MILITARY ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER

Fall 2016

Support the ABA Military Pro Bono Project

The ABA Military Pro Bono Project’s impact is clear: Each year, the Project secures pro bono assistance for about 200 military members facing civil legal issues throughout the United States. Based on case-closing data provided by the Project’s volunteer attorneys, the yearly estimated value of these cases represents over $1 million in donated billable hours, which is a return of many times the actual modest cost of the Project’s operations.

To help ensure that military families receive high-quality, high-value legal services and resources, the Project depends on financial support each year from Project partners, law firms, corporations, and individuals. We invite you to partner with us in providing essential legal aid to our servicemembers, recognizing the sacrifices that military families make on behalf of us all.

Along with our Star Ranking Supporters, special thanks to the following:

ABA Section of Antitrust Law

ABA Section of Litigation

Holland & Knight LLP

Lockheed Martin

Case Spotlight: Marine Adopts Step-Daughter with Volunteer Legal Help

Read here about a pro bono attorney who assisted a Marine in the adoption of his step-daughter after she was abandoned by her biological father.

Find additional case stories on our blog to see how our volunteers are successfully helping military families.

 

Case Referrals and Attorney Guidance

ABA Military Pro Bono Project: Referring Cases

The ABA Military Pro Bono Project accepts case referrals from military legal assistance offices anywhere in the world on behalf of junior enlisted servicemembers facing civil legal issues, and it places these cases with pro bono attorneys where the legal assistance is needed in the U.S.

How can you submit a case to the Military Pro Bono Project? After registering on the Project’s website, you can submit case referral forms on behalf of your junior-enlisted servicemember clients under the “For Military Attorneys” tab.

Operation Stand-By: Receiving Guidance from Civilian Attorneys

The ABA Military Pro Bono Project also includes Operation Stand-By, through which you may contact civilian attorneys with legal questions relating to their geographic areas and substantive areas of expertise. Civilian attorneys are eager to help!

Please follow the guidelines. The Operation Stand-By lists are accessible and may only be used by military attorneys who are registered with the Military Pro Bono Project. Please read the Operation Stand-by guidelines. 

 

Legal Resources

ABA Home Front is an online resource designed to help military members, veterans, and their families find legal information, referrals, and representation for civil legal matters. Its Directory of Programs is a national, state-by-state guide that features contact information for military legal assistance offices, legal aid and pro bono programs, lawyer referral services, and local military-specific legal programs. It also includes an Information Center that features short, easily understood articles on matters of interest to military members.

 

Upcoming Webinars

12/14 FREE Webinar: Establishing and Enhancing Legal Clinics to Serve Veterans

12/16 CLE Webinar: Assisting Veterans with Legal Matters, V.A. Certification, Part 2

View the latest news on military and veterans issues and pro bono legal aid, events and CLEs, and the LAMP CLE webpage.
 

Education

Useful Books in the ABA Web Store:

The American Bar Association Legal Guide for Military Families: Legal resource for servicemembers, veterans, and their families.

A Judge’s Benchbook for the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: Information for judges of the provisions that protect servicemembers while on active duty.

The Military Divorce Handbook: Resource for representing servicemembers and spouses.

Ripped Off!: Guide for military personnel about certain types of sales, scams and abusive commercial practices.

Veterans Appeals Guidebook:
Guide to representing veterans in the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. 

ABA Military Pro Bono Project’s Online Library:

The ABA Military Pro Bono Project has an online library filled with resources that focus on legal issues faced by servicemembers, veterans, and military family members. Log onto the website and visit the Library.
 

FREE and Discounted ABA Membership  

FREE ABA Membership

Did you know that you are eligible for a FREE ABA membership if you are an active-duty Judge Advocate and have been licensed to practice law for five years or less?

Membership Discount

For military lawyers not eligible for a free membership, the ABA is offering a discounted membership rate.