SFPA Pro Bono & Community Affairs Committee's goal is to become a direct link between paralegals and the legal aid communities and organizations throughout San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area. We want to present paralegals with the opportunity to utilize their legal skills and expertise to contribute and reach out to the disadvantaged individuals and groups within the San Francisco and Bay Area community. We want to present those paralegals who are starting out with the chance to receive on hands training in a [legal] public service capacity.

Most importantly, paralegals who give their time and commitment to pro bono and community affairs service will have contributed to and become an active part of a larger society as well as part of the lives of worthy individuals.

Pro Bono Announcements

Our committee is in need of Co-chairs to assist in coordinating and directing Pro Bono projects and events.

Pro Bono Opportunities

The District Attorney's office is seeking volunteers for their Domestic Violence Unit, Victim Witness Program and Special Emphasis Unit (Bayview/Hunter's Point based-project). For more information, call Debbie Arthur at 553-1865.

ALRP needs your help in protecting and advancing the rights of individuals with HIV. The following opportunities are offered through ALRP:

• Every Thursday Evening from 6-8:30 p.m. - Insurance Benefits Workshop: Paralegals are needed to assist attorneys in completing insurance benefits forms and documents.

• On-Call Assistance: Paralegals are needed on an "on-call" basis to assist attorneys with various projects that may be available. Flexible hours.

• Follow-up Assistance: Paralegals are needed to follow-up with clients who have been placed with volunteer attorneys. Flexible hours.

Please contact Philip Kuttner, Volunteer Coordinator at (415) 701-1100 if you are interested in volunteering for any of the above and for more information.

VLSP provides critical, free paralegals to low-income and indigent residents of San Francisco in a wide variety of civil law matters. VLSP is the largest and the only fully comprehensive legal services provider in San Francisco.

• SSI for Children with Disabilities. Paralegals can assist a disabled child in applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability benefits. This involves meeting with the disabled child and his/her family, collecting medical documents to support a finding of disability, filing administrative appeals and other questionaires/forms and negotiating with the Social Security Administration. Comprehensive training and written materials are available.

• Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP). HAP needs paralegals to advocate for homeless individuals and families as well as those at risk of becoming homeless. Through HAP, volunteers work directly with individuals who need assistance while developing interviewing and negotiating skills. Paralegals have been an important part of HAP since HAP's inception in 1988.

• Legal Advice and Referral Clinic. Paralegals can assist at this "advice only" clinic, which covers all legal matters and is held on a monthly basis. Paralegals are needed to interview and screen walk-in clients regarding legal questions or problems. Intake instruction is provided. The Clinic takes place on Saturday each month from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Call for scheduling.

• Cooperative Restraining Order Clinic. Volunteer paralegals are needed to assist victims of domestic violence to obtain restraining orders against their abusers. These volunteers will interview clients on senstive issues related to domestic violence, make appropriate referrals and assist individuals in completing the legal documents necessary to obtain restraining orders. Bilingual volunteers are needed to conduct client interviews and act as interpreters for clients in court. Training sessions are available on videotape. Volunteer typists who have computer experience or who are familar with ProForma software are especially needed to complete forms to be filed in superior court.

• Translation/Interpretation. Individuals who are fluent in language(s) in addition to English are urgently needed to provide important skilled translation during client interviews and possibly at hearings.

For more information on VLSP's programs, please contact Amanda Chavez of VLSP directly at (415) 782-8956.

You also have the option of consulting or PRO BONO RESOURCES LIBRARY at San Francisco State University's Downtown Learning Center. Located at 425 Market Street, 26th Floor (Dreyfus Building), San Francisco, Ca.