by Kathy Para
JBA Pro Bono Committee Chair
Attorneys interested in participating in the next Ask-A-Lawyer event, 9 am. to noon, June 12, are encouraged to read on and contact Kathy Para, Chairperson, JBA Pro Bono Committee, at [email protected].
Despite all the hundreds of dedicated attorneys and free legal aid available in the greater Jacksonville area, the reality is that many people in our under-served communities still lack the crucial connection to the legal advice that could help them improve their lives.
In an attempt to bridge this gap, Council member Denise Lee, the Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Council (NJCDC) and The Jacksonville Bar Association are sponsoring an “Ask-A-Lawyer” event during the NJCDC’s Sixth Annual Health and Neighbor Day (HAND) at North Point (corner of Myrtle Avenue and Moncrief Road). The entire event will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 12 with pro bono lawyers available for legal guidance from 9 a.m.-noon.
“The NJCDC is committed to developing neighborhoods where people can thrive and live fully. Opportunities such as HAND and Ask-A-Lawyer provide people with knowledge and encouragement. That combination means empowerment and success,” says Paul Tutwiler, executive director of NJCDC.
“We have many organizations that have committed to being present for this year’s seventh annual HAND event. It’s very festive with everyone gathering under a circus tent! ‘Ask-A-Lawyer’ will be a welcome addition to past events and attorneys will provide guidance and advice in a nearby church hall,” said Tutwiler.
While other organizations tend to the health and various other needs of the community, pro bono attorneys from The Jacksonville Bar Association (JBA), Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA), and the Hispanic Bar Association will be available to lend a guiding hand to those with legal problems they just cannot seem to tackle on their own.
“This is basically an opportunity for people to come in and get their situations evaluated by a licensed attorney,” said Dan Bean, president of The JBA.
Pro bono attorneys will not actually be taking on cases at the event, but rather sizing up the needs of the clients, providing legal guidance and referring them to the appropriate assistance. “Many times people just don’t know where to get started,” Bean said.
“The law and government bureaucracies can be intimidating and daunting to many people. Events such as Ask-A-Lawyer can provide that all-important first step. We’re fortunate in Jacksonville to have so many highly competent and caring attorneys who find time to make these events work,” he said.
Attorneys at the HAND event will be able to provide legal advice concerning contracts, real estate, employment, probate, worker’s compensation, Social Security disability, personal injury, criminal law, bankruptcy, family law, foreclosure, immigration, wills and landlord/tenant law.
The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Persons sign in and indicate the basic area of substantive law in which they need help. They also sign statements that verify the person understands that the interview with the pro bono attorney does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Each person has an opportunity to speak with an attorney on a first-come, first-served basis. They are paired with an attorney who has expertise in the relevant area of law.
In some instances, the pro bono attorney might be willing to represent the person in the legal matter on a pro bono basis, but prospective clients are encouraged to make an appointment directly with JALA for an intake interview to determine eligibility prior to case acceptance. If eligible, the case referral can then be made immediately to the pro bono attorney. Information on other local support services is also available for distribution at the “Ask-A-Lawyer” event.
“Ask-A-Lawyer,” or “Pregúntele-Al-Abogado,” will also be available to the community’s Spanish-speaking population, thanks to the attorneys and interpreters of the Hispanic Bar Association. (Un abogada le dará una gratuita entrevista individual. Los abogados no se aceptan los casos de representación pero le darán asesoramiento jurídico e información sobre disponible recursos comunitarios. Abogados de la Asociación Hispana de Jacksonville estarán presentes para entrevistas y servir como intérpretes.)
The HAND event will include free food and drink as well as gifts and prizes for those who attend.
“Our thanks go out to Ms. Lee and Mr. Tutwiler for creating a mechanism in which those in need of help can be put in contact with the professionals who can help them,” Bean adds. “This kind of contact doesn’t just happen by itself. It takes caring people to recognize the need and then make it happen.”
Attorneys interested in participating in the Ask-A-Lawyer event on June 12 should contact Para at [email protected], or 356-8371, ext. 363.