Come to the Massachusetts Bar Association on Thursday, Sept. 12, for a "make
your own taco" party and answer legal questions from low-income Massachusetts
residents through Mass Legal Answers Online (MLAO). Volunteer your time and
offer assistance to people who are having legal difficulties and looking for
guidance.
What is MLAO and how does it work?
MLAO is a legal advice
website that is part of the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answer
project, which also received funding from the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the
philanthropic partner of the MBA. Since the inception of the Massachusetts-based
program, hundreds of qualified users have posted their civil legal questions
online, and those questions have been answered by volunteer attorneys. When
volunteer attorneys log in to the MLAO site, they will see a list of questions
they can choose to answer. The questions are broken down by case type, which
makes it easy for volunteers to choose what they would like to answer. MLAO is a
limited-scope service in that all help is provided through the website, and
there is no requirement or expectation for long-term representation. There is no
fee for the use of the service or the advice/information provided by the
attorney. Learn more about MLAO here.
So, what is the blitz?
On Sept. 12, volunteer
attorneys will get together to answer legal questions that have been posted to the
MLAO website. Volunteers will work together to research and develop answers to
civil legal questions from the general public. There will be a short training
session in advance of the blitz, and experienced attorneys from the Volunteer
Lawyers Project and MLAO staff will also be available to help you respond to the
posted questions. You’re welcome to continue providing this pro bono service
after Sept. 12 -- from your desk, on the train, while waiting in court, etc. The most
common types of questions are family, housing and consumer law.
What should I do next?
After registering, you will
receive an email from the MBA with a link to MLAO. You will need to complete a
quick online form from MLAO in advance of Sept. 12.
Please bring a laptop if you have one!