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Volunteer Attorney Newsletter - Spring 2021

  • 5/25/2021
  • Rachael Derham
  • ABA Military Pro Bono Project
  • Source: Misc National Sites > ABA Military Pro Bono Project

 

 

 

ABA Military Pro Bono Project

Volunteer Attorney Newsletter

Spring 2021


Two ways to volunteer with the Military Pro Bono Project:
Pro Bono Representation 

The Military Pro Bono Project accepts case referrals from military legal assistance offices anywhere in the world on behalf of junior enlisted servicemembers facing civil legal issues, and it places these cases with pro bono attorneys where the legal assistance is needed in the U.S. You can view pro bono case opportunities at any time on our website, which is updated daily.

Guidance to Military and Pro Bono Attorneys

Through the Military Pro Bono Project, you may also elect to participate in Operation Stand-By. Operation Stand-By allows you to offer to be on "stand-by" to provide attorney-to-attorney advice to military attorneys and other pro bono attorneys, so they can further assist their servicemember and veteran clients. 

Join by logging onto our website and updating your profile by clicking on “Join Operation Stand-By” and selecting your area(s) of expertise. 

 

Case Spotlight

Pro Bono Attorney Helped Terminate Sailor’s Lease with Uninhabitable Home 

A Navy servicemember relocated with his family to another state. Before relocating, he took a virtual tour of the rental property prior to signing a lease. However, when he arrived at the rental home, he was surprised to find that the home was quite run down and had a number of defects, including exposed wires and other very dangerous conditions. The sailor requested that the landlord make the needed repairs to make the home safe, but the landlord refused to pay for repairs or agree to the sailor withholding rent in order to use that money to make the repairs himself. Unable to come to an agreement with the landlord, and worried about his family’s safety, the sailor visited his legal assistance office for help.

The sailor’s legal assistance attorney referred his case to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, which connected him with a local pro bono attorney. The attorney negotiated with the landlord and was able to not only terminate the sailor’s lease, but also had the sailor’s security deposit returned due to the uninhabitable state of the rental home.

 

Read additional case stories on our blog to see how our volunteers are helping military families.

 

ABA Federal Free Legal Answers for Veterans

REMINDER: ABA Free Legal Answers for Veterans is up and running! Are you accredited with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs? Do you want to help veterans? If so, ABA Free Legal Answers for Veterans is a great pro bono opportunity for you!

Help veterans – along with eligible dependents and survivors – by answering questions about discharge upgrades, VA disability benefits, military retirement, and more on this virtual legal advice clinic. Attorneys who are licensed and in good standing in their state and are accredited with the VA may provide brief legal advice on the site without any formal representation.

For more information and to sign up with ABA Free Legal Answers, please visit ABAFederal.FreeLegalAnswers.org.

 

ABA Veterans Legal Assistance Grant: Open for Applications

The ABA Military and Veterans Legal Center (MVLC) is inviting applications from legal service providers to apply for an ABA Veterans Legal Assistance Grant to increase effective legal support to veterans.  

In 2021, the MVLC is accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations with a project based in Texas that delivers legal services to veterans primarily in Texas. Please visit the MVLC webpage to learn more. The application deadline is May 28, 2021.

 

Newly Released Discharge Upgrade Book

Military Discharge Upgrade Legal Practice Manual: This Manual provides a comprehensive guide to screening, developing, supporting, developing, and pursuing a discharge upgrade petition for a veteran with a less-than-honorable discharge. Learn more and purchase here.

 

Upcoming Free Webinars

June 3, 2021, 1:00PM - 2:30PM EST: "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Military: A Historical Review of Seminal Cases and Disparate Treatment of Minority Servicemembers."

Register for this free webinar here.

 

June 4, 2021, 1:00PM – 2:30PM EST: ”DD214 Corrections for LGBTQ+ Veterans: Discharge Upgrades, Records Corrections, and Name Changes.”

Register for this free webinar here.

 

June 8, 2021, 1:00PM - 2:30PM EST: "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Military: Racial Disparity in the Services."

Register for this free webinar here.

 

News & Events

View the latest news and events about military and veterans’ issues and CLEs.

 

Update Your MPBP Account

Have you recently changed your email address or other contact information? Log in to your Military Pro Bono Project account at any time to ensure that your profile information is up-to-date. Visit "My Profile" at the very top of the page, and then click "Edit My Profile" to make any needed changes.

 

Support

Support the Military Pro Bono Project by Donating here

Special thanks to our current Star Ranking Supporters

 

LAMP

The Military Pro Bono Project is managed by the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) as an ongoing initiative of the ABA Military and Veterans Legal Center. Learn more about LAMP.

 

 

Topics:
  • Veterans/Military