Click here to volunteer at a Help Desk |  Click here to see open cases 
June 19, 2015
Attorney Wesley Phillips and client Debbie Hale

Small legal act ends in big result for client

Debbie Hale was desperate when she came to the BBVLP's Civil Help Desk because her landlord padlocked her apartment, denying her access to her personal property. Hale had a verbal agreement with the owner but he had died and now the owner's son wanted her out.

Hale just wanted her clothes, family keepsakes, and other personal property.

Enter Volunteer Attorney Wesley Phillips. Mr. Phillips read about Ms. Hale in the BBVLP weekly eBrief and decided to try and help. Within short order he had worked out an agreement with the landlord so Hale could retrieve her belongings.

"It was an honor to help Ms. Hale," Phillips said. "I've worked for years in Landlord/Tenant law and enjoy this work. Ms. Hale was a pleasure to work with."

Ms. Hale said Phillips was "good as gold."

"I really appreciate Attorney Phillips for defending me when I could not defend my behalf," she said. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't come to the BBVLP."
Low-income citizens can better protect their home and property from creditors

Thanks to a new law passed by the Alabama Legislature, low-income Alabamians can protect up to $15,000 of their home from creditors and up to $7,500 in personal property. Click here for more details.
Attorney Monica Graveline, Southern Company Services, assists a client at a Help Desk

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.
New cases

Mom needs help supporting her children
This mom has not received $40,000 in child support for her 15- and 11-year-old children and needs help getting the money to pay for her children's basic necessities. Click here to contact Heather Bussey about this case.

15-0003693
Client needs help recovering from mechanic
The client had taken her car into a shop for repairs. While in the shop, the car was allegedly broken into and the car's electronics were stolen. The shop owner apparently told police that he would cover the cost of replacing the stolen items. The client has contacted the shop owner but he has refused to give her money. Click here to contact Katrina Brown to help this client.

Please consider accepting one of these cases

Both of these cases have been in the eBrief for two weeks and both clients are motivated, organized and really need help. Heather Bussey, our domestic relations staff attorney, can help you with these cases if domestic relations law is not your specialty. Please consider accepting one of these cases:

15-0003620
Client needs help retaining custody
This client won custody of his seven-year-old daughter and is paying to keep her in a good school. The mother is now appealing this ruling and there is an upcoming hearing in Domestic Relations Court. The father is employed but makes minimum wage and receives no child support. Click here to contact Heather Bussey about this client.

15-0003630
Client needs help with child support
The client has overpaid child support since 2006. Both of his children are in their twenties but the income withholding order is still in effect. He has overpaid thousands of dollars. Click here to contact Heather Bussey about this client. 
Thank you to Elizabeth Zwiebel for closing an extended service custody case. Ms. Zwiebel helped a father get custody of his son. 

Thank you to Kellie Aver-Tubb for helping a client get discharged from Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. 

Thank you to Drew Whitmire for helping a client with a relative adoption. Mr. Whitmire helped his client adopt his niece that he had been taking care of for twelve years. 
Thank you to the attorneys that took extended representation cases:
Anderson Mears
Louis Montgomery, Bhate Environmental Associates
Kathleen Kaufman, Rockwell & Kaufman
 
Thank you to the attorneys that volunteered at Help Desks this week:

District Court Help Desk: 23 clients helped on Monday and Thursday
Volunteer Attorney David Webster, Legal Services Alabama, at a Help Desk
David Webster, Legal Services Alabama
Honza Prchal, Heninger Garrison Davis
Andy Jones, Cory Watson
Monica Graveline, Southern Company Services
Patricia Doblar
Haley Box, Legal Services Alabama

Domestic Relations Help Desk: 32 clients helped on Wednesday
Meredith Busby
Dru Clark, Legal Services Alabama
Leon Johnson
Anderson Mears
Louis Montgomery, Bhate Environmental Associates
Free CLE Thursday, June 25th

Birmingahm AIDS Outreach is hosting a free CLE on Thursday, June 25th from 10:30 am - 2:00 p.m. at BAO. The CLE topic is "An Introduction to LGBTQ Family Law: Advocacy for the Modern Family in Alabama." This CLE will be the precursor to the BAO's LGBTQ Wills Clinic in July.  The CLE includes one ethics credit and free lunch.

Please contact Stephen Rygiel with question or to reserve your spot.
Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program
  205-250-5198  | E-Mail | vlpbirmingham.org