Attorney Abby Van Alstyne, who has regularly volunteered with the BBVLP for the past two years, helps clients with new attorney Meredith Busby at the Civil Help Desk. New attorneys are often paired with seasoned veterans to learn the ropes so even if you just passed the bar, the BBVLP has a volunteering opportunity for you!

Volunteer at a Help Desk
The BBVLP holds Help Desks on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday every week. Please sign-up for a two-hour time slot.

*The Help Desk will be closed on Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day*
Seeking patent attorneys and inventors

Patent attorneys can help low-income inventors in a new pro bono program that the BBVLP is implementing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Click here for details on how to volunteer and how an inventor can qualify for help. Also, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has information on the program on its website

 
Need to meet with a BBVLP client?

Please contact staff attorneys, Katrina Brown or Heather Bussey, to reserve a conference room at the Birmingham Bar Association if you cannot meet with the client in your office. Because the Birmingham Bar Association holds meetings and other events in its office space, please reserve your room before you arrive with your client. We are happy to provide you space to serve your BBVLP clients! 
Open cases

14-0001961
Client needs to file bankruptcy to help get driver's license back
This client has been working on this case with a volunteer attorney but the attorney had to come off of the case due to an illness in her family. The client was involved in a car accident in 2003. She is no longer working and is on a fixed income. She found out that her license had been suspended because of a judgment against her stemming from the car accident. The client desperately needs her license so that she can go to doctor's appointments. Contact Katrina Brown to help this client.
 
15-0003482
Disabled mother needs to file bankruptcy
The client was in an accident in 2011. Her license has since been suspended because of a judgment against her. She is having trouble making ends meet and taking care of her daughter because of the judgment. Contact Katrina Brown to help this client.

15-0003522
Client needs help with property dispute
The client is at the Jimmie Hale mission because he had to leave his home after a group of people, who the client says he does not know, showed up at his house with what he says is a forged quitclaim deed. The client called the police but the police told him he had to leave his house because the group of people had a deed and had also paid taxes on the house. The client says his mother willed the house to him but he does not have a copy of the will. However, the client says that the quitclaim deed that these people have containers a signature from his mother in 2013 - and his mother died in 2009! Please contact Katrina Brown if you can help this client

Uncontested Divorces
Please contact Heather Bussey if you'd like to take a truly uncontested divorce case. These cases do not take a lot of time and are very basic. Generally, there are no custody/visitation issues or any property to divide. These are a great way to help a client that needs an attorney to better their situation in life. If you've never done a divorce before, the BBVLP would be happy to assist you or pair you with a mentor.
Thank you to Pam Weed for closing two cases this week. In the first case, she assisted a deaf client with a contested divorce. Ms. Weed worked with an interpreter throughout the case. The client got custody of her three children.

In the second case, Ms. Weed helped a mother get visitation with her children.

Thank you to John B. Milledge for closing an extended service divorce case and helping his client reach a property settlement with her ex-husband.

Thank you to the attorneys who accepted extended service cases this week:

Abigail P. Van Alstyne, Quinn Connor Weaver Davies & Rouco
James B. Griffin
Amy B. Nelson, Cabaniss Johnston Gardner Dumas & O'Neal
Maibeth J. Porter, Maynard Cooper & Gale
Linda Hall
William F. Prosch, Jr.
Meredith B. Busby
Benjamin D. Cohn, Williams Elliott & Edwards
Thank you to the attorneys that volunteered at Help Desks this week:

District Court Help Desk: 32 clients helped on Monday and Thursday
Abigail P. Van Alstyne, Quinn Connor Weaver Davies & Rouco
Kevin Berry, Berry Law Firm
John S. Civils, Huie Fernambucq & Stewart
Patricia A. Doblar
James B. Griffin
William F. Prosch, Jr.
W. Ryan Myers, Cory Watson
Athanasia K. Newman, Rogers & Associates
Michelle K. Pieroni, Huie Fernambucq & Stewart
Vincent F. Saylor, Lorant Law Group
Vincent Swiney, Swiney & Bellenger
Jeremy N. Trousdale, Carr Allison

Domestic Relations Help Desk: 16 clients helped on Wednesday
Abigail P. Van Alstyne, Quinn Connor Weaver Davies & Rouco
Meredith B. Busby
Sam Campisi, Southern Company Services
Patricia A. Doblar
Leon K. Johnson
Priscilla L. Kelley
Margaret C. Philips, Legal Services Alabama
Help needed for July at legal clinics for the homeless

Birmingham Homeless Experience Legal Protection (HELP) offers bi-weekly legal clinics at the Old Firehouse Shelter and First Light Shelter. HELP needs attorneys to volunteer to provide advice and assistance or to accept referrals from volunteers that are unfamiliar with a particular area of the law. Volunteers attorneys are needed for the July clinics. Click here for more details.

For more information, please contact Lisa Borden by e-mail or call (205) 244-3803. 
Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program
  205-250-5198  | E-Mail | vlpbirmingham.org