Taking legal guidance to trusted, welcoming neighborhood locations — that’s another way to describe Ask-A-Lawyer events.
On Dec. 6, lawyers, law students and other volunteers counseled those with legal questions and concerns at the Johnson Family YMCA.
This was the fifth year the event has been at the facility and it was the fifth year the staff at the YMCA accommodated the volunteers and attendees with generous hospitality.
From 9 a.m.-noon, pro bono attorneys counseled 45 people on more than 55 matters in one-on-one interviews.
Attorneys advised in the areas of family law, probate, guardianship, criminal law, bankruptcy, collections, foreclosure, contracts, real estate, landlord/tenant, immigration and personal injury. Spanish speakers were available to provide translation.
The pro bono attorneys included Laura Gapske, Adam Edgecombe, Alessandro Apolito, Michael Parisi, Sarah Allison, Vanessa Thompson, Julia Hodges, Melina Buncome, Monica Lenoci, Karen Winston and Courtney Johnson.
Florida Coastal School of Law students Jordan Yarbrough, Jessica DeLeon and Chris Jackson were there to assist and observe the consultations.
Bobby Bell, a board member for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, helped welcome attendees, sign them in and answer questions.
Each Ask-A-Lawyer event aims to provide legal guidance and direction, as well as information on additional community resources for persons in need.
Attendees may be referred to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, The Jacksonville Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, Three Rivers Legal Services and/or to a community service agency.
The events are made possible by the collaboration of the JBA, the D.W. Perkins Bar Association, Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and City Council.
The quarterly events are held in locations easily accessible to low-income people and the under-served, although no income-screening is conducted. The events are free and open to the general public.
The volunteers served each person who came seeking information with respect and compassion. They answered questions, provided information on legal options and community resources and, in many cases, offered hope and direction.
Facing a problem requires courage and energy. Taking a first step toward solving the problem requires even more. For many of the attendees, Ask-A-Lawyer provided the information needed to enable the attendees to take that first step toward stability and resolution. These resources can provide peace of mind that is especially welcome and needed during the holiday season.
The goal of Ask-A-Lawyer is to take information and provide guidance directly to members of our community who may not otherwise be able access the expertise of an attorney.
We know that, as attorneys, we don’t always tell people what they want to hear. However, we know that with sound information and direction, people are better equipped to get the help they need and/or resolve their matters themselves.
Access to the legal community must not be limited to those who can afford to pay for that access. It is informed advocacy on both sides that protects the integrity of our system of justice.
Ask-A-Lawyer events empower and encourage people to resolve their legal issues and the barriers they face. The efforts of the Ask-A-Lawyer team of Dec. 6 are applauded and appreciated.
The dates and locations of the 2015 Ask-A-Lawyer events are:
• March 21: 2015, SOS Academy, 6974 Wilson Blvd.
• June 20: Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corporation, 3416 Moncrief Road, Suite 200.
• Sept. 19: Florida State College at Jacksonville Downtown Campus, rooms T140 and T141, 401 W. State St.
• Dec. 5: Johnson Family YMCA, 5700 Cleveland Road.
Attorneys interested in signing up for an Ask-A-Lawyer event or other pro bono opportunities in the 4th Judicial Circuit should contact Kathy Para at [email protected].