We are proud to partner with the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association and our sister legal services organizations to offer local attorneys the following PRO BONO OPPORTUNITIES:

 

The mission of American Gateways is to champion the dignity and human rights of immigrants, refugees and survivors of persecution, torture, conflict and human trafficking through exceptional immigration legal services at no or low cost, education and advocacy.

American Gateways Pro Bono Opportunities:

1. The American Gateways Waco Office especially needs pro bono attorneys to serve as ad litems for respondents in SAPCRs that we file with the local court. These SAPCRs are necessary to move forward with a Special Immigrant Juvenile Visa.

2. Take on a pro bono asylum or crime victim case, and American Gateways will mentor you through the case.

3. Volunteer attorneys can attend recurring legal clinics for naturalization and TPS.

All pro bono attorneys with American Gateways will have access to one-on-one mentorship, regular trainings, office support, and the latest legal resources.

 

Contact: Anali Looper at 254-230-4183 and analig@americangateways.org

Attorney Volunteer Form: https://americangateways.org/attorney-interest-sign-up/

 

 

GWLS Pro Bono Opportunities:

1. Monthly free legal advice clinics, mostly on the first Monday of each month at 6pm. These clinics are hosted at various locations around Waco, often at Waco ISD schools. All we ask of you is to provide short consultations, brief legal advice, and supportive coaching for low-income folks from the greater Waco area. Our clinics are open to most legal questions and issues, so we need attorneys from all types of practice areas, but especially those with experience in family law, probate, tenant/landlord, and general civil litigation. Ongoing representation is neither required nor expected.

        2024 Clinic Dates: March 11th; April 1st; May 6th; June 3rd; July 1st; August 5th; September 9th; October 7th; November 4th; and December 2nd.

1. Get added to our Pro Bono and Referral List. We often refer our applicants to local attorneys for cases we cannot take ourselves. We simply ask that you consider the financial situation of our referrals and perhaps offer sliding scale fees, when possible. And as a reminder, it counts as pro bono if you offer your services at a “substantially reduced fee”. It doesn’t have to be free!

2. Co-counsel with and/or Mentor GWLS Attorneys. As we sometimes need to take on cases that are a bit beyond our resource capacity or areas of expertise, we gladly consider opportunities to co-counsel with other attorneys and/or receive mentoring as we navigate new areas of the law.

3. You could also lead/co-lead Legal Empowerment Workshops for our community.

 

Contact: Kent McKeever at kent@greaterwacolegalservices.org and 254-733-2828

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​BAYLOR LAW VETERANS CLINIC

Since its founding in 2012, the Baylor Law Veterans Clinic has provided free legal services to a veteran population of over 75,000 in our Central Texas service area, many of whom cannot afford an attorney. Our volunteer attorneys find it deeply rewarding to serve those who served alongside law students. We have provided monthly legal advice clinics in Waco for over a decade for a seven-county region. We name our two outstanding Advocates of the Year from among our dedicated volunteer lawyers each November at the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association luncheon.

 

Pro Bono Opportunities:

1. Monthly free legal advice clinics on Fridays from 2-5pm at the Heart of Texas Veterans One Stop. Upcoming Clinic Dates: February 16th, March 15th, April 12, May 10th, June 14th

2. Pro bono case representation, with the most common types of cases being divorce, probate, bankruptcy and debt litigation

 

Contact: Josh Borderud at Josh_Borderud@baylor.edu

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LSLA Mission: To protect and advance the civil legal rights of the millions of Texans living in poverty by providing free advocacy, legal representation, and community education that ensures equal access to justice.

Pro Bono Opportunities:

1. Virtual Clinics: These are zoom clinics with breakout rooms, hosted once a month, beginning at 12pm. Clients are pre-qualified and prepped w/ pro se forms for their case.  After conflicts are cleared, pro bono attorneys receive case summaries and documents to review prior to meeting w/ the client in the virtual breakout rooms.  The pro bono attorneys essentially assist clients with advice and/or limited services such as completing pro se forms and reviewing the pro se process.  Once the meeting is done, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the case, the volunteer obligation is completed. There is the option to accept a case for full legal assistance. Next clinic: February 15, 2024

2. Every couple of weeks, volunteers are emailed a variety of summaries. Volunteers may review them and accept a case or cases for full, extended service. If interested in receiving these emails, please reach out via contact information.

3. Pro bono attorneys may also conduct virtual legal presentations for other pro bono attorneys or for the public - as legal information.In the past, pro bono attorneys have conducted legal presentations for our target population regarding estate planning, guardianships, expunctions etc.

4. Lone Star Legal Aid hosts Free CLE/Clinics, such as bankruptcy and estate planning clinics.The most recent bankruptcy clinic was hosted by the Houston Bar Association and Southern District Bankruptcy judges.Pro bono attorneys received 7.5 hours free CLE training before the clinic, which was held immediately after the CLE. The next Free CLE/Clinic will be in June with the SBOT – Family Law Essentials.

 

Contact: Lene Engelage at 936-539-2130, Ext. 2641 and LEngelage@lonestarlegal.org