4. Domestic Violence Assistance Project: 1 hour/once a month
Assist victims of domestic violence in completing form petitions for injunction. No experience or expertise needed. Training DVD provided. Volunteers provide assistance at the Domestic Violence Assistance office, George Edgecomb Courthouse, Downtown Tampa, Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am to 10am.
Interested in volunteering? Please complete the on-line form at bottom of the page and email it to BAVLP or click here for a printable form to complete and mail in to BAVLP, 800 E. Twiggs St. Suite 207, Tampa, FL 33602
Frequently Asked Questions About Pro Bono:
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Are Florida Attorneys required to provide pro bono service?
The Florida Pro Bono Rule, Section 4-6 of the Florida Bar Rules, encourages Florida Bar members to provide pro bono legal services to the poor. The professional responsibility to provide pro bono help is aspirational, not mandatory. The Rule suggests attorneys satisfy the responsibility by donating 20 hours or more annually or making an annual contribution of $350 or more to a legal aid organization.
Although there is no statewide requirement that attorneys do pro bono, all Florida Bar attorneys are required to report whether they have done any pro bono on their annual Bar dues statement. In addition, some local bar associations in Florida do require members to provide pro bono assistance as a condition of membership. -
If I help someone for free, isn't that pro bono?
Pro bono service is legal assistance provided without charge or expectation of fees at the time the service commences. Legal services written off as a bad debt or cases in which an attorney cannot collect fees do not qualify as pro bono. -
Community service, public service, pro bono service - what's the difference?
Pro bono service involves the provision of free legal services. Participating in bar association activities, volunteering to serve on the board of a charity, or serving on a professional organization's committee are community or public service because attorney volunteers do not provide free legal assistance as a part of their activities. -
If I provide legal help to a non-profit organization or community group, does it count as pro bono service?
Pro bono legal services to the poor need not be provided only to individuals; it can be provided through legal services to charitable, religious, and educational organizations whose overall mission and activities are designed predominantly to address the needs of the poor. -
What if I don't have the time to provide pro bono assistance?
Most pro bono programs provide a variety of pro bono opportunities that include options for attorneys who have limited time. Some projects offer hours during lunch time, after work, or on weekends. Donating time to translate legal materials or draft legal information handouts can be done when convenient for the volunteer attorney. Mentoring less experienced volunteer attorneys or legal aid staff can be done by telephone. -
What if I don't have the expertise to help indigent clients?
Many pro bono projects require little specialized expertise. Training is offered for some pro bono projects and many projects are supervised by experienced legal aid staff attorneys. Experienced volunteer attorneys are available to mentor less experienced attorneys handling cases. Acting as a guardian ad litem requires no legal expertise. -
Why should I participate in an organized pro bono program when I can do it on my own?
Legal aid organizations and pro bono programs have developed pro bono projects to address the legal needs of the community. Clients are screened to ensure that they qualify for pro bono assistance and cases are assessed to confirm they have merit. Many pro bono programs offer liability coverage for volunteer attorneys. Pro bono programs collect and record the hours donated by volunteers and can provide this information to attorneys for reporting to the Florida Bar.
Pro Bono Projects for Hillsborough and Pasco County Attorneys:
ASK A LAWYER
Volunteers handle calls from residents seeking legal help. Participants appear on Fox 13's television show, "Good Day Tampa Bay" or on Univision/Channel 62 (Spanish speaking volunteer attorneys) on the first Thursday of the month from 7am to 9am. Contact Hillsborough County Bar Association (813) 221-7777.
CASE REFERRAL PANEL
Experienced volunteer attorneys in Hillsborough and Pasco agree to accept case referrals in those areas of the law that they have designated on an enrollment form. Clients are screened for eligibility and legal merit prior to referral. In Hillsborough contact BAVLP (813) 226-8685 ext 102. In Pasco contact Elaine Holmes (727) 847-5494 ext 102.
