Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Inc.

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AVLF's Mission Statement

The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation develops and coordinates programs that provide legal representation, education and advocacy for at-risk, low income individuals by tapping the enthusiasm and commitment of volunteer legal professionals to address the unmet civil legal needs in the Atlanta community.

AVLF's Vision Statement

Our five-year vision is that the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation is the leader in leveraging the full power, resources and passion of the legal community so that people in greater Atlanta are not deprived of basic civil legal needs without the benefit of a lawyer.

Thank You for a Terrific Year!

Dear Friends of the Foundation:

Amazingly, we are but days from the end of the year. It has been a very difficult year for so many organizations that serve those in need of free civil legal services, and this note could speak to how the poor and working poor of our community- and those that seek to promote equal access to justice for them- continue to struggle. And the sadness and frustration of so many is an ongoing story that should be told, and in bleak, real terms.

But forgive me, fellow lawyers, if in the middle of the pain and strain I instead recount how well the pro bono programs of AVLF continue to serve those desperate for your and our help. I write of the success, rather than of the distress, because no matter the difficulty the AVLF staff and the Atlanta legal community have not backed down or looked away, so I am able to write from pride and from hope.

ABOUT AVLF

OVERVIEW

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

MEET OUR STAFF marty%20photo

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Volunteer with AVLF

Tamara Serwer Caldas, Deputy Director- tcaldas_avlf.org

Elizabeth Whipple, Director, Domestic Violence Project's Safe Families Office-lwhipple_avlf.org

Lindsey Siegel, Staff Attorney, Skadden Fellow, Domestic Violence Project-lsiegel_avlf.org

Michael Lucas, Director Housing and Consumer Law Programs-mlucas_avlf.org

Jeffrey McIntyre, Office Manager-jmcintyre_avlf.org

Monique Henderson-Bell, Director of Communications and Development-mhenderson_avlf.org

Dionne Hines Morse, Paralegal-dmorse_avlf.org

Toni Roberts, Domestic Violence Project Administrative Director-troberts_avlf.org

Tamara McLendon-Coleman, Paralegal -tmcoleman_avlf.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

ADVISORY & JUNIOR BOARD

Weyman T. Johnson, Jr., Chair - Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker

Patricia T. Barmeyer, King & Spalding

Jeffrey O. Bramlett, Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore

Frank O. Brown, Jr., Weissman Nowack Curry & Wilco

John A. Chandler, King & Spalding

Allen I. Hirsh, Arnall, Golden & Gregory

Frank A. Landgraff III, G.E. Power Systems

Joseph Hession, Carlton Fields

Joseph Delgado, Miller & Martin PLLC

Henry Levi, Baker Donelson

T. Shawn Lanier, DLA Piper US LLP

William Custer, Bryan Cave Powell Goldstein

Kenneth L. Millwood, Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough

Thomas W. Rhodes, Smith, Gambrell, & Russell

Debbie Segal, Kilpatrick Townsend

Jeffrey E. Tompkins, Thomas, Kennedy, Sampson & Patterson

Arthur Brannan, DLA Piper

Will Scott, Delta Community

Brian Smith, Junior Board President -Arnall, Golden, Gregory LLP

Enjolique Aytch, Greenberg Traurig

Caitlin Bannigan, Duane Morris LLP

Jennifer Blackburn, Troutman Sanders LLP

Clark Calhoun, Alston & Bird LLP

Anna Fretwell, Huff, Powell & Bailey, LLC

Brooke Lewis, Carlton Fields

Zachary McEntyre, King & Spalding LLP

Jared Miller, Parker, Hudon, Rainer & Dobbs LLP

Matthew Pearce, Bryan Cave Powell Goldstein LLP

Shuman Sohrn, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Franklin Trapp, DLA Piper LLP

Candice Wilson, Georgia Pacific Law Department

Jane Warring, Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi LLP

Jared Welsh, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Sarah Zampbell, Holland & Knight LLP

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

Winetasting 2011

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

STAFF BIOS1

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Help support our cause

Winetasting 2011!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

STAFF BIOS2

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Help support our cause

Winetasting 2011!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

STAFF BIOS3

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Help support our cause

Winetasting 2011!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

Page 8

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

CLIENTS

CLIENT OVERVIEW

Domestic Violence issues

Securing unpaid wages

Disputing unlawful debt collection

Landlord-tenant disputes (e.g. security deposits, repairs, illegal evictions, etc.)

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

DV HOME

DV FAQ 1

DV FAQ 2

DV FAQ 3

Current or former spouses

Currently or formerly living together

Have a child together

Have a parent-child relationship (can be biologically related, step-parent/step-child, or foster-parent/foster-child)

Any Felony (E.g: Aggravated Battery, Rape, Kidnapping, False Imprisonment, Aggravated Assault, Terroristic Threats)

Battery (E.g.: causing substantial physical harm to you or leaving visible injuries)

Simple Battery (E.g.: causing physical harm to you or making contact of an insulting/provoking nature)

Assault (E.g.: putting you in reasonable fear that you would receive a bodily injury)

Simple Assault (E.g.: putting you in reasonable fear that you would receive a bodily injury)

Criminal Damage to Property (E.g.: damaging your property)

Stalking (E.g.: contacting you, following you, or watching you for the purpose of harassing and intimidating you)

Unlawful Restraint (E.g.: preventing you from moving freely)

Criminal Trespass (E.g.: coming to your property without your permission or for an unlawful purpose)

DV FAQ 4

DV FAQ 5

You will complete paperwork which explains what has happened and why you need a TPO. The other party will be served with a copy of this paperwork.

