I. Community Counsel Program
The Community Counsel Program provides legal assistance for eligible community-based non-profit organizations. The Community Counsel Program provides pro bono transactional services to organizations that are working to better the economic and social conditions for low-income residents and communities in distress.
We strive to help nonprofits more effectively address the legal and risk management issues that arise in connection with their operations. Our goals are to help eligible nonprofits build and maintain their capacity to serve the needs of our community as well as provide a credible source through which transactional lawyers may offer pro bono services.
The organizations we seek to help serve low-income youth, seniors and families, the homeless, low-income neighborhoods, victims of domestic violence, and the disabled.
Typically, the organizations we serve have fewer discretionary dollars in their budgets and generally cannot afford private attorney fees. When organizations are unable to afford attorneys, they either do not address their legal issues or hire attorneys with programming dollars, thereby reducing the services they deliver to the community.
For more information on the Community Counsel Program, please contact us at (727) 582-7480 or clp@lawprogram.org.
II. Guardian Advocacy Project
Our Guardian Advocacy Project assists families and other loved ones caring for persons with developmental disabilities obtain the legal authority needed to continue making decisions for their disabled loved one after he or she becomes an adult. We accomplish this by matching eligible families with volunteer attorneys.
Guardian Advocacy Project Brochure
III: Justice for Families Project
This project assists victims of domestic, sexual, and dating violence get civil injunctions for protection and provides advice and counsel to petitioners seeking injunctions at set times during domestic violence court. For additional information, please contact us at (727) 582-7480.
IV: Eviction Prevention and Probate Assistance Project
This project helps residents residing in the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (SSPCRA) who are at risk of or facing eviction or who need help with probate. The probate assistance is focused on helping to transfer family owned real property that is in the name of a deceased relative into the name of a family member or members who intend to reside in the property. Doing this helps preserve wealth within minority communities. This project is also focused on educating CRA residents about these important topics.
V. Community Education Program
On a periodic basis and upon request, we organize and host or participate in community events that are designed to educate the general public about law related topics. If you have an upcoming community event and need a speaker on a legal topic, please contact us at (727) 582-7480 to see if we are available.