Placements
Listed below are names and descriptions of law-related agencies that welcome Student Pro Bono volunteers. Where available, the link to each agency's website is included. This list is not exhaustive. If you would like to learn about other opportunities, please see Judson Mitchell, Pro Bono Coordinator, in Room 110C of the Law School. If you have your own idea about where you would like to do your pro bono work, feel free to submit a Student Initiated Placement Form for approval.
AIDS Law Of Louisiana
[Website]
"AIDSLaw of Louisiana, Inc. is a Louisiana not-for-profit corporation formed in 1989 by a small group of New Orleans attorneys and legal professionals who recognized that their individual efforts were not sufficient to meet the legal needs of the rapidly growing number of indigent clients with HIV infection and AIDS. While more than 30 New Orleans AIDS service organizations and 30 other organizations across Louisiana provide direct services to citizens affected by HIV disease, AIDSLaw is the only organization in the state exclusively dedicated to addressing the legal needs of that population...."
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
[Website]
"Concerned over making decisions about abused and neglected children's lives without sufficient information, a Seattle judge conceived the idea of using trained community volunteers to speak for the best interests of these children in court. So successful was this Seattle program that soon judges across the country began utilizing citizen advocates. In 1990, the U.S. Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA with passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act. Today more than 900 CASA programs are in operation, with 42,400 women and men serving as CASA volunteers..."
Center for Equal Justice
"The Center for Equal Justice (formerly the Loyola Death Penalty Resource Center) represents persons who have been sentenced to death in state post-conviction and federal habeas corpus proceedings. Nick Trenticosta, the Center's Director, has represented death row prisoners for the past 14 years and is an adjunct faculty member of the Loyola Law School. The work is very challenging and most rewarding. If you believe that killing is wrong and want to help end the death penalty, please lend a hand. The Center is located at the corner of Broadway and St. Charles Avenue."
Fair Housing Action Center
[Website]
"The Fair Housing Action Center, Inc., or FHAC, was established in August 1995 with help from the National Fair Housing Alliance and a grant from U.S. HUD. FHAC is a private, non-profit organization that will work to further the goal of fair housing and open neighborhoods in the greater New Orleans area..."
Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of La.
Defense counsel for indigent persons accused of federal crimes in the Eastern District of Louisiana, appointed by the federal court.
Homeless Advocacy Program
A program of the Loyola Law Clinic which provides legal services to homeless persons in the New Orleans area. Students who participate in the program assist the staff attorney in client outreach and litigation.
Immigration Detention Project--Loyola Law Clinic
A joint program of the Loyola Law Clinic and Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) which provides legal services and information to immigrants detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) at Orleans Parish Prison and other facilities. Clients include applicants for asylum, immigrants with criminal convictions, and so-called "indefinite" detainees who cannot be returned to their home countries. Students will have the opportunity to interview detainees, give "Know Your Rights" presentations to groups of detainees, conduct research and write briefs for Immigration Court hearings, or represent detained clients in interviews before the INS. Beginning in January 2001, students may also write appellate briefs for detained immigrants.
Orleans Public Defender
[Website]
"The office of the Orleans Public Defenders is an independent legal office responsible for providing legal representation to indigent individuals charged with criminal offenses in the Orleans Parish. The new OPD office houses a full-time staff of public defenders, investigators and administrative personnel as well as a corps of volunteers, interns, and law clerks. "
Innocence Project of New Orleans
[Website]
The Innocence Project New Orelans is a newly organzied non-profit which represents indigent prisoners serving life sentences who have provable claims of actual innocence. Some of IPNO's cases involve pursuit of biological evidence for possible DNA testing. Student duties include obtaining relevant records from state and private entities, case investigation (e.g, locating evidence for DNA testing, interviewing witnesses, crime scene investigation), legal research, brief/memorandum writing, and hearing preparation.
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court
Placements available to assist judges and court staff by writing legal memoranda, doing legal research, etc.
Katrina Clinic - Loyola Law Clinic
The Katrina Advice Clinic was started by students and faculty of the Loyola Law Clinic when Loyola Law School relocated to Houston immediately following Hurricane Katrina. The Loyola Katrina Advice Clinic now operates through the work of volunteer law students. Law students respond to requests from hurricane victims for information on issues ranging from FEMA and insurance to child custody. While the Loyola Katrina Advice Clinic does not provide individual legal representation, it does give assistance and information to Katrina victims who seek help from Loyola.
Legal Aid Bureau
Non-profit agency with on-staff attorneys who provide civil legal services to the indigent. Contact (504) 525-2996 for more information.
New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation (NOLAC)
[Website]
"New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation (NOLAC) is a nonprofit law firm founded in 1967 to provide free legal assistance to low-income persons in civil cases. Our mission is to serve individuals and families who, without legal assistance, will lose a critical human need–food, shelter, income,medical care, personal safety or parental care."
Provides assistance, including legal assistance, to victims of domestic violence.
"Refugee and Immigration Services assists aliens and refugees through a variety of legal services, social services including job counseling, social adjustment, ESL classes, Health Screening programs. Resettlement services are offered for newly arrived refugees. Special programs are targeted to needs of Vietnamese Youth."
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
[Website]
A Legal Services Corporation office (similar to NOLAC) which provides civil legal services to the indigent of St. Tammany, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes.
Southern Disability Law Center
[Website]
The Southern Disability Law Center (SDLC) is a non-profit corporation founded to protect and advance the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. Pro Bono students will assist two of SDLC's attorneys by conducting extensive legal research of disability rights issues, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Medicaid Act. The SDLC is also able to offer pro bono students a wealth of litigation related experience.
The Pro Bono Project
[Website]
Provides civil legal services to indigent persons in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, and Washington Parishes.
VITA
Volunteer law students who provide income tax assistance to low-income filers.
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