Iowa Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal help and advocacy for underserved Iowans.
From tornadoes to major flooding, Iowa's frequent natural disasters leave behind complex legal challenges for vulnerable residents.
We need volunteer attorneys ready to help our communities navigate the aftermath. Make a professional impact where it matters the most. Join Iowa Legal Aid's Disaster Project and help us provide a lifeline to Iowans when they need it most.
Key responsibilities:
- Assist with FEMA applications and appeals, SBA loans, insurance claims, disaster unemployment applications, food stamp applications, and other disaster assistance program applications.
- Assist with landlord-tenant and mobile home park issues, mortgage and foreclosure issues, real estate contracts, and other housing issues.
- Assist with home repair contractor issues, home repair and contractor scams, mechanic’s lien issues, municipal code enforcement issues.
- Assist with buyouts of flood damaged real estate, farm issues, bankruptcy, and income tax issues.
Qualifications:
- Volunteers must be currently licensed to practice law in the State of Iowa or be eligible for emeritus attorney status.
- Disasters are unpredictable and the need for attorneys will depend on when and where the disasters happen. Volunteers will need to be flexible and able to offer assistance on short-term notice in the event of a disaster.
Training and Support:
- Comprehensive training: Gain access to in-person and webinar sessions on issue-spotting and substantive disaster law before a crisis hit.
- Exclusive digital resources: Utilization of free online tools via Iowa Legal Aid's website, mobile app, and probono.net
- Expert support: Benefit from dedicated to co-counseling support available in person, via telephone or through email.
- Ongoing education: Receive priority notifications of all no cost legal trainings hosted by Iowa Legal Aid
- Full Malpractice protection: Practice with peace of mind knowing you are covered under Iowa Legal Aid's malpractice insurance.
Time Commitment:
- Flexible commitment: Your involvement is based on your availability, the scale of the disaster, and current community needs.
Position Location:
- Most cases are placed externally and service is provided by the volunteer attorney at his or her law office.
- Volunteers needing office space to perform volunteer activities or wishing to only work on in-house cases may make arrangements with a regional Iowa Legal Aid office.
- Iowa Legal Aid offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo.
- Volunteers may be needed to staff tables at Disaster Recovery Centers and local community and agency resource fairs.
If you are interested in this volunteer position, please contact Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-798-0311 or email vlp@iowalaw.org
For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, go to http://www.iowalegalaid.org/ and http://iowalegalaidfoundation.org/
Please note that all positions may not be available at all times or locations nearest you. For example, a particular position may have been filled or we may have limited capacity to engage volunteers with certain types of skills. Even though we cannot guarantee a placement to every prospective volunteer, we will do our best to match the applicants’ skills and interests with our present needs.
Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request
Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats
