July 17, 2015
New volunteering opportunity this Tuesday:
Women and children legal clinic at Pathways

Please volunteer or volunteer your firm to provide legal advice to women and children experiencing homlessness at the BBVLP's new legal clinic beginning this Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Pathways Day Center, 409 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd., North (picture below). For more information, please visit Pathway's website.

This clinic will occur every first and second Tuesday of the month and we need volunteer attorneys to help. Click here to see the clinic flyer. We will help the women at Pathways with ID/license issues, evictions, collections, guardianships, divorce and other legal issues. We cannot run this clinic without you. Please contact Heather Bussey to volunteer.

The BBVLP's new legal clinic is this Tuesday at Pathways, pictured above, which is located at 409 Richard Arrington Boulevard.

Attorney De Martenson wins cases for tenants in need

BBVLP Volunteer Attorney De Martenson, of Huie Fernambucq & Stewart, is generous in donating his time to help indigent clients with housing issues
Attorney De Martneson gets tenant's money back after landlord lied:
BBVLP client, Rosio Aguirre, thought she had an agreement to rent-to-own her home but when her landlord refused to tell her how much of her rent was being applied to the purchase of the home she decided she needed out of her contract.

Enter volunteer attorney De Martenson, of Huie Fernambucq & Stewart. Martenson negotiated with the landlord's attorney and reached an agreement in which Ms. Aguirre was allowed to remain in the house for enough time to find a new residence, the judgment against her was set aside, and mutual releases were signed. Ms. Aguirre now lives in a newer, upgraded property with her family.

Martenson gets great deal for tenant whose landlord refused to make repairs: BBVLP client, Pamela Glenn, agreed to rent an apartment after her landlord agreed to make repairs -- but the landlord failed to abide and would not fix her broken heater.

Attorney Martenson worked with Ms. Glenn and was able to get the City of Birmingham to inspect the property, after which it was temporarily condemned. Martenson then negotiated an agreement where she was given rent-free occupancy for 45 days in order to find a new apartment, a refund of her $400 security deposit and the landlord withdrew his eviction claim. Ms. Glenn now lives in a comfortable  home.
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.
Open cases

14-0001961
Mother of two needs help filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
This mother would like to file bankruptcy as an effort to get her driver's license back. Her license was revoked due to a money judgment filed against her. The client is currently on Social Security and cannot afford to pay the judgment. Client has two small children and has no way to get them to school or to their doctors' appointments. Please help by contacting Katrina Brown.

15-0003356
Please help mother win custody of two minor children from verbally abusive father
This mother needs help protecting her minor children from their father. The mother has a custody modification case pending and needs help filing emergency papers immediately. Please help by contacting Heather Bussey.

15-0002861
Please help protect mother's rights during divorce process
This mother needs help protecting her interests against her husband who kicked both her and her child out of their house. Please help by contacting Heather Bussey.

15-0003726
Client needs your help with divorce
The client needs an attorney because her husband abandoned her and has moved out of state with their only vehicle. He left her with all of the marital bills, which she has been struggling to pay without his support. She has been trying to represent herself. Click here to contact Heather Bussey about this case.
Congratulations attorneys who closed cases:
Amy Gleon
Gregg M. McCormick, Bressler Amery Ross
J. Timothy Smith
Attorneys who volunteered at a Help Desk:

District Court Help Desk: 31 clients on Monday and Thursday
Rosemary N. Alexander, Shunnarah Injury Lawyers
Patricia A. Doblar
Linda Hall
De Martenson, Huie Fernambucq & Stewart
Honza Prchal, Heninger Garrison Davis
Vincent Saylor, Lorant Law Group
Moses O. Stone, Stone Law Firm

Domestic Relations Help Desk: 36 clients on Wednesday
Patricia A. Doblar
Matthew A. Griffin
Brenda L. Harrell, YWCA Central Alabama
Priscilla Kelley
T. Anderson Mears, II
Andrew Wheeler-Berliner, The Berliner Firm
Attorneys who accepted open cases:
Dan Crane, Crane Injury
Shannon H. Dye
Lisa C. Robinson
Moses O. Stone, Stone Law Firm
Bryant Drew Whitmire
Refer a candidate to be the BBVLP's AmeriCorps member 

The BBVLP is seeking an energetic, creative, and justice-minded candidate with excellent writing and communication skills to serve as our AmeriCorps member to jumpstart our social media and marketing efforts so that we can reach more clients in need.

The ideal candidate will have a marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, or related degree and is eager to join the BBVLP to provide legal services to community members who cannot afford representation. Click here for a full position description.

For more information, visit ywcabham.org/americorps . To apply, send resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Deadline is August 3.


Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program
  205-250-5198  | E-Mail | vlpbirmingham.org