Community Legal Referral Program
Contact: Machiko Sano Hewitt
msanohewitt@lawyersclearinghouse.org
The Community Legal Referral Program (CLRP) matches volunteer lawyers with nonprofit groups that develop or sponsor affordable housing, promote economic development, or operate as homeless shelters, tenant organizations, and housing and homeless advocacy groups. Since its inception, CLRP has assisted hundreds of nonprofit organizations.
CLRP has greatly enhanced the ability of community groups to move forward with their missions advised by competent legal counsel.
A nonprofit can receive pro bono help by contacting the Clearinghouse, submitting an application, and meeting the following eligibility guidelines:
- the organization must be nonprofit
- it must provide services to low and moderate income people
- it should be unable to afford legal services, and
- it should be engaged in promoting economic development, or addressing issues related to affordable housing or homelessness.
In the event that a groups seeks assistance with nonprofit incorporation, attendance at a workshop on the subject will be required. A fee of $20.00 per person will be charged ($50 for three). There is a $75.00 - $150.00 administrative fee for successful placement of each case with the volunteer attorney.
The program’s objectives are accomplished by enlisting the volunteer, pro bono support of the private bar through solicitation of law firms and individual attorneys. As applications from nonprofit groups are received by the Clearinghouse, a search is conducted to identify attorneys with relevant experience. From this search, the Clearinghouse notifies attorneys of the opportunity to volunteer to accept the pro bono case. The volunteer attorney who accepts the case will meet directly with the client. At the conclusion of the case, the attorney will report back to the Clearinghouse with information including the outcome of the case and the value of their donated services.
