The Veterans’ Legal Advice Clinic is a joint project of the Knoxville Bar Association Barristers and Young Lawyers Division, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, University of Tennessee  College of Law, Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law, and the local Veterans Affairs office. This is a general advice and referral clinic which requires attorney volunteers for its continued operation. The next clinic will be held in person at the Knoxville Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., on June 9 from noon to 2 p.m. Sign up here.

The legal community, including law students from a number of schools, provided meaningful opportunities for Tennesseans to connect to civil legal help during Help4TNMonth, the Administrative Office of the Courts reports. Events this month included a Faith and Justice Phone-In General Legal Advice Clinic in Knoxville, a statewide virtual town hall on Tennessee’s mandatory reporting laws and best practices for dealing with survivors of assault, and continued efforts to assist courts facing a backlog of civil cases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the legal clinic in Knoxville, 22 students from the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law conducted intake, completed necessary paperwork and provided case summaries to the attorney volunteers. Students from the University of Tennessee College of Law also participated. Read more about these activities and reflections from attorney volunteers who participated on the AOC website.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings and the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville have partnered together to present monthly Black-Owned Small Business and Nonprofit Legal Clinics. The clinics, held on the third Thursday of each month throughout 2021, are by appointment only and help provide accessible and affordable business-oriented legal services. Among other services, attorneys will provide corporate governance, review of contracts and guidance navigating local ordinances and state regulations. The next clinic will be held on May 20. Appointments can be made online.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold one phone clinic this week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. The clinic will take place Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. To help answer questions, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.

A group of Fortune 1000 general counsel and over 40 law firms yesterday announced creation of The Alliance for Asian American Justice, a national pro bono initiative committed to standing up for victims and preventing future acts of anti-Asian hate. According to the founders, the alliance will coordinate pro bono resources on behalf of victims of anti-Asian violence and provide other resources such as social services and other community support. Lawyers of Asian descent as well as non-Asian allies are invited to join the effort. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and other frontline legal and community organizations will perform initial intake with victims and then refer cases to the alliance. Those with a complaint should report it to the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund at StopTheHate@aaldef.org or on the Asian Americans Advancing Justice website. For more information, email the alliance.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold three phone clinics next week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics are Tuesday from 3 to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. All times central. To help answer questions, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.

The Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission kicked off its #Help4TNMonth celebration earlier in April to provide civil legal services to communities in need. This year’s theme is “Uniting Communities in Need” and is aimed at helping Tennesseans who continue to struggle with legal issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ATJ Commission has assembled a team of over 65 professionals to develop resources and create and promote pro bono service opportunities. The #Help4TNMonth website has information on events that are occurring throughout the month. Attorneys may also volunteer to help clients remotely through TN Free Legal Answers, an online platform that allows those who qualify to email a legal question to a lawyer, who responds with free legal advice. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more on how you can get involved in honor of #Help4TNMonth.   

The Tennessee Faith & Justice Alliance is planning a telephone clinic for Knoxville area residents this week starting tomorrow and running through Thursday. The alliance is a project of the Tennessee Access to Justice Commission. In the Knoxville area, the program is coordinated by the KBA's Access to Justice Committee, Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the University of Tennessee College of Law. Learn more or sign up here to volunteer.

Legal organizations in Knoxville will hold a virtual Veterans Legal Advice Clinic Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. EDT. The clinic is a general advice and referral clinic that serves between 20 and 30 veterans each month with a wide variety of legal issues. To volunteer, sign up online. For questions, contact Access to Justice Committee Co-Chairs Spencer Fair or Luke Ihnen.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold four phone clinics, starting tomorrow, for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics are tomorrow from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (with a special focus on disaster issues), Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. All times central. To help answer questions, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.