A lawyer-run nonprofit that helps people in need has a clear mission: to improve the lives of people facing hardship. Their work engages the legal community in pro bono service, offering free legal services to nonprofit organizations, the homeless, and low-income individuals. This nonprofit also focuses on evaluating its success, focusing on how the nonprofit matches attorneys with clients who need legal help. The results are measurable, including the number of cases successfully resolved.
Legal clinic for the homeless
The Lawyers Clearinghouse is a nonprofit that coordinates and connects pro bono legal services for the homeless. The nonprofit also provides educational programs for judges and attorneys and helps nonprofits comply with federal and state regulations. The organization also hosts free legal clinics for homeless individuals. Interested in volunteering? Click here to learn about current opportunities and ways you can help. Founded in 1991, the nonprofit helps the homeless in Massachusetts get the legal representation they need.
Volunteers receive training from the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program, including an in-house orientation. Staff members discuss the clinic’s mission and provide case files. During the orientation, attorneys interview new clients for about an hour. Volunteer attorneys are paired with mentors to help them evaluate the case files and develop strategies. Mentors also provide ongoing support and advice. They help attorneys become better advocates for the poor and homeless in their communities.
Matching of attorneys with nonprofits
New York State’s Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced plans to expand the “Charity Corps,” a new program that pairs volunteer attorneys with nonprofits in need of legal counsel. This new initiative will help nonprofits increase their legal compliance and governance by offering free legal services to nonprofits. The program is a good fit for nonprofits in need of legal counsel but can’t afford it. By providing free legal services to nonprofits, the Charity Corps will help these organizations better serve their missions and fulfill their missions.
In 2002, the Nonprofit Working Group began matching nonprofits with volunteer attorneys who would offer pro bono legal services to local organizations. The nonprofit lawyers matched with nonprofits would review contracts and leases, prepare personnel manuals, and answer tax questions. In 2010, the group expanded its scope of services to other nonprofit organizations. In 2013, the organization partnered with the Colorado Bar Association to help nonprofits affected by floods in Colorado. The Nonprofit Match Program has since matched more than 350 nonprofits with pro bono lawyers in Colorado.
Staff
Volunteer attorneys provide pro bono legal services to low-income individuals, homeless individuals, nonprofit organizations, and nonprofits. With only four staff members and a $480,000 budget, the Clearinghouse was able to leverage the time and talents of 700 volunteers and provide $9 million in legal services. By 2015, the organization hopes to help 250 nonprofits, 230 individuals, and 720 volunteer attorneys. The nonprofit’s impact is measured by how many cases are resolved through the pro bono efforts of lawyers.
Mintz has partnered with Lawyers Clearinghouse for almost three decades. Together, they staff multiple legal clinics that provide civil legal assistance to low-income and homeless people. The two organizations also work together to engage more in-house legal departments in pro bono work. In addition, they also support a variety of other programs to provide pro bono services. The following are some of the staff members at Lawyers Clearinghouse.
Budget
New Zealand’s Lawyers Clearinghouse will have an increased budget in the 2020 Budget. The new funding will help improve case management and will match people in need with free lawyers. The funding boost will also fund improvements to community law centers, such as improved pay for staff. The New Zealand Bar Association supports the clearing house initiative and says it will make a difference to the community. The following are some of the key changes the clearing house will make in the coming years.
The Lawyers Clearinghouse connects homeless individuals and nonprofits with pro bono lawyers. The organization recently received a $100,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation. The money will help expand its services and increase the number of volunteers who are willing to provide these services. The goal is to help 250 individuals and 230 nonprofits this year. The grant will also help expand the organization’s staff. In the future, the clearinghouse plans to grow to a staff of 720 volunteer attorneys.