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Volunteer OpportunitiesWe have many projects that need your pro bono services. Click on a project or clinic below and get the details about how easy it is to become a volunteer.
Family Law ProjectAssist individuals, families with children or families with domestic violence in matters including marital dissolutions, child custody, child support, restraining orders, guardianships, conservatorships, wills, powers of attorney and probate litigation. Did you know…With 62 new volunteers last year, 328 family law clients received help through VLSP. Of those, 286 families received help for domestic violence. Who can volunteer?New or experienced attorneys. Other qualifications?Must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California. Training provided?Yes. For attorneys with little or no experience, an Introduction to Family Law training is offered by VLSP every other month Expert or mentor support provided?Yes. We will provide volunteers with a list of family law experts to consult regarding their pro bono matters. If an inexperienced volunteer attorney takes a more difficult pro bono case, we may, upon request, find a mentor for the volunteer. Minimum commitment?Two pro bono cases within a year of training. Eviction Defense ProjectAssist individuals and families with children facing eviction from their homes. Did you know…
Who can volunteer?New or experienced attorneys. Other qualifications?Must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California. Training provided?Yes. For attorneys with little or no experience, an Introduction to Landlord/Tenant Law training is offered by VLSP every month. Expert or mentor support provided?Yes. We will provide volunteers with a list of landlord/tenant law experts to consult regarding their pro bono matters. If an inexperienced volunteer attorney takes a more difficult pro bono case, we may, upon request, find a mentor for the volunteer. Minimum commitment?Two pro bono cases within a year of training. Housing Negotiation Project(Formerly known as Courthouse Landlord/Tenant Project: Attorney of the Day)Provides limited scope representation to un-represented litigants in their mandatory unlawful detainer settlement conference in San Francisco Superior Court. Who can volunteer?New or experienced attorneys. Other qualifications?Must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California. Training provided?Yes. For attorneys with little or no experience, an Introduction to Landlord/Tenant Law training and Unlawful Detainer Settlement Conference training is offered by VLSP every month. Expert or mentor support provided?Yes. A VSLP supervising attorney is on site at the courthouse. Minimum commitment?New volunteers commit to taking at least 2 pro bono, full representation eviction defense cases and 2 settlement conference shifts within the next year, or 4 settlement conference shifts within the next year. Current Eviction Defense Project volunteers attend an Unlawful Detainer Settlement Conference training only and commit to 2 settlement conference shifts within the next year. How you can make a difference.Help families and individuals retain affordable housing or avoid homelessness by stepping in at the critical stage when virtually all cases are resolved. Community Organization Representation Project (CORP)Assist nonprofit community-based organizations in a range of transactional business law matters. Did you know…Two hundred fifteen volunteer attorneys assisted over 186 organizations volunteering 4,833 hours valued at over 1.6 million dollars. Who can volunteer?Experienced transactional attorneys, or new attorneys supervised by their firm. Other qualifications?Must be admitted to practice law in California and have active status or emeritus with the State Bar of California. We especially need attorneys experienced in employment, real estate, intellectual property, taxation, liability and insurance, corporate formation/governance, business contracts, finance and zoning law. Training provided?Generally, no, we rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorney or his/her law firm. However, periodically, we offer trainings on nonprofit incorporation and tax-exemption filings. Expert or mentor support provided?We provide expert or mentor support in the area of nonprofit incorporation. In all other areas of law, we rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorney or his/her law firm. However, upon request, we may provide brief consultations on your pro bono matter when more complicated issues arise. Minimum commitment?No, unless you attend our nonprofit incorporation training, in which case you are expected to handle one pro bono incorporation matter. Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP)Assist individuals or families who are homeless or at serious risk of becoming homeless. HAP also hosts a Summer Associate in Public Service Program, a collaboration between BASF's Barrister's Club Pro Bono Issues Committee, HAP and participating San Francisco law firms. HAP publishes a 300+ page Homeless Advocacy Resource Manual. It lists agencies with services available to homeless and low-income persons in San Francisco. For current price and edition please contact Martha Garcia at 415-865-9213 or mgarcia@sfbar.org. Did you know…
Who can volunteer?New or experienced attorneys; attorneys awaiting Bar results; experienced paralegals; law students. Other qualifications?Attorneys must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California to handle cases requiring court appearances. Training provided?Yes, classroom training is offered once a year. A videotape of this training is available for check-out throughout the year. Expert or mentor support provided?Yes. Volunteers work closely with supervising attorneys. Minimum commitment?Assist three clients within a year of training. Consumer ProjectVolunteer attorneys provide advice to clients about debtor/creditor rights and responsibilities, stopping creditor harassment, and bankruptcy. Clients are also able to receive assistance with in pro per collection defense actions. Did you know…
Who can volunteer?New or experienced attorneys. Other qualifications?Must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California. Training provided?Yes. For attorneys with little or no experience, a training is offered by VLSP every month. Expert or mentor support provided?Yes. Minimum commitment?Volunteers are required to staff the Debt Defense and Education Clinic a minimum of three times within a year of the training. Tort Defense ProjectAssist individuals and families in a variety of tort defense matters. Did you know…
Who can volunteer?Experienced litigation attorneys. Other qualifications?Must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California. Training provided?No. We rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorney. Expert or mentor support provided?No. We rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorney. Minimum commitment?No. Legal Advice and Referral Clinic (LARC)Assist the general public at a free monthly walk-in clinic at UC Hastings College of the Law or in the Bayview/Hunters Point District that provides clients with brief legal advice and referrals. Recent comments from LARC clients…
Who can volunteer?Experienced attorneys; paralegals; law students; social workers and interpreters. Other qualifications?Attorneys must be admitted to practice law in California and have active or emeritus status with the State Bar of California. We especially need attorneys experienced in family, immigration, workers compensation, real estate, probate, criminal, labor, employment, personal injury, bankruptcy, collection/collection defense, landlord/tenant and business/contracts law. Training provided?Orientation provided to new volunteers. We rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorneys. Expert or mentor support provided?No. We rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorneys. Minimum commitment?No, but volunteers are strongly encouraged to attend more than one clinic per year. Clinic Dates Interpreter ProjectAssist non-English speaking clients in communicating with their attorneys. Did you know…
Who can volunteer?Paralegals; law students; college students; students of paralegal or interpreter certificate programs; other bilingual professionals. Other qualifications?Must be fluent in English and one other language, especially Spanish, Cantonese or Mandarin. Must be available Monday through Friday during business hours. Training provided?Yes. Interpreter training is provided quarterly. Expert or mentor support provided?N/A. Minimum commitment?Two pro bono cases within a year of training. Social Services ProjectAssist clients in any of VLSP's project or clinics with social services. Who can volunteer?Licensed social workers; licensed therapists; social work interns with supervisors; other social services professionals with case management experience. Other qualifications?Must be willing to work with low-income clients, many of whom may have physical or mental disabilities. Training provided?An orientation is provided, but we generally rely upon the expertise of the volunteer social services professional. VLSP does offer supplemental taped CEU trainings for current social services volunteers. Expert or mentor support provided?Volunteers are supervised by VLSP's Director of Social Services. Minimum commitment?Determined on a case-by-case basis. Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)Assists low-income taxpayers who have tax issues with the IRS, including taxpayers in controversy with the IRS, individuals who have filed a petition with the U.S. Tax Court and individuals who need help in obtaining other relief for a tax obligation. VLSP’s LITC also provides assistance to unrepresented litigants who need assistance on the day of the U.S. Tax Court docket call. Who Can Volunteer?Experienced tax attorneys, or new attorneys supervised by their law firm. Certified Public Accountants and Enrolled Agents who are admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court should call VLSP for more information. Other qualifications?Attorneys must be licensed in California; admission to practice before the U.S. Tax Court is a plus. Training provided?No; we rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorney or his/her law firm. However, we will periodically offer trainings on tax law, and practice and procedure. Expert or mentor support provided?We generally rely upon the expertise of the volunteer attorney or his/her law firm. Experts and mentors are available to attorneys who are not with a law firm upon request. Minimum commitment?None. |