How will I serve?

You may want to help a client with an issue you’ve never seen before, or you can stay in your comfort zone. Opportunities for direct representation include:

• Transactional matters: Preparing a will or Power of Attorney
• Uncontested court actions including conservatorships and expungements
• State administrative hearings to establish unemployment benefits or secure driver’s or professional licenses
• Federal administrative hearings to preserve income for SSI/SSDI recipients facing termination of benefits
• Chapter 7 bankruptcy
• Litigation in General Sessions Court across multiple claims including eviction, debt collection, and tort defense
• Litigation in Circuit or Chancery Court including Orders or Protection, adoption and divorce, tort defense, wage claims and Fair Housing and Consumer Protection Act claims

Legal help clinics provide an opportunity for members of the community to meet with a volunteer lawyer to discuss a legal problem. Lawyers provide advice, counsel, referrals and sometimes limited action or extended service. Seasoned lawyers are available to mentor volunteers and booklets produced by LAS are available to help clients understand their legal rights and next steps. Let us know that you want to help by completing the VLP Registration Form (Lawyer) or contact us at VLP@las.org to volunteer or learn more.

Non-attorney volunteers are key to the success of the clinics, including law students, interpreters and paralegals. Let us know that you want to help by completing the VLP Registration Form (Non Lawyer) or contact us at VLP@las.org to volunteer or learn more.

Help is also provided with the support of community partners through scheduled advice/counsel legal clinics throughout the service area:

• Anderson County Legal Clinic: Third Tuesday monthly; staffed by the Anderson County Bar Association
• Second Tuesday Clinic (Gallatin): Second Tuesday monthly; staffed by Sumner County Bar Association
•  Downtown Nashville Public Library Clinic: First Wednesday monthly held at downtown library; staffed by local firms .
• Operation Stand Down Tennessee Clinic: Third Wednesday monthly at OSDTN, targets veterans with screening by OSDTN; staffed by lawyers from Waller, Neal & Harwell, Nelson Mullins, and Hollins, Raybin, Weisman
• Mercy Legal Help Clinic: First Thursday monthly; targeting clients in Williamson, Hickman, Perry, Linden, Maury and Marshall counties; staffed by lawyers from the Williamson County Bar Association
• Metro Nashville Public Schools Legal Help Clinic: Third Saturday monthly; outreach to immigrant/refugee community with MNPS and partners including Conexión Américas, TIRRC, American Center for Outreach; staffed by Nashville Bar Association lawyers, volunteer interpreters and law students
• McHugh Free Legal Help Clinic: Last Saturday monthly; staffed by volunteer lawyers, including government lawyers, sole practitioners and firm lawyers. Every 2^nd Saturday and 4^th Saturday of the month.
• RCCBA Free Legal Clinic at Greenhouse Ministries: held every 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of month to serve the Murfreesboro community.
• VITA Income Tax Clinics: Volunteer lawyers in Oak Ridge help low income taxpayers prepare income tax returns