CLIENT INTAKE
Volunteers interview legal aid applicants at the George Edgecomb Courthouse two Tuesday evenings a month. Contact BAVLP (813) 226-8685 ext.110
COMMUNITY COUNSEL
Volunteer attorneys in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarsota provide legal assistance to community groups or non-profit organizations that provide services to indigent residents. Contact Susan Sandler at Bay Area (813) 232-1222 ext 116 or ssandler@bals.org.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSISTANCE PROJECT
Volunteers assist victims of domestic violence in completing form petitions for injunction. Participation does not require court appearances or representation. The project is located at the George Edgecomb Courthouse and the West Pasco Judicial Center (New Port Richey). In Hillsborough contact BAVLP (813) 226-8685 ext 110. Pasco attorneys contact Elaine Holmes (727) 847-5494 ext 102.
FAMILY FORMS CLINIC
Volunteers assist self-represented family law litigants in completing family law forms. The clinic is located at the George Edgecomb Courthouse. Training and supervision provided. Contact BAVLP (813) 226-8685 ext 110.
FEDERAL LITIGATION PROJECT
The project is organized by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Volunteer attorneys provide limited one-time consultation to pro se litigants in federal court. There is a need for attorneys with expertise in general civil rights and federal employment issues, but all attorneys with federal law experience are welcome to participate. Contact Julie Sneed at (813) 222-2350 or jsneed@fowlerwhite.com
FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM
Volunteer attorneys assist at-risk teens in foster care. Training DVD available. Contact Charlie Nelson, Guardian Ad Litem Program (813) 272-6802
GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM
Volunteer attorneys are appointed as guardians for children. Training available through the Guardian Ad Litem Program. Contact Tami Dodd, Guardian Ad Litem Program (813) 272-5505 or Tami.Dodd@gal.fl.gov.
GUARDIAN ADVOCATE PROJECT
Volunteers assist the relatives of developmentally disabled adults to be appointed as Guardian Advocates. Contact BAVLP at (813) 226- 8685 ext 102
H.E.L.P. (Helping the Elderly with Legal Problems)
West Pasco attorneys consult with low-income seniors. Contact Elaine Holmes (727) 847-5494 ext 102.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ATTORNEY AD LITEM PROGRAM
Volunteers are appointed as attorneys ad litem for juveniles charged with criminal offenses. Volunteers act as the juvenile's representative in the absence of a parent or guardian. Contact Judge Ashley Moody, (813) 272-5775.
KINSHIP CARE PROJECT
Volunteer attorneys provide legal assistance to non-parental caregivers, answering questions related to their rights as caregivers and those of their dependents. Topics include adoption, parental consent, power of attorney forms for medical treatments, and guardianship issues. Contact: Amy Caparratto at University of South Florida acaparra@cas.usf.edu.
MEDIATION PANEL
Volunteer certified mediators provide free mediation services in cases involving indigent clients. Contact BAVLP (813) 226-8685 ext. 102.
MENTOR PANEL
Volunteer attorneys with specialized expertise assist less experienced volunteer attorneys handling pro bono cases and Bay Area staff attorneys. Contact BAVLP (813) 226-8685 ext. 102
MILITARY LIAISON COMMITTEE
Volunteers provide legal assistance to military personnel. Contact Hillsborough County Bar Association, (813) 221-7777 for more information.
PEOPLE'S LAW SCHOOL
Volunteer attorneys provide legal information to the public on a variety of legal topics. These public legal education seminars are located at the Chester Ferguson Law Center. Contact: HCBA at (813) 221-7777
TEEN COURT
Volunteer attorneys serve as judges and mentors in the Teen Court Program, a diversionary program for juvenile first offenders. Contact Lora Karas, 13th Judicial Circuit, Administrative Office of the Courts (813) 272-6177 or apply online at www.fljud13org/jdp/teencourt.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA LEGAL AID
Volunteer attorneys assist students and graduate students with legal problems that include: landlord/tenant, consumer, DUI, traffic, and family law. Contact: Student Resource Agency at USF (813) 974-5012
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
If you are an attorney practicing in Hillsborough or Pasco County, in good standing with the Florida Bar, please complete and email this enrollment form to join us in assisting the low-income residents of our community. If you have questions about participating in a pro bono project, please call the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program at (813) 226-8685 x110.