You will then see a judge who will consider giving you an emergency TPO. This is called an ex parte order, and it only lasts up to 30 days.

You will be given a date to return to court for a more detailed hearing, usually 10 – 14 days later. The other party has a right to attend this second hearing and present their side. At this hearing, the burden is on you to show that the emergency TPO should be extended for up to an additional 12 months. It is important to bring all evidence and witnesses to this hearing.

If you plan to file a TPO in Fulton County, ex parte hearings occur every day at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00. You must arrive at least 1 hour in advance so that you will have enough time to complete the paperwork.

DV FAQ 6

State-wide Hotline…………….1-800-33-HAVEN

Partnership Against Domestic Violence (Fulton and Gwinnett)…....404-873-1766

Women’s Resource Center (DeKalb County)…………………........404-688-94-36

Securus House (Clayton County)………………………….......……..770-961-7233

YWCA (Cobb County)……………...……………………………….....770-427-3390

DV Internet Safety

Safety Planning Tips

Personal Safety

Identify your partner's use and level of force so that you can assess danger to you and your children before it occurs.

Try to avoid an abusive situation by leaving.

Identify safe areas of the house where there are no weapons and where there are always ways to escape. If arguments occur, try to move to those areas.

Don't run to where the children are as your partner may hurt them as well.

If violence is unavoidable, make yourself a small target: dive into a corner and curl up into a ball with your face protected and your arms around either side of your head, fingers entwined.

If possible, have a phone accessible at all times and know the numbers to call for help. Know where the nearest pay phone is located. Know your local domestic violence shelter phone number. Don't be afraid to call the police.

Let trusted friends and neighbors know of your situation and develop a plan and visual signal for when you need help.

Teach your children how to get help. Instruct them not to get involved in the violence between you and your partner. Plan a code word to signal that they should get help or leave the house.

Tell your children that violence is never right, even when someone they love is being violent. Tell them that neither you nor they are at fault or cause the violence, and that when anyone is being violent, it is important to keep safe.

Practice how to get out safely. Practice with your children.

Plan for what you will do if your children tell your partner of your plan or if your partner otherwise finds out about your plan.

Keep weapons like guns and knives locked up and as inaccessible as possible.

Make a habit of backing the car into the driveway and keeping it fueled. Keep the driver's door unlocked and the other doors locked for a quick escape.

Try not to wear scarves or long jewelry that could be used to strangle you.

Create several plausible reasons for leaving the house at different times of the day or night.

Call a domestic violence hotline periodically to assess your options and get a supportive, understanding ear.

General Guidelines for Leaving

Make a plan for how you will escape and where you will go.

Plan for a quick escape.

Put aside emergency cash as you can.

Hide an extra set of car keys.

Take with you important phone numbers (of friends, relatives, doctors, schools, etc.) as well as other important items, including:

Citizenship documents (such as your passport, greencard, etc.)

Titles, deeds, other property information, and tax returns

Medical records

Children's school records and immunization records

Insurance information

Copy of marriage license, birth certificates, will, and other legal documents

Verification of Social Security numbers

Welfare identification

Valued pictures, jewelry, or personal possessions.

Getting Ready to Leave

Keep any evidence of physical abuse, such as photographs of bruises and torn clothing.

Know where you can go to get help; tell someone what is happening to you.

If you are injured, go to a doctor or an emergency room and report what happened to you. Ask that they document your injuries.

Plan with your children and identify a safe place for them (for example, a room with a lock or a friend's house where they can go for help). Reassure them that their job is to stay safe, not to protect you.

Contact your local domestic violence shelter and find out about laws and other resources available to you before you have to use them during a crisis.

Keep a journal of all violent incidents, noting dates, events, and threats made.

Acquire job skills as you can, such as learning to type or taking courses at a community college.

Try to set money aside or ask friends or relatives to hold money for you.

Store some belongings with a friend or relative. Leave clothing, medications, your Social Security card, a credit card (if possible), citizenship documents, children's school/medical records, children's toys, insurance information, copies of birth certificates, money, and other valued personal possessions with them.

Leave when it is least expected, for example, during times of agreement and calm.

Create a false trail. Call motels, real estate agencies, schools in a town at least six hours away from where you plan to relocate. Ask questions that require a call back to your house in order to leave those phone numbers on record.

After Leaving the Abuser

Change your locks and phone number.

Change your work hours and route taken to work.

Change the route you take to transport children to school.

Keep a certified copy of your protective order with you at all times.

Inform friends, neighbors, and employers that you have a restraining order in effect.

