Bar associations and legal organizations team up to offer help

NASHVILLE, May 4, 2010 — Free legal services to flood victims will be offered at city disaster service centers, as well as several legal clinics, in the coming days through a joint program of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the Nashville Bar Association and the Nashville Pro Bono Program.

Issues that generally arise after a natural disaster, and for which an attorney can provide help, include:

• Securing government benefits available to disaster victims
• Filing life, medical and property insurance claims
• Dealing with home repair contracts and contractors
• Replacing missing or destroyed wills and other legal documents
• Dealing with consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures
• Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems
• Counseling on landlord/tenant problems

City Disaster Service Centers
The city's disaster service centers are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day this week and lawyers will be on hand to help any one who needs assistance. No appointments are needed. The centers are set up at the following locations:

Bellevue Community Center
656 Colice Jeanne Road
Nashville, TN 37221

Coleman Community Center
384 Thompson Lane (at Nolensville Rd.)
Nashville, TN 37211

East Community Center
700 Woodland Street
Nashville, TN 37206

Hadley Park Community Center
1037 28th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37208

Hermitage Community Center
3720 James Kay Lane
Nashville, TN 37076

Upcoming Legal Clinics
In addition to these centers, volunteer lawyers will provide free services at three upcoming legal clinics:

Dial-A-Lawyer Program
Sponsored by the Nashville Bar Association
TONIGHT, May 4, 2010
6 to 8 p.m.
Individuals with legal issues should call 615-242-9272 to speak to a lawyer

Legal Clinic
Sponsored by the Nashville Pro Bono Program
May 11 at 4:30 p.m.
No appointments needed
Location:
Legal Aid Society
300 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37201

Special Disaster Legal Clinic
Sponsored by the Nashville Pro Bono Program
May 12 at 5 p.m.
No appointments needed
Location:
Legal Aid Society
300 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37201

For more information about the Nashville Pro Bono Program clinics, visit the organization's blog

Toll Free Hotline
Late today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Governor Phil Bredesen's request for a federal disaster declaration in Tennessee. This action will trigger a toll-free hotline for consumers to request free legal services. Those affected by the storms and subsequent flooding who call the hotline will be matched with a volunteer lawyer who will handle their case. The phone number will be released as soon as the hotline is set up.

More Information
Those in need of legal services can visit the TBA website at http://www.tba.org/volunteer for details about how to access free legal services.