Volunteer

RECRUITING ATTORNEYS FOR PRO BONO PROJECT

Texas Advocacy Project (TAP) seeks Corporate Counsel and other attorneys to provide pro bono services to survivor clients in need of assistance applying for the Office of Attorney General’s (OAG) Crime Victims' Compensation (CVC) Fund.

Texas Advocacy Project is a non-profit law firm providing free legal services to survivors of intimate partner violence. TAP's mission is to end dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Texas. TAP empowers survivors through free legal services and access to the justice system, and advances prevention through public outreach and education. Our vision is that all Texans live free from abuse.

The State of Texas provides compensation to crime victims and their immediate family through funds administered by the OAG and paid for by those convicted of criminal offenses.  These crime victims may forgo the funds made available by fees paid by offenders because they may lack the ability or knowledge to file the CVC application and any subsequent appeals.

TAP is building a volunteer base of pro bono attorneys to help fill gaps of services for our survivor clients through a grant from the Corporate Counsel Section of the State Bar of Texas. We need your assistance securing CVC funding that will cover crime-related costs such as: counseling, lost wages, medical bills, and other crime related expenses.

If you are looking for a pro-bono project that will make a difference, but requires a minimal time commitment, this is for you!

HOW YOU CAN HELP 

Attend the Zoom training below for CLE credit to learn everything you need to know about filling out a CVC Application, the appeals process, and issue spotting for related crime victims’ rights issues such as the need for a confidential address.

Then, you’ll be matched with a client list quarterly. Your availability and interest will determine the number of clients you assist.  All work is done remotely.

CVC Training - Jul 7, 2021 12:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada) - 1 hour FREE CLE / .5 ethics.

Advanced Registration Required: https://bit.ly/2SsrUto

APPLY NOW!

If you are interested in joining TAP’s team as a Pro Bono attorney or have questions, contact Bronwyn Blake, Chief Legal Officer at [email protected].   

Help with our general administrative tasks. This volunteer opportunity is perfect for someone who wants to help with an important cause in a "behind the scenes" volunteer position that helps keep the place running smoothly.

Clerical volunteers can shred boxes of old documents, scan hard copy files and then save the electronic versions in our database, prepare brochure orders for shipment, help with mailings, data entry, printing and/or copying, and other tasks as needed.

Law Clerks are, to the greatest extent possible, treated just as we would a newly licensed staff attorney. This applies not just to tasks, but to training as well. The subject matter and skills training, especially in family law and interpersonal violence, are extensive. Law clerks are responsible for assisting staff attorneys on assisted pro se and direct representation cases involving all types of interpersonal violence and all types of law (most commonly family law). Clerkship can be entirely virtual/remote.

Duties and Responsibilities: Clerks will meet with clients, investigate facts, and prepare materials like summaries and timelines to assist attorneys.  They will review legal documents, draft motions and other pleadings.  Law Clerks will aid staff attorneys with discovery and trial preparation.  They will perform cite checks and legal research both manually and through use of electronic resources such as Lexis and Westlaw.  The Law Clerk will prepare correspondence, subpoenas, and other documents.  They will perform court filings and records research.  Law Clerks will have the opportunity to work closely with mentor-attorneys throughout the clerkship. When needed, they will accompany attorneys to court or virtual court to assist with litigation and will perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required- Enrollment at an ABA accredited law school. Knowledge of general legal terminology and legal principles. Ability to perform legal research & draft pleadings. Ability to organize and prioritize workload. Ability to understand and follow written and oral directions. Must have basic computer skills and familiarity with database management and record keeping. Must be able to work with minimal supervision.

Preferred- Proficient in Spanish preferred but not required. Skill in client intake and interviewing & ability to provide information to clients in crisis and be able to help focus individuals in a compassionate and respectful manner also preferred but not required.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] with "Summer 2022 Law Clerk" in the subject line.  No hard copies and no phone inquiries, please. 

Join our pro bono network and provide a free, half-hour consultation either over the phone or in person.  Representation at your discretion, and commitment is just 30 minutes per month. As a referral attorney, you would receive calls from victims of domestic violence.  By donating your time and expertise, you would be helping to transform victims into survivors. Any subsequent representation of a referred caller would be totally at your discretion and by your own terms. We are happy to provide you with training materials concerning domestic violence and with safety plans to distribute to clients in your office.

Texas Advocacy Project provides legal acumen to pro bono attorneys in Texas (whether part of our network or not) through our Assisted Pro Bono Hotline (1-866-598-4277) from 10:00am – 4:00pm Monday through Friday, who are assisting clients living at or below 150% of the federal poverty level in family law matters, with a special emphasis on cases involving family violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, or stalking.

The Project has a toll free legal help line. The attorneys who answer calls give free legal advice and referrals to callers from all parts of Texas.

The volunteer Legal Line Attorney's role is to assist staff attorneys in contacting clients who have already been screened for our services and need basic legal assistance over the telephone. We provide training to enable our volunteers to feel competent in assessing caller needs and providing legal advice, and staff is always on hand to answer questions.

Minimum 2 hour per week commitment. Requirements for this volunteer position are attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas, familiarity entering information into a computer database; reliable time commitment; compassionate attitude towards victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

We currently do not have openings in our Development and Communications Department. There are always other administrative volunteer needs so please fill out an application if you are interested.

Texas Advocacy Project has a great outreach campaign called Handbags for Hope, started by a former TAP survivor-client.

TAP collects new purses, gender-neutral totes, and diaper bags for survivors across Texas. This campaign helps to lead those experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) or sexual assault to safety and free legal and social services.

Volunteers are needed to fit each bag with a discreet tag that lists TAP's toll-free legal line 800-374-HOPE, safety planning information, and Allstate Foundation's Financial Empowerment Planning Guide, and then pack them up to prepare them for shipment. All bags are distributed to shelters, clinics, and crisis centers across Texas.

Because we are expecting several thousand donations, one person can’t do it all, so we truly need your help.  This is a great opportunity for families, groups, and individuals.

Please email [email protected] for more details!

Following our Handbags for Hope project, we ask for donations of new backpacks from the community.  Each backpack will contain the supplies children in crisis need to start their first days at a new school.

How can you help?  We need volunteers to stuff the backpacks with school supplies, safety planning information, and a discreet tag that lists TAP's toll-free legal line 800-374-HOPE, and then pack the backpacks into boxes to prepare for shipment. This is a great opportunity for families, groups, and individuals who can only fit an hour of volunteering into their schedules.

Please email [email protected] for more details!

Volunteer in style! Join Texas Advocacy Project in celebrating 40 years of providing services to victims of domestic violence at their annual black-tie fundraising gala in October. Volunteers for the Black & White Ball can help with everything from event set-up, selling mystery gifts, greeting guests, and tearing down!

More than 20 different shifts available, 2-3 hours each.

Please email [email protected] for more details!

Help us bring some holiday cheer to our past clients.  Each family "up for adoption" is nominated by a TAP attorney, and is currently transitioning from a home filled with violence to one of safety and security.  Volunteers will help with wrapping gifts at our office and packing them up for delivery.  To ensure delivery before Christmas, our intention is to have everything wrapped by early December.

This is a great project for individuals and small groups.

Please email [email protected] for more details!