Give copies of the protective order to employers, neighbors, and schools along with a picture of the offender.

Call law enforcement to enforce the order.

Carry a charged cell phone preprogrammed to 911.

Consider renting a post office box for your mail.

Be aware that addresses may be listed on protective orders and police reports.

Be careful to whom you give your new address and phone number.

Change your work hours if possible.

Alert school authorities about the situation.

Consider changing your children's schools.

Reschedule any appointments that the offender is aware of when you leave.

Use different stores and frequent different social spots.

Alert neighbors and request that they call the police if they feel you may be in danger.

Talk to trusted people about the violence.

Replace wooden doors with steel or metal doors.

Install security systems if possible.

Install a lighting system that turns on when a person is coming close to the house (motion sensitive lights).

Tell people you work with about the situation and have your calls screened by one receptionist if possible.

Tell people who take care of your children which individuals are allowed to pick up your children. Explain the situation to them and provide them with a copy of the restraining order.

Call the telephone company to request caller ID. Ask that your phone be blocked so that if you call, neither your partner nor anyone else will be able to get your new, unlisted phone number.

Receive ongoing support from domestic violence and mental health service providers.

Where to get help

Click here if you need to exit this site

Internet & Techonology Safety

Safety Planning Tips

Personal Safety with an Abuser

Getting ready to Leave

General Guidelines for Leaving

Where to go for Help

After you leave an Abuser

Frequently Asked Questions

Partnership Against Domestic Violence

Tapestri

Raksha

Fulton County Superior Court

Arnall Golden Gregory

DLA Piper

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Sutherland

Alston + Bird

SATURDAY LAWYER

Does your ex-landlord refuse to return your security deposit?

Does your landlord refuse to make repairs or keep the unit safe and livable?

Have you had some other dispute with your landlord, such as an illegal eviction or some other damage to your property?

Did your employer refuse to pay you for completed work, or to pay you the minimum wage, or for overtime you worked?

Are you being threatened or harassed by debt collectors?

Are you being sued by someone attempting to collect a debt or garnish your wages or bank accounts?

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Past Award Winners

Winetasting 2010!

EVICTION DEFENSE

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Past Award Winners

Winetasting 2010!

UNPAID WAGES

They can’t pay their rent, so they are at risk for eviction; or they miss a mortgage payment, putting their home at risk for foreclosure.

They miss a car payment, which can cause immediate repossession.

Checks for utilities, food, gas and other necessities bounce and cause onerous overdraft fees. The family may face cut-off of utility and phone service and steep reconnection charges.

They delay buying prescription medication or other necessary medical supplies.

Their credit score suffers when they can’t make minimum payments on their debts.

Any savings they have dwindle or disappear as they try to keep up with their bills.

An employer simply stops paying a worker for a period of time, or gives him a paycheck that bounces.

A manager requires staff to clock out but then insists that the staff continue to work for uncompensated time.

A dispute arises over the terms of an employment contract, so employer decides to withhold payment entirely.

A worker completes work for a contractor who then disappears or refuses to pay him.

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Past Award Winners

Winetasting 2010!

PROBATE

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Past Award Winners

Winetasting 2010!

LAWYERS FOR CHILDREN

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Past Award Winners

Winetasting 2010!

WILLS AND DIRECTIVES

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Past Award Winners

Winetasting 2010!

PROGRAMS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

SATURDAY LAWYER

Securing unpaid wages.

Defending clients against debt lawsuits and garnishments where the client disputes the amount owed or abusive tactics have been employed.

Stopping harassment and unfair collection practices by debt collectors.

Negotiating with a landlord to secure habitable and safe housing or the return of a security deposit.

Resolving other landlord-tenant disputes, such as illegal evictions or damage to tenants’ property caused by landlords.

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

empowering survivors through the provision of coordinated, holistic legal assistance so that they can make safe and informed decisions about how to end an abusive relationship;

providing direct legal representation in civil Temporary Protective Order and Divorce cases; and

improving the legal community’s response to domestic violence through the recruitment, training and mentoring of pro bono attorneys and law students.

Pill

Internet & Techonology Safety

Safety Planning Tips

Personal Safety with an Abuser

Getting ready to Leave

General Guidelines for Leaving

Where to go for Help

After you leave an Abuser

Frequently Asked Questions

Partnership Against Domestic Violence

Tapestri

Raksha

Fulton County Superior Court

Arnall, Golden & Gregory

DLA Piper

Kilpatrick Stockton

Sutherland

Alston + Bird

LAWYERS FOR CHILDREN

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

EVICTION DEFENSE

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

WILLS ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

PROBATE INFORMATION CENTER

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

GAL

Domestic Violence

Guardian ad Litem

One Child/One Lawyer

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills on Wheels

Cases that need placement

Sponsors

Past Award Winners

Training Opportunities

ONE CHILD ONE LAWYER

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

DEBT

WILLS EMERGENCY PERSONNEL

Domestic Violence

Guardian ad Litem

One Child/One Lawyer

Saturday Lawyer

Consumer Debt

Unpaid Wages

Landlord-Tennant

Eviction Defense