Bay Area Legal Services, Inc.: Major General Ernest A. and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues:
Contact Information for Attorneys:
Contact Information for Client Intake: www.bals.org, 813-232-1343, option 1
Substantive Areas Served: all substantive areas of law handled by BALS
Counties Served: BALS serves Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties, veterans services vary by county
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes; see below.
1) Veterans Legal Helpline, currently providing phone advice and brief services to Hillsborough and Pasco veterans and family members, 200% poverty in Hillsborough, 125% in Pasco.
2) MLP with Bay Pines VA in Pinellas County. Each week attorneys are on site 2 days per week. Contact number for Bay Pines Clinic: (727) 398-9592. Clients must be LSC-eligible.
3) We are planning to start an MLP at James A Haley VA in Tampa in mid-March 2019. Contact phone number for appointments TBD. 200% poverty.
4) SSVF: Clients must be referred by their SSVF case manager.
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues: Liam McGivern
Contact Information for Attorneys: lmcgivern@legalaid.org ; 954-736-2448
Contact Information for Client Intake: 954-736-2456 - Paralegal Chris Lovell
Areas Served: Evictions and housing for age 60+; public benefits; child support mod; consumer; driver licenses
Counties Served: Broward County
Pro bono component? No
Community Legal Services
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues: Marissa O'Connor
Contact Information for Attorneys: MarissaO@clsmf.org
Contact Information for Client Intake: Helpline (800) 405-1417 or online application on legalaccessforall.org
Substantive Areas Served: most civil, administrative, or Veterans matters
Counties Served: Brevard, Citrus, Flagler, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Putnam, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia.
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes
Florida Legal Services: Florida Veterans Justice Project
Point of contact for Veterans Issues: Christie Bhageloe
Contact Information for Attorneys: Christie.bhageloe@floridalegal.org
Contact Information for Client Intake: (855) 801-4811
Substantive Areas Served: Discharge upgrades, VA benefits claims & appeals, justice-involved veterans, rating reduction & overpayment appeals
Counties Served: Statewide
Gulfcoast Legal Services
Contact Information for Attorneys: https://gulfcoastlegal.org/staff, 727-821-0726 (St Pete Office), 941-746-6151 (Bradenton Office)
501 1st Ave N, Suite 420, St. Petersburg FL 33701
1112 Manatee Ave E, 2nd Floor, Bradenton FL 34208
Contact Information for Client Intake: https://gulfcoastlegal.org/request-assistance, 727-821-0726 (St Pete Office) 941-746-6151 (Bradenton Office)
Or visit our offices in person:
501 1st Ave N, Suite 420, St. Petersburg FL 33701
1112 Manatee Ave E, 2nd Floor, Bradenton FL 34208
Substantive Areas Served: housing, financial stability (consumer law, benefits, etc), immigration, family law
Counties Served: Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee
Do you have a pro bono component?: Yes
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. - Veteran Services Unit
Point of contact for Veterans Issues: Jacalyn Crecelius
Contact Information for Attorneys: jacalyn.crecelius@jaxlegalaid.org
Contact Information for Client Intake: (904) 356-8371
Substantive Areas Served: Discharge upgrades, VA benefits appeals, rating reduction & overpayment appeals, Family Law, Housing, Consumer
Counties Served: Clay, Duval, Nassau, St. Johns
Legal Aid Service of Broward County: Mission United Veterans Pro Bono Project
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues: James Heaton, Esq.
Contact Information for Attorneys: jheaton@legalaid.org 954-736-2443
Contact Information for Client Intake: jworkman@legalaid.org 954-358-5643
Substantive Areas Served: most civil, administrative, or military matters
Counties Served: Broward County
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes
Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc.: Veterans Legal Advocacy Project
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues: Brittney Horton, Esq.
Contact Information for Attorneys: bhorton@legalservicesmiami.org 305-438-2457
Contact Information for Client Intake: 305-576-0080
Substantive Areas Served: most civil, administrative, or military matters
Counties Served: Miami Dade and Monroe Counties
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes
The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc.
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues: Luc Louis-Jacques, Pro Bono Outreach Coordinator 407-841-8310 (Ext. 3104)
Contact Information for Attorneys: Luc Louis-Jacques, Pro Bono Outreach Coordinator 407-841-8310 (Ext. 3104) LLouis-Jacques@legalaidocba.org
Contact Information for Client Intake: Clients can walk in to one of our clinics or call our regular intake line at 407-841-8310 ext 3124.
Substantive Areas Served: Family Law, Housing, Immigration, Sealing/Expunction, Consumer Debt and Garnishment, Wills, POA, Healthcare Surrogate Designations, Living Will.
Counties Served: Primarily Orange. However on some issues we will assist in Osceola and Volusia
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes. Our clinics are fully staffed by pro bono attorneys and we refer cases out through our pro bono panel.
Additionally, we have a medical-legal partnership with the VA called Veteran’s Advocacy, Legal Outreach & Representation Project (VALOR Project). We legal clinics staffed by pro bono attorneys at the Lake Baldwin & Lake Nona clinics. We have raised our income guidelines to 80% of Area Median Income for our vets/spouses. We also work with Mission United to accept referrals for legal assistance.
The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Point of Contact for Veterans Issues: Kerene Spencer, 561-655-8944 x 145
Contact Information for Attorneys: Melva Harris-Rozier, 561-655-8944 x 228/ mrozier@legalaidpbc.org
Contact Information for Client Intake: VAP@legalaidpbc.org; Hotline: 561-655-8944 x 366/ Online intake: www.legalaidpbc.org
Substantive Areas Served: Veterans Benefits/Appeals/Upgrades, Wills and Estates and Guardianships
Counties Served: Palm Beach
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes.
Military OneSource
Areas served: Nationwide
Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society, Inc.: Veterans Advice Clinic that we offer every month at the local library in Casselberry, Florida.
Contact Information for Client Intake: Seminole County Residents on the 2nd Thursday of every month, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Substantive Areas Served: Veterans with family law issues or housing issues are the main focus of the clinic, but we also have a bank of pro bono attorneys who volunteer their time each month and can give advice in other substantive areas of the law.
POC for Veteran: All the veteran needs to do is show up at the clinic and an attorney will meet and consult with him or her that day. In addition to the services outlined by Attorney Selsky in our office. We have the mobile office of Senator Rubio also available during the Veteran’s clinic hours. A representative from Senator Rubio is present to answer any other questions for the veterans and general public.
Counties Served: Seminole County
Do you have a pro bono component? Yes
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc.
Point of contact for Veterans Issues: Angela Caldwell
Contact Information for Attorneys: angela.caldwell@trls.org
Contact Information for Client Intake: (866) 256-8091
Substantive Areas Served: Discharge upgrades, VA benefits claims & appeals, access to justice, elder law and special needs, including access to public benefits
Counties Served: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor and Union counties
