Sign up to be a volunteer with the Vermont Volunteer Lawyers Project! Make a difference in someone's life. We need your help now! Here is more information about the project.

Who We Are

Vermont Volunteer Lawyers Project
The VVLP is a cooperative effort of The Vermont Bar Association and Legal Services Law Line. The VVLP is the only organized pro bono project in the state of Vermont. As volunteers with the VVLP each attorney is asked to give some time to help the indigent, but they give much more. They give dignity by reaching out and lending a helping hand; they give power to those in fear that fight poverty every day; they give hope where despair is the only reality. Whether you give one or one-hundred hours of your time, your participation in the VVLP makes a significant difference in people's lives. By responding to the pleas for help and providing equal access to justice, each of you gives back to and strengthens your community.

Legal Services Law Line
Legal Services Law Line of Vermont, Inc., a nonprofit corporation created by Vermont Legal Aid and the Vermont Bar Association, has received a grant from the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C. to provide quick advice, brief services and community education to low income Vermonters. Law Line's Board of Directors includes five attorneys appointed by the VBA: John Shullenberger of Jericho, Paula Kane of St. Albans, Jim May of South Royalton, Jay Abramson of St. Johnsbury and Lisa Shelkrot of Burlington. There are also three client board members: Edna Fairbanks-Williams, of Fair Haven, appointed by President Clinton to the national Legal Services Board, Flora Mason of Bennington and Roz Payne of Richmond. Tom Garrett, formerly of Vermont Legal Aid, is the Executive Director.

Law Line takes referrals directly from Vermont Legal Aid. Its mission is to provide high quality, high volume legal services to all low income Vermonters with civil legal problems and to promote the empowerment, dignity and equality of all Vermonters. Its priorities are based on the notion that since full representation for everyone with a serious legal problem is not an attainable goal, Law Line will try to help every poor Vermonter to solve their legal problem on their own. Law Line's goal is the empowerment of individuals and families, helping people to help themselves. In addition to self-help services, Law Line hopes to increase use of pro bono attorneys through the Vermont Volunteer Lawyers Project.

VVLP and its director, Angele Court, are part of Law Line. Although case referrals will continue as usual through the VVLP, there are now additional pro bono opportunities for Vermont Attorneys. Angele has contacted county bar presidents and plans to attend meetings throughout the state, to provide an opportunity for you to have input into the development of new initiatives. Providing assistance to the growing number of pro se litigants is a challenging task. This type of service is an integral part of the idea of equal access to justice. An important piece to this type of delivery of legal services is the ability to find pro bono attorneys through VVLP whenever possible. This is where your help is so desperately needed. The partnership of Law Line staff and Vermont attorneys is the key to an effective and successful program.

Source: www.lawlinevt.org