Triage Project

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CVLAS

The Triage Project

The Pro Bono Triage program was created by the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation (GRBF), Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS) and “Firms in Service”, 12 Richmond law firms and legal departments, to expand the provision of civil legal services beyond the capacity of local legal aid programs. This innovative Private Bar led pro bono project identifies “Triage Champions” in critical substantive law areas where CVLAS lacked the resources to provide full representation. These Triage Champions recruit and train like-minded pro bono volunteers to join their virtual law firms in their respective practice areas. Cases are managed on JusticeServer – a volunteer portal.
If you would like to volunteer for one of our Triage practice areas, please contact Lisa Bennett, CVLAS Triage Coordinator, at lisa@cvlas.org or Shane Harper at admin@grbf.org.

About The Triage Project

Statement of the Problem
80% of high-needs individuals have no lawyer in civil cases
Legal Aid budgets are too low to provide service to all eligible clients
Rule 6.1 puts the voluntary onus on lawyers to provide pro bono service
Volunteer legal efforts are diffuse and need to be brought under a common coordination
CVLAS needs to focus its scarce resources (8 lawyers)
The Bar needs to continue to take ownership of the delivery of pro bono service
Goals of the Effort
To create a system of coordinated case referral that permits Central Virginia Legal Aid Society and the Legal Aid Justice Center to use JusticeServer® to assign matters for qualified clients to trained pro bono lawyers within high priority practice areas.
Why you should Volunteer for Pro Bono
You will feel happier and make a difference in the world
You will provide help and hope to people who really need it
You will make the justice system work better
You will learn something and develop skills
You will be part of a pro bono community of lawyers and judges
You will meet the Virginia Bar’s Rule 6.1 which admonishes attorneys to give 2% of their annual billable hours to the provision of pro bono legal services
How to Volunteer

If interested in a practice area, contact a Champion and ask to be put on the team or contact Lisa Bennett, Attorney, and Director of Pro Bono & Triage Programs, by email or phone, lisa@cvlas.org / (804) 200-6038 or Shane Harper, Director of Administration of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation at admin@grbf.org / (804) 780-2600 ext. 1

The Eviction Diversion Program is currently a virtual pro bono opportunity to conciliate rent repayment agreements between landlords and tenants in order to stop evictions in the City of Richmond. For more info, contact Hannah Brecklin, edp@grbf.org.

Register as a volunteer on JusticeServer – legal aid’s case management and pro bono referral system:

Go to www.justiceserver.org and click “Register”
Create a login & password, enter contact information, experience & bar license
Choose at least one Legal Provider- (CVLAS and GRBF) near the bottom of the registration page
Agree to terms – all pro bono work is covered by legal aid’s malpractice insurance

Once a Legal Provider approves your registration, you can log in, express interest, check conflicts & accept cases

Once a case is accepted, all case information is displayed

You can add/view case notes, attachments, important case dates, and time records

There is a pro bono experience that is right for you whether you are new to the practice of law or a veteran, whether your comfort zone is litigation or transactional work, or whether you have only a finite number of hours per week.

2021 Practice Areas & Champions

Consumer Bankruptcy – Ron Page & Jed Donaldson
Consumer Auto Contracts and Warranties – Ian Vance
Wage Claims/FLSA Issues – Tim Schulte
No Fault Divorces/Name Changes – Mary Hunt
Protective Orders in Domestic Violence Cases – Taylor Brewer & George Davis
Housing Repair and Security Deposit Recovery Matters – Brian Wright & Anna Berkenheier
Eviction Diversion - Jendy Daglio, Sarah B. Warner, Drew Gann
Wills/Power of Attorneys – Andy Nea
General Counsel to Nonprofits – Mike Goldman
Triage Leadership - Bud Funk, Scott Oostdyk, Hon. Catherine Hammond

2022 Practice Areas & Champions

Bud Funk Board

Triage LeadershipBud Funk
Scott Oostdyk

Triage LeadershipScott Oostdyk
Hon Catherine Hammond

Triage LeadershipHon. Catherine Hammond
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Consumer Bankruptcy Ron Page
Jed Donaldson

Consumer Bankruptcy Jed Donaldson
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Consumer Auto Contracts and Warranties Ian Vance
Tim Schulte

Wage Claims/FLSA Issues Tim Schulte
Mary Hunt

No Fault Divorces/Name ChangesMary Hunt
Taylor Brewer Board and Triage

Protective Orders in Domestic Violence CasesTaylor Brewer
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Protective Orders in Domestic Violence CasesGeorge Davis
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Housing Repair and Security Deposit Recovery MattersBrian Wright
GRBF Placeholder

Housing Repair and Security Deposit Recovery MattersAnna Birkenheier
GRBF Placeholder

Eviction DiversionJendy Daglio
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Eviction DiversionSarah B. Warner
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Eviction DiversionDrew Gann
Andy Nea

Wills/Power of AttorneysAndy Nea
Michael Goldman Board

General Counsel to NonprofitsMike Goldman

GRBF does not provide services for individuals, but these resources can help.

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