TexasLegalAnswers.org, debuting June 1, will operate as a free, online legal advice clinic for low-income Texans, and volunteer attorneys are needed to help answer their questions.
The site will allow individuals who meet certain financial guidelines and who need basic legal guidance to log on, post questions, and have them answered by volunteer attorneys across the state. Individuals with complex legal matters will be referred to legal aid agencies for more in-depth assistance.
Attorneys interested in volunteering with Texas Legal Answers can visit TexasLegalAnswers.org to learn more and sign up under the Volunteer Attorney Registration tab.
The online Q&A style of Texas Legal Answers will ensure that individuals in rural communities who lack transportation can still receive assistance. It will also enable attorneys who have a desire to help to do so without hours of commitment at an in-person clinic.
Texas Legal Answers is administered by the State Bar of Texas Legal Access Division as part of a nationwide project of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. As part of the program, the ABA offers malpractice insurance for all volunteer attorneys who participate.
To date more than 32 states have rolled out state-specific Legal Answers web pages. Other states have seen significant responses to the free legal advice sites. For example, a model site in Tennessee has received more than 10,000 legal questions in just a few years of service.