February 1, 2019
Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect 2019 is coming up on February 16th ! This is a great opportunity to assist homeless clients with their legal issues and help them get free IDs.
We anticipate serving at least 250 clients at this event, and we still need eight volunteer attorneys to assist us in this service. Please sign up if you are interested in helping these clients identify and overcome their legal problems! We will have a mandatory training session to prepare volunteers on February 15th.

Click here to volunteer for Project Homeless Connect. 
Date: Saturday, February 16th, 2019

Time: Two volunteer shifts, from 7:30 am - 11:00 am and 10:30 am - 2:00 pm. 

Location: Boutwell Auditorium - 1930 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203

Mandatory Training Session: Friday, February 15th, 11:30 - 1:00 pm (Training at VLB offices: 2021 2nd Ave N)

Pre-registration for clients at One Roof on February 5, 2019 at 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Last year, clients were assisted by over 130 judges, attorneys, service providers and volunteers. A few stories:

William Myers (the Myers Firm) helped a client who was was seeking help for his recent charges. Myers managed to get the client a new court date, and then advised him to serve community service and get his court fines waived. “I’m feeling okay for once,” the client said.
Sylvia Stone (the Birmingham Municipal Court’s Project Renew program) helped a former veteran get the driver’s license he needs to make it through vocational training and get a job. “This has definitely been helpful. I would recommend this to lots of people,” said the client.

A client struggling with interest costs on decades-old traffic tickets was able to get an ID after appearing in front of  Judge Andra Sparks . "Kindness goes a long way," the client said. "I have received a lot of blessings today."
Expanding services to Veterans
Keith Anderson (Bradley) helping his client
VLB will be expanding our Serving Veterans Program and will begin holding two Veterans Help Desk each month. The Help Desks will take place on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month beginning February 13th. Please note that we are also moving the start time to 1:30pm.

 Click here to sign up to help Veterans today! 
Open cases
HOUSING
Please help this single mother get the water turned back on in her home after her landlord failed to fix a leak. She and her two children have been without water for over a week and cannot complete even basic household tasks. I can help!
Help Desks
Thanks so much to our wonderful volunteer attorneys who helped at Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham’s Help Desks last week.
Bill Prosch volunteering at the Civil Help Desk
CIVIL HELP DESK

Greg Cook (Balch)
V.J. Graffeo 
Priscilla Kelley 
Bill Prosch
Martha Thompson (Balch)
Mary Pat Damrich with her client after helping him get old fines resolved.
TURNING POINT DOCKET

Mary Pat Damrich (Starnes)
Allen King (Starnes)
Chelsea Phillips (Balch)
Amber Whillock (Starnes)
Tyler McIntyre and Wilson Myers volunteer at the Veterans Help Desk
VETERANS HELP DESK

John Carroll (Cumberland School of Law)
Doug Friedman  
Josh Jones (Bressler)
Tyler McIntyre (Starnes)
F. Wilson Myers 
Matt Swerdlin
Walter Williams (University of Alabama Health Services Foundation)
Maura Goodwyn helps her client
DOMESTIC RELATIONS HELP DESK

Christy Boardman (Bressler)
Bob Dow (Maynard)
Maura Goodwyn
Melinda Guillaume
Susan McAlister
John Milledge
Laura Pizzitola (Bressler)
Lacy Triplett (Bressler)
Katie Wilson (Bressler) 
Volunteer at a Help Desk!
David Morrison (Bradley) helping clients 
The first week of the month is always the busiest here at VLB -- we have a Help Desk every day of the week next week! We still need volunteers for the Domestic Relations Pro Se Docket (2/8 ). Sign up here!

Also, please consider volunteering for our expanded Veterans Help Desks. We now have two a month and are seeking volunteers for February 13th. Sign up here!
Free eviction defense webinar for attorney volunteers at NOON TODAY
Check out this free CLE webinar offered by Legal Services Alabama in partnership with Alabama’s 5 Volunteer Lawyers programs (including VLB!). Sarah Taggart (Sarah Taggart PC) and Michael Forton (Legal Services Alabama) will present “Landlord and Tenant Law: A View from Both the Landlord’s and Tenant’s Perspective.”

Click here to register for this awesome free CLE opportunity happening at noon today!
Remember to “like” VLB on Facebook, and visit our Facebook page to see all the Help Desk happenings and news about civil legal aid. 
Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham | www.vlpbirmingham.org