February 26, 2016
A grandmother without transportation, a family with mold in their house, and a mother who has fought back from homelessness all need your help this week

16-0005249
Mechanic allegedly sold this 73-year-old grandmother's car out from under her


When this client's 1999 Buick started acting up, she took it to a Birmingham area mechanic and was persuaded to pay $550 up front to have the motor replaced. After the mechanic told her numerous times over several weeks that he was working on the car, she decided to investigate and learned that her car had been sold. She has no other means of transportation and is on Social Security. Please contact Katrina Brown to help.

16-0005250  
Please help this family who have mold in their Section 8 house
Since 2008, this couple and their three children have been living in a Section 8 house with mold because they say the Birmingham Housing Authority said there was a "freeze" on Section 8 relocations and the family could not afford to move somewhere else. For the past two years, the couple was told the "freeze" was lifted but there still was no place to move them. 


The landlord refuses to treat the mold that appears to be throughout the house. The dad tested positive for mold in his blood and the children have been sick. Please contact Katrina Brown to help.

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Young mother has fought back from homelessness and now needs help to obtain custody of her son


This young mother has worked hard to overcome several obstacles and now needs help securing custody of her eleven-year-old son. The mother was in foster care when she gave birth at age 16 to her son. She aged out of foster care and became homeless but always had contact with her son and helped support him as best she could. Now she is employed and wants to gain full custody of her son because she says the father is unstable.
The client says the father recently tried to run her over in his car. There is a question as to whether the mother owes past child support to the father. Please email Heather Bussey if you can help.
Thank you to the attorneys who closed Extended Representation cases this week:
Marcus Chatterton, Balch & Bingham
Ann Gathings, Gathings Law
Jeremiah Glassford, Balch & Bingham

Thank you to the attorneys who volunteered to work at a Help Desk this week:

Civil Help Desk: 28 clients on Monday and Thursday
Haley Box, Legal Services Alabama
Tereza Carolina Sampaio
Kathy Collier, Balch & Bingham
Jeremiah Glassford, Balch & Bingham
James Illston
Kendra Johnson
Loring Jones, Jones & Associates
Janine McAdory, Maynard Cooper & Gale
Vincent Nelan, Baker Donelson
Tarackia Phillips-Barge
Vincent Saylor, Lorant Group
Sarah Yates, Bressler Amery & Ross

Domestic Relations Help Desk: 34 clients on Wednesday
April Bauder, Merrell Law Firm
Pooja Chawla
Amy E. Glenos
Melinda Guillaume
James Illston
John Milledge
Tarackia Phillips-Barge
Tereza Carolina Sampaio

Volunteers
Jessica Chang, Cumberland School of Law
Tulia Larkin, Cumberland School of Law
Natalie Marshall, Cumberland School of Law
Avuntee Patel, Cumberland School of Law
Barbara Saurer

Firehouse Shelter Clinic: 2 clients on Tuesday

Thank you to the attorneys who accepted Extended Representation cases this week:
Courtney B. Brown, Burge & Burge
Michael Scott Harwell, The Harwell Law Firm
Loring S. Jones, Jones & Associates
Lisa Robinson
Julie Schiff, Baker Donelson
Valeria Walker
Project Homeless Connect is tomorrow; find out where to go!
Volunteer lawyers are to enter Boutwell Auditorium on Saturday through the door that is in the alley between Boutwell and the parking deck. When entering, identify yourself as an attorney volunteering with the legal services area. If you have issues getting into Boutwell, please email nyarbrough@vlpbirmingham.org and hbussey@vlpbirmingham.org.
Get your cool Project Homeless Connect t-shirt!
Even if you cannot volunteer tomorrow, you can help end homelessness by buying a Project Homeless t-shirt as proceeds will go to homeless prevention programs. Order online and pick up your t-shirt tomorrow at Project Homeless Connect. Or, if you want the BBVLP to pick up your t-shirt, order online and send an email to Nancy Yarbrough or Heather Bussey.
CLE Opportunities for Volunteer Lawyers

Attorneys volunteering at the Trans Name Change clinic get FREE CLE
Attorneys volunteering at the Trans Name Change clinic on March 15 can take part in a FREE CLE the week before. 

The CLE is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on March 8th with a lunch at Birmingham AIDS Outreach (BAO). The CLE is approved for two credit hours including one hour of ethics. Participation is capped at 25 attorneys and is only available to attorneys committed to volunteering for a two-hour shift at the Trans Name Change clinic on Tuesday, March 15th from 1 to 6 p.m. Please email Katrina Brown to register.
 
FREE CLE to Volunteer Attorneys "Tips from the Opposition"
Hear from attorneys representing creditors, landlords and insurance companies on how plaintiffs have won against them in District Court. Mark your calendars for 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 9th and plan to attend "Tips from the Opposition!" at the Jefferson County Courthouse, Courtroom 560 (Judge John Amari's courtroom.)

On deck to present are:
Unlawful Detainers: David Chastain and Jim Sandefer
Claims of Exemption: Manly West
Trying and Accident Case, including admission of medical records, bills, and other damages: Rufus Elliot and Carl Edwards

Also Barbara Luckett from Legal Services of Alabama will answer questions about how to represent low-income clients.

CLE credit has been approved for two credit hours. Please email Katrina Brown  if you plan on attending.

FREE CLE on Voting Rights
Former BBVLP Intern and Cumberland Law Student Whittney Maddox Dyer is organizing the following FREE one-hour CLE: