Legal services offices responding to disaster
The swelling number of evacuees in our own communities is coming to light and Tennessee legal aid programs are gearing up to counsel these victims on food stamp eligibility, redirecting disability checks, and the whole panoply of legal problems.
The legal services offices and pro bono programs will be needing help in a variety of contexts to meet the legal needs of the growing number of evacuees. Attorneys can volunteer their time through the TBA or directly contact any of the agencies listed below.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET)
Knoxville: LAET in Knoxville is coordinating with the Red Cross to handle legal problems for evacuees. Interested volunteers in the Knox, Loudon, Sevier and Blount counties can contact:
Johanna McGlothlin
Legal Aid of East Tennessee
(865) 637-0484
jmcglothlin@laet.org
Johnson City: Interested volunteers in the Johnson City area can contact:
Carla Forney
Legal Aid of East Tennessee
(423)928-8311
cforney@laet.org
Chattanooga & Cleveland: LAET offices in Chattanooga and Cleveland are coordinating with the Red Cross, other local agencies, and the local bar associations to handle legal problems for evacuees. Interested volunteers in the Chattanooga or Cleveland area can contact:
Nancy Pagano
Legal Aid of Eastern Tennessee
(423) 756-4013 Ext. 116
npagano@laet.org
Deb House
Legal Aid of East Tennessee
(423) 479-8577
dhouse@laet.org
Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee (LAS)
Nashville: The Nashville Pro Bono Program and Nashville Bar Association are coordinating with LAS and Hands On Nashville (the agency coordinating volunteer response for the Red Cross, United Way/211 and TEMA) to provide legal services to evacuees.
All other counties in Middle Tennessee: LAS will coordinate legal services to evacuees.
Contact:
Lucinda E. Smith
Nashville Pro Bono Program
615-780-7127 or 615-244-6610
lsmith@lglaid.org
West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS)
Jackson: WTLS has been working with Memphis Area Legal Services sharing their disaster related files and training manuals and statutes with MALS. Interested volunteers in the Jackson area can contact:
Kathryn Tucker
Western Tennessee Legal Services
(731) 426-1308
kathrynt@wtls.org
Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS)
Memphis: MALS is coordinating with the Red Cross, West Tennessee Legal Services, the Mayor's Disaster Relief Task Force, and the Memphis Bar Association YLD to coordinate services to handle legal problems for evacuees. Interested volunteers in the Memphis area can contact:
Linda Warren Seely
Memphis Area Legal Services
(901) 523-8822
lseely@malsi.org
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