Pro Bono Training
If you missed our latest pro bono training you can get it on dvd by contacting Janet Seldon, jbseldon@legalaidsmc.org. All trainings are MCLE accredited. A dvd and project manual are available for the Domestic Violence Collaborative training, Guardianship training and Conservatorship Project training.
Upcoming Training:
Pro Bono Opportunities for Law Firms:
Participate as a firm with one or more of Legal Aid's programs. Local law firms often support one or more of Legal Aid's Pro Bono programs on a firm-wide basis.
TO GET INVOLVED:
Janet Seldon, Pro Bono Director: jbseldon@legalaidsmc.org
Guardianship Project
This project provides free legal assistance to grandparents and other relatives caring for minor children. Legal guardianship gives a non-parent custody of a minor and the legal authority to make most decisions about the minor’s life. It suspends, but does not terminate many of the parent’s rights, including the right to decide where a child will live. A legal guardianship can be a fairly simple and non-stigmatizing legal solution to a minor’s need for good care and stability. Legal Aid’s pro bono attorneys help low-income caregivers obtain legal custody of the children in their care by filing a guardianship case in probate court.
Conservatorship Project
Help meet the urgent need of low-income persons seeking help with the complicated legal process of applying for conservatorships. A conservatorship is usually needed when a person being cared for is no longer able to make health, financial or other life decisions for him or herself. Caregivers to seniors and parents or guardians of adults with disabilities must complete complex legal documents and appear in court in order to get approval for a conservatorship, but do not have the resources to access legal assistance.
Housing Project
Help low-income tenants with housing and habitability issues! Every week Legal Aid holds three housing clinics and one settlement conference where tenants can come fro help. Often a landlord is trying to illegally evict a tenant or will not fix a habitability issue like molding walls or rodent infestations. Legal Aid is the only place in San Mateo County tenants can get help with housing issues and you can be part of the solution.
Domestic Violence Collaborative:
A limited representation partnership
Help low-income domestic violence survivors get essential protective orders to escape the violence and create a safe environment for their children by providing limited scope pro bono representation at their restraining order hearing. Self-represented domestic violence survivors will prepare and receive an ex parte Temporary Restraining Order and hearing date through Bay Legal’s Restraining Order Clinic. Pro bono attorneys will sign up for hearings in advance and be assigned a mentor. Approximately 2 weeks before the hearing, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County will provide the client case information, all legal pleadings and supporting information. This project is a partnership between Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, Bay Area Legal Aid and Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA). CORA will be available on the day of the hearing to answer any questions.
Mentors
Legal Aid is always looking for mentors for their pro bono projects that are experts in the field and will provide assistance to pro bono attorneys on Legal Aid cases.
