The Common Law
Volunteer Legal Services – Free Weekly Legal Clinic
By Luke Ellis, Fri., March 6, 2009
Volunteer Legal Services – Free Weekly Legal Clinic
My friend told me there is a free legal clinic where I can get free legal advice – is that true? When is it, and where do I go?
Yes. Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, in partnership with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, provides two free legal advice and intake clinics each week. The clinic is designed to help low-income folks with their civil legal problems. Advice is given only on civil, not criminal, matters.
The clinics are held every Monday and Wednesday night (except on holidays or during school breaks) at two different local middle schools. The Monday night clinic is held at Martin middle school (1601 Haskell St.). The Wednesday night clinic is held at Webb middle school (601 E. St. Johns). Child care, Spanish translation, security, and free parking are provided.
VLS recommends that you arrive between 6pm and 7pm. It's important that you come during this time window as no one is allowed to enter the school before 6pm (for security reasons) and anyone arriving after 7pm will be asked to come back to another clinic.
When you arrive, you'll be divided into one of two groups – those needing help with family law matters and those needing help with any other noncriminal matters. You will be asked to fill out a basic form asking for more information about you and your case. This form will be reviewed by the attorney before you start talking with him or her. Be prepared to give a short overview of your problem. As hundreds of people come to the clinics each week, the attorneys can often only spend 10-15 minutes with each person. The attorney who talks with you is agreeing only to give you advice and is not going to represent you in your case. Folks who are financially eligible may also be able to apply for free legal services from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid at the clinics, although due to limited legal resources, there is no guarantee that an attorney will take the case.
Be sure to check out the VLS website for more information on the free legal clinics and the other great services it provides (www.vlsoct.org).
Please submit column suggestions, questions, and comments to thecommonlaw@austinchronicle.com. Submission of potential topics does not create an attorney-client relationship, and any information submitted is subject to being included in future columns.
Marrs, Ellis & Hodge LLP, www.mehlaw.com.
The material in this column is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute, nor is it a substitute for, legal advice. For advice on your specific facts and circumstances, consult a licensed attorney. You may wish to contact the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas, a non-profit public service of the Austin Bar Association, at 512-472-8303 or www.austinlrs.com.
