Pro Bono Information

For legal advice - Click Here
Out-of-State Attorneys – Click Here  
Law Students – Click Here
Other Volunteers – Click Here

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED:

There are pro bono opportunities to match all skills, interests and availability.

Volunteer in a BayLegal Regional County Office:  Work directly with highly experienced BayLegal staff attorneys and advocates assisting in one ore more of our priority areas:

  • Domestic Violence Prevention: Assisting domestic violence survivors escape the violence and create a safe and stable environment for themselves and their families through Family Law, Restraining Order, and Immigration assistance
  • Housing Preservation: Assist clients to access and preserve safe affordable housing free of discrimination, with specific focus on Eviction defense and Fair Housing;
  • Economic Security: Assisting clients secure public benefits and eliminate the barriers to employment and self-sufficiency.
  • Health Access: Assisting clients secure public benefits and eliminate the barriers to employment and self-sufficiency

Locations: Alameda County (Oakland); Contra Costa (Richmond, Pittsburg); Marin (San Rafael); Napa (Napa); Santa Clara (San Jose); San Francisco; San Mateo (Redwood City)
Commitment: minimum of 8 hours/week for 3 months
Apply: Submit a Pro Bono Attorney Application with a copy of your resume.

Volunteer in a BayLegal Clinic: Work directly with highly experienced BayLegal staff providing assistance to self-represented litigants in the following clinics:

Commitment: generally a minimum of 8 hours/week for 3 months
Apply: Submit a Pro Bono Attorney Application with a copy of your resume

Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinics:  BayLegal staff and volunteers assist self-represented domestic violence survivors complete the paperwork and understand the process to request a restraining order and important custody, visitation and support orders. 
Contra Costa County:  Mondays and Fridays in Anioch; Concord, Richmond
San Mateo County: Redwood City
San Francisco: Cooperative Restraining Order Clinic (CROC) (BayLegal is partner agency) Alt Thurs evenings and Saturdays

Housing Law Clinic: Contra Costa County Superior Court: Pittsburg & Richmond, CA  Staff and volunteers assist low-income unrepresented litigants involved in eviction proceedings.  Through the Clinic, BayLegal aims to prevent of homelessness and illegal evictions and improve access to the courts for pro per litigants.  Litigants come to the clinic with a wide variety of housing issues and situations.  Help Prevent Homelessness and Illegal Evictions & Improve Access to the Courts.

Pro Bono Projects:

PDF Flyer of 2010 Pro Bono Opportunities and Projects
Click Here to View

contact: probono@baylegal.org

*For all BayLegal pro bono cases staff screen clients for eligibility and determine whether the case is appropriate for pro bono representation and provides ongoing mentorship.   

Limited Scope Representation in Domestic Violence Restraining Order Hearings – Volunteer attorneys provide limited scope representation (appx. 1 or 2 hearings) for domestic violence survivors seeking permanent restraining orders and important related child custody, visitation and support orders.  Volunteers receive training, a practice manual and sample pleadings and ongoing mentorship. Est. time commitment: 25 hours

San Mateo Domestic Violence Collaborative – Partnership with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County (LASSM) and Communities Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA) (hearings are: Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings).  Opportunities are available throughout the year and the project runs a summer associate program.  DVD training available upon request

Family Law Pro Bono Advocacy Program: BayLegal provides training and mentorship to attorneys interested in assisting low-income family law litigants with limited and full scope representation in family law matters, including Dissolution, Domestic Violence, Custody, and Support.
TRAINING:  Alameda - Family Law The Basics Seminar Series - October 2010

Pro Bono Immigration Advocacy  for Victims of Crime and Violence - VAWA Self-Petitions and U Visa Non-Immigrant Petitions are means to immigration relief for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Other Violent Crimes who are either immediate family members of abusive US Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents OR who cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation and/or prosecution of the crimes perpetrated against them. 

With BayLegal's training and ongoing mentorship Volunteer Attorneys have the opportunity to work with clients to: Elicit facts related to the abuse suffered and help prepare client's declaration; Prepare immigration petitions and related forms; Collect supporting evidence and documents; Understand the broader immigration petition process; and Obtain work authorization and benefits vital to fleeing and recovering from abuse.

Youth Justice Project - Representation of Poor Foster Care Youth to obtain needed health and financial benefits.  Pro Bono Attorney/Volunteer (license is not required) meets with the client at BayLegal's Oakland office or receives direct referral of a case.  Volunteer attempts to negotiate for appropriate benefits, if initial attempts to negotiate a settlement are unsuccessful, the volunteer submits a Request for administrative hearing, prepares a Position Statement (due day of hearing), and provides representation (hearing is approximately 3-4 weeks from Request). Est. time: 25 hours

Hypothetical case: Child is removed from parent(s) by Child Protective Services (CPS) and dropped off with grandmother or other relative.  The grandmother receives help with applying for and obtaining Child-Only CalWORKs (appx. $370/month), but is not informed or is denied AFDC-FC ($450-$700+ funds to help address additional needs).  The denial of these additional benefits may result in the child returning to the CPS system because the family member lacks the means to provide for the child (causing further instability, etc).