Serve the Community

Pro Bono Opportunities

Our neighbors need our help.  But not everyone can afford to pay legal fees. We know we should volunteer at least 50 hours each year to represent low income clients, but it’s not always easy.  Here are some ways you can build pro bono into a busy practice.  The rewards personally and to our system of justice are worth it!

VBA’s Low Bono Projects

The VBA runs grant-funded programs which pay lawyers a reduced fee (low bono) to represent disadvantaged clients. Clients are eligible because they are either low income or victims of crime.   Here’s how you can help

Small Business Legal Assistance Project is a joint project with Vermont Law School to link low bono lawyers with small business owners who need advice and legal services related to their businesses.  With a SBA grant, we pay you $75/hour for 5-10 hours of legal work in such areas as business formation, leases and contracts, business succession, intellectual property, employment law, business tax issues, regulatory compliance and other business-related matters.

Victims of Crime Act Project is funded with a federal VOCA grant to pay lawyers  $75/hour for up to 10-20 hours assisting clients in legal matters relating to their victimization.  Cases include custody and divorce, no-stalking orders, partition actions, assisting with evictions, collections defense, estate planning, assistance in criminal proceedings, and much more.

County Low Bono Projects provide legal representation to low-income Vermonters throughout Vermont.  With a grant from the Vermont Bar Foundation, we pay you $75/hour for 3-20 hours helping low-income clients in landlord/tenant, foreclosure and collections defense, child support contempt defense, post adoption contact agreements and adult involuntary guardianship cases.

Sign up HERE  to gain experience, build your practice, make some money, and help disadvantaged Vermonters.

Need more information?  Contact the VBA’s Legal Access Coordinator Mary Ashcroft at mashcroft@vtbar.org.

Vermont Volunteer Lawyer Project is a statewide program matching volunteer attorneys with low-income clients. You choose when, where and the types of cases you will accept, and VVLP provides the screening, referral and support.   For more information or to sign up, contact the Legal Access Coordinator, at 802-863-7153.

Vermont Free Legal Answers allows lawyers to answer legal questions on-line for low income Vermonters.  Practice pro bono law anywhere, anytime.  Learn more or sign up at www.vt.freelegalanswers.org.

Legal Advice Clinics are a great way to offer brief but valuable legal advice.  Clinics are hosted by some courts and by various non-profit organization in many areas of the state.  Check out the listings HERE.

Pro Bono Opportunities exist in every state court in Vermont.  Consider volunteering in your local probate or family division, where the need is especially great.  For more ideas, or to start your own pro bono project, contact Mary Ashcroft, Esq, VBA Legal Access Coordinator at mashcroft@vtbar.org

 

Modest Means

The Modest Means Program (MMP) is a reduced-fee attorney panel designed to make legal services accessible to lower and moderate-income people who make too much to qualify for free legal help, but still can’t afford full attorney’s fees. Modest Means clients have income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. Attorneys agree to charge not more than $75 per hour to these Modest Means clients.

We partner with Legal Services Vermont Legal Aid on this project. Prospective clients will enter financial information into LSV’s on-line intake system. If eligible, they will be redirected to the VBA’s on-line MM intake system. When you receive a referral through the Modest Means Program, you know this client meets the criteria for a reduced fee.  To sign up to be on the Modest Means referral panel, click HERE

Become a Foreclosure Mediator

If you would like to expand your practice and assist Vermont homeowners and lenders in working together to resolve foreclosure matters, consider becoming a court-approved foreclosure mediator. Foreclosure mediation training through the VBA is required before becoming a court-approved foreclosure mediator under the statute.

The prerequisite training is available via our Digital Library. There are two programs required: 1) Foreclosure Defense and Mediation (April, 2020) is 5.75 MCLE credit hours. The materials for this 3-part program are here:  Foreclosure Training Materials Part 1, Foreclosure Training Materials Part 2 and Foreclosure Training Materials Part 3 .

And 2) Foreclosure Defense & Mediation: HLAP, VHAP, COVID, stays, forbearance, and more (February 2022) is 3.0 MCLE credit hours. The materials for this program are here: Foreclosure Defense & Mediation: HLAP, VHAP, COVID, stays, forbearance, and more

To be on the panel, just complete the programs, after which you will be mailed an application and pay the annual foreclosure mediator fee of $100.