Pro Bono Opportunities
You provide access to justice for some of the most vulnerable and underserved communities in the Bay Area.
Since 1983, ALRP’s volunteer attorneys have been providing much-needed legal services to the HIV/AIDS community.
Your support plays a key role in providing the low-cost legal counseling and representation that can make an enormous difference in our clients’ lives.
How it Works
An overview of the referral process
1
A client contacts ALRP. A member of our client services team—staff attorney, paralegal, or law clerk—conducts a thorough intake to identify the client’s legal issue(s).
2
The ALRP staffer searches our database of 500+ volunteer attorneys to find a prospective referral. Results are filtered by practice area, counties served, language skills, and more.
3
The ALRP staffer personally reaches out to a handful of well-matched Panel Attorneys to place the referral, providing background information on the case and asking whether the attorney is available and willing to consult with the client.
4
You have the option to accept or decline! If you say yes, we provide your contact information to the client so the two of you can connect directly.
5
The case is yours once you connect with the client, but ALRP remains available as a resource. All Panel attorneys are covered by ALRP’s malpractice insurance. In addition, we can:
- Connect you to another attorney on our Panel for mentorship support;
- Facilitate communication between you and the client;
- Offer occasional office space if needed for client meetings;
- Provide training materials, including through our annual MCLE series;
- Re-refer the client if, after your initial consultation, you find yourself unable to take the case on for further representation; and
- Provide other support as requested—just ask!
We also offer opportunities for recognition of pro bono service as well as networking opportunities with hundreds of attorneys throughout the Bay Area who have demonstrated their commitment to helping those with HIV/AIDS.
Key Materials
Please review these brief documents before submitting your application.
Referral Process (3 pages)
This document provides a brief overview of how ALRP’s referral process works.
Fee Protocol (2 pages)
The ALRP Fee Protocol explains our rules regarding allowable fees, most of which align with an income-based sliding scale.
Attorney Rules (2 pages)
The ALRP Panel Attorney Rules detail the various rules that pertain to ALRP as a lawyer referral service in the state of California.
Rules of the State Bar, Title 3, Division 5, Chapter 3
ALRP is certified as a Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) by the State Bar of California and operates in compliance with the standards set in this Chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
ALRP’s mission is to advance and protect the rights, dignity, and health of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Bay Area.
We do that in two ways:
First, we have a team of in-house attorneys and support staff. We maintain a robust in-house eviction defense program, and our staff attorneys also provide support in a few other areas, including immigration, end of life planning, and insurance and benefits.
Second, we have a panel of several hundred volunteer attorneys who are willing to accept referrals from us, for those cases that we aren’t best suited to handle in house. Our panel attorneys’ expertise covers the full spectrum of civil legal services, which allows us to meet the wide range of our clients’ needs.
You can learn more by reading about our mission, impact, and services.
ALRP was founded in 1983 as a group of volunteer lawyers drafting emergency wills for community members who were dying too quickly.
Thankfully, the landscape has changed since that time. But there are still many challenges to managing a chronic health condition whose effects can be exacerbated by stress and trauma. Furthermore, many of our clients live with other health challenges, including mental illness, and have experienced years of poverty, stigma, and isolation.
By helping these clients stay housed, adjust their immigration status, maintain access to benefits, and address other destabilizing life events, we also help them maintain or improve their health.
The short answer is no! Our clients come to us with a range of legal needs across the array of civil legal services.
That said, current areas of high need include immigration, family law, bankruptcy, government benefits, and credit/debt.
If you have questions about whether your expertise may be useful, please contact Pro Bono Panel Manager Jake Creecy at XXXXXX.
Generally, joining the Panel is a flexible commitment. We do ask that all Panel attorneys accept at least two referrals a year. This can be as limited a commitment as providing two hour-long consultations that inform a client of their legal options and allay their concerns. Of course, ALRP’s clients have a wide range of needs, and we are always appreciative of Panel attorneys who can accept additional referrals or take on cases for full-scope representation.
Joining the Panel offers a number of benefits, including:
- Coverage under ALRP’s malpractice insurance;
- Flexibility to accept or decline referrals in alignment with your availability;
- Opportunities for networking and mentorship with ALRP’s Panel of 500+ pro bono attorneys;
- Opportunities for recognition at ALRP’s Annual Reception and Volunteer Appreciation Party and nomination for pro bono awards; and
- Access to free training, including through ALRP’s annual MCLE Series.
That said, the biggest benefit our Panel attorneys cite is that it’s a meaningful, positive experience and a way for them to give back to the community.
ALRP clients may be charged for some services.
Generally, all clients are entitled to a free one-hour initial consultation. In addition, simple wills must be provided at no charge, regardless of the client’s assets or ability to pay.
Allowable fees for additional services are governed by the income-based sliding scale outlined in our Fee Protocol. That said, the sliding scale is only applicable to a small percentage of ALRP clients, as over 80% of clients have an annual income of less than $30,000 (rendering them eligible for a $0 hourly rate under the sliding scale).
The fee protocol also includes details on settlements and contingency fees.
Although we do not charge referral fees to Panel attorneys, ALRP does ask that you tithe back 10% of any fees earned from ALRP cases as a donation to the organization.
At the end of every calendar year, ALRP shares a simple Reporting Log and collects from its Panel attorneys: (a) the disposition of any open cases, and (b) the number of hours worked on those cases. We also welcome any additional details or successes that you are able to share with us at year-end or on an ongoing basis.
Attorney hours reporting is a requirement for us to accurately track the value of donated legal services for our auditors and funders. Your assistance in reporting this information is deeply appreciated.
Never! We will only give a client your contact information after you accept a referral; you will never receive cold calls without first agreeing to take a case.
