Clinics & Projects

Suffolk Family Law and Guardianship Clinic

Volunteer attorneys are needed to provide legal advice and assist with drafting legal documents for the vast number of clients who are unable to pay for legal services but are in dire need of assistance. The Family Law Clinic helps clients by providing legal advice and drafting documents on a variety of family law issues, including divorce, custody, child support, parenting, contempt, and modification actions. With your help, we can bridge the access to justice gap for our clients. 

Attorneys provide Limited Assistance Representation (LAR) to clients, meaning they are only involved in the case for that day. Not trained in LAR? Watch a training and read required materials.

VLP is currently running a hybrid model for our Family Law Clinic.

How it Works- In Person

  • The In-Person Clinic runs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at the Suffolk Probate and Family Court on the second floor in the Court Service Center office space.  
  • Once the clients arrive, the unit will greet and screen them for eligibility.  
  • Once the clients are deemed eligible for our services, we will pair them with volunteer attorneys who will provide assistance with legal advice and drafting documents if necessary. VLP interns will usually be available to also assist with drafting documents.
  • A VLP staff attorney will review the documents drafted and the legal advice provided before the client leaves.  
  • Volunteers must fill out an Assistance Provided Form after each case to document the services provided to the client, such as any legal advice and the time spent with the client. It also ensures a record of the volunteers’ pro bono hours.
  • VLP has forms, reference materials, and other necessary information to facilitate our volunteers in providing their services to clients.

How it Works- virtual (Zoom)

  • Virtual Clinics run every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.  
  • Virtual Clinics’ schedules start at 9:30 am for clients.
  • First-time volunteers at the Virtual Clinic should sign up to shadow the clinic before taking on a case on their own. See the Shadowing section on the sign-up page.  
  • Volunteers should arrive by 9 am to learn about the cases scheduled for that clinic and troubleshoot any technical issues that may occur before the clients’ 9:30 am arrival.  
  • Once the volunteers sign onto the Zoom meeting, they will be let in and sent to the VLP and Volunteer Breakout Room. 
  • Volunteer case assignments occur during case discussions. Once the clients join the Zoom meeting, the unit will send them into a separate breakout room with the assigned volunteer attorney and a VLP intern to draft documents.  
  • A VLP Staff attorney will review any documents drafted during the clinic before the client leaves the meeting.  
  • Volunteers must fill out an Assistance Provided Form after each case to document the services provided to the client, such as any legal advice and the time spent with the client. It also ensures a record of the volunteers’ pro bono hours.
 
If you have questions about the Family Law Clinic, please email Pro Bono Manager Emelia Andres at eandres@vlpnet.org.  
 

sign up for the clinic

 

BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING

  • Limited Assistance Representation means you start and finish with your client on the same day; no further commitment to court proceedings or legal services is needed. 
  • Mentorship: Our newer attorneys learn from more experienced attorneys, and more seasoned lawyers get the chance to mentor and guide new attorneys and students.  
  • Networking: Meet fellow attorneys in your area of practice and connect with other legal professionals. 
  • Vouchers for discounted MCLE Training are available upon request for pro bono attorneys who actively work with us. The Volunteer Lawyers Project provides primary malpractice insurance for all pro bono work. 

 

If you need to gain experience in Family Law cases, we strongly suggest attending one of VLP’s free trainings before volunteering. Please check our calendar for upcoming training dates.

For more information

 

Please contact Olivia Cella, Family Law and Guardianship Units Paralegal

 

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