Volunteer Lawyer Program of Southwestern Indiana
The Volunteer Lawyer Program of Southwestern Indiana (VLP) provides a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for attorney and paralegal members of the Evansville Bar Association. VLP coordinates pro bono services for low income residents in the greater Evansville area and partners with a number of legal and social service agencies to deliver innovative services that increase access to justice. Members of the EBA who provide 50 or more hours of pro bono service through any of VLP’s programs, receive a 20% discount on ICLEF and EBA CLE courses and receive public recognition for their work. VLP and partner projects include:
Traditional Pro Bono Case Placement – Attorneys accept matters pre-screened by VLP in almost all areas of law confronted by low income residents. Volunteers receive mentor assistance, cost reimbursement, and full malpractice coverage for each case accepted.
Talk-to-a-Lawyer Hotline – VLP, in partnership with the EBA and EBF, offers a monthly legal information hotline for area residents. Both attorney and paralegal members are eligible to serve the 1st Thursday and the 3rd Tuesday of every month.
Indiana Legal Answers Website - The attorney can log onto the website https://indianalegalhelp.org/ to anonymously answer legal questions that have been left by low income clients. Time is automatically captured by the website and the attorney receives credit for pro bono activity. Volunteers are covered by the VLP malpractice insurance.
Family Court Project Clinic – VLP, in partnership with the Vanderburgh County Courts, offers a bi-weekly clinic to assist pro se family court litigants. Volunteer attorneys assist litigants to select, complete, and file appropriate Supreme Court approved forms.
Teen Court – Operated by Youth Resources, Teen Court is a juvenile diversion program that allows offenders to be judged by a jury of their peers. High school students serve as jurors, attorneys, and bailiffs in this innovative program. Attorney volunteers act as mentors to these students. VLP tracks all volunteer hours for members.
Court Appointed Special Advocates – CASA coordinates volunteers who provide reports on at-risk children in Juvenile Court matters. Both attorney and paralegal members can volunteer for this program. VLP tracks all volunteer hours for members.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance – VITA is operated by the local United Way and uses trained attorney volunteers to assist low income residents complete their taxes each spring. VLP tracks all volunteer hours for members.
For information on volunteering with VLP or any of its partner projects, please contact Scott Wylie at 812.402.6303 or vlpwylie@sigecom.net
