National Disaster Legal Aid Advocacy Center

Who We Are

Welcome! In 2018, Pro Bono Net and Lone Star Legal Aid developed this practice area for DisasterLegalAid.org. We aim to use this area as a means to facilitate connections between advocates working in disaster legal aid and give additional visibility to national disaster legal aid efforts. The National Disaster Legal Aid Advocacy Center welcomes all advocates and volunteers from nonprofit legal aid organizations, bar associations, pro bono counsel from law firms and corporations, law school students and faculty, and allied nonprofits working on disaster legal aid.

Become a Member

Click on “Join Us” to start. By joining, you will become part of a growing network of advocates, attorneys, and allies in the disaster legal aid community. You'll also have access to:
- The national disaster legal aid listserv
- Information and registration for roundtable discussions
- A FEMA appeals brief bank with templates provided by leading legal aid organizations working on disaster response
- Monthly training calendar sent to your e-mail

Connect with Us

Follow us on social media!
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disasterlegalaid/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/disaster_legal
For more information on what we do, comments, or questions, please contact Jeanne Ortiz at jortiz@probono.net.

Join Us

Highlights

What's New?

To join our network of over 600 advocates, please click the "Join Us" button above or visit https://www.disasterlegalaid.org/advocates/join/.
2021 Disaster Resilience Awareness Month - Equal Justice Works, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, American Red Cross, and the National Disaster Legal Aid Resource Center Team Up to Launch First-ever Disaster Resilience Awareness Month. Learn more here. To see the recording for the 25 Pro Tips for Working with FEMA: COVID-19 Edition webinar, please click here and for a summary of the pro tips, please click here.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition publishes Challenges, Best Practices, and Policy Recommendations to Improve FEMA Programs to House People Experiencing Homelessness During. You can download the report by clicking here.
The ABA Standing Committee on Disaster Response and Preparedness organized a series of webinars for National Preparedness Month. You can watch the Virtual Disaster Symposium webinar recordings here.
Providing Legal Assistance in the Aftermath of Disaster by the Practising Law Institute - This training enables attorneys to help serve as LEGAL FIRST RESPONDERS™ and will prepare attorneys to participate in disaster legal services pro bono efforts, including brief phone assistance, providing legal information and referral, in person assistance at know-your-rights workshops, community forums and legal aid clinics (general or subject-specific), and legal representation (limited and full scope). You can access the program on-demand HERE.
COVID-19 Legal Response: For advocates interested in sharing information, resources and strategies, please visit our COVID-19 Legal Response page.
Amid COVID-19, ABA and Paladin launch disaster relief pro bono portal to provide free legal services
Figuring Out FEMA: A Trauma-informed Resource for Disaster Survivors - Download your free copy of Figuring Out FEMA, a new pocket-sized, trauma-informed visual resource for people affected by natural disasters.

Touro Law Review publishes its Disaster Relief Symposium Issue.
Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG)

Upcoming Events

Lo que debe conocer acerca de la Asistencia para Gastos Fúnebres por COVID-19 Update, n/a, Aug 2
Tenant Talk Live, n/a, Aug 2
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program and Other Policy Updates, n/a, Aug 18
Post-Pandemic Benefits Issues, n/a, Aug 19
Monthly DUG Call, Tallahassee, Aug 23
Preserving Family Real Estate, Generational Wealth, and Heritage: A Virtual National Institute on Heirs' Property, n/a, Aug 25
Preserving Family Real Estate, Generational Wealth, and Heritage: A Virtual National Institute on Heirs' Property, n/a, Aug 26
Tenant Talk Live, n/a, Sep 6
Monthly DUG Call, Tallahassee, Sep 27
Monthly DUG Call, Tallahassee, Oct 25
Monthly DUG Call, Tallahassee, Nov 22
Monthly DUG Call, Tallahassee, Dec 27

You put in the hours to become a legal expert. Can communities affected by natural disasters count on your skills? Visit www.disasterlegalaid.org/get-started to learn more.

New Remote Legal Support Guide

Pro Bono Net, the Immigration Advocates Network, and partners release the Remote Legal Support Guide: A Best Practices Manual for Nonprofit and Pro Bono Innovation

The Remote Legal Support Guide: A Best Practices Manual for Nonprofit and Pro Bono Innovation is a collaborative text by over 10 organizations that pools expert resources and experience and explores different ways to leverage technology and share strategies that increase rural and underserved communities' access to justice. The Guide and more background on this initiative is available here. We hope this resource is helpful for any programs considering shifting to remote support to help keep staff, clients and communities healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.