The country and the legal profession have been forced to adapt to the new realities of life and practice in the environment created by COVID-19. Pro bono programs have quickly pivoted to develop remote service delivery models to serve clients in need while in person consultations are not feasible.

The ABA's Free Legal Answers platform, which operated at the state level before the pandemic, is a virtual legal clinic that allows users to post civil legal questions on line and receive answers from volunteer lawyers with relevant expertise. The program is now expanding to include a Federal Free Legal Answers option, so that qualified lawyers can answer immigration and veterans law questions for users anywhere in the country.

The ABA has partnered with AILA on this exciting new remote pro bono opportunity. This free webinar will offer an overview of the FLA program, the benefits and protections for AILA volunteers (including flexibility in scheduling and choosing questions to answer; limited scope representation not requiring ongoing commitment to a case; anonymity; malpractice coverage and CLE credit in some states) and will guide prospective AILA volunteers through the logistics of the registration process. The intersection with the veteran’s law site and AILA's Military Assistance Project (MAP) will also be addressed.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS NOT FOR CLE CREDIT.

Panelists:

• Jocelyn Dyer – Senior Pro Bono Counsel, AILA Immigration Justice Campaign
• Rachael Derham – ABA Staff Attorney, Military Pro Bono Coordinator
• Mary Meixner – Counsel, ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance to Military Personnel (LAMP)
• Karen Grisez – FLA Site Administrator, AILA Pro Bono Committee Member, and ABA Commission on Immigration Member
• Jennie Kneedler (Moderator) – Director of Policy and Pro Bono, ABA Commission on Immigration

Joint Sponsors: ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, ABA Commission on Immigration