PRO BONO 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 you, our volunteers, are successfully helping military families.

Get Involved

ABA Military Pro Bono Project: Pro Bono Representation

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.

Explore pro bono case opportunities on our website, which is updated daily. 
  

Operation Stand-By: Providing Legal Guidance to Military Attorneys

Through the Military Pro Bono Project’s Operation Stand-By, you may offer to provide attorney-to-attorney guidance to military attorneys so they can further assist their servicemember clients. Join by logging onto the Project website to update your profile by clicking on “I am registering to join the Project's Operation Stand-By."

Already signed up with Operation Stand-By? Please log onto the Project website to ensure that your profile information is up-to-date.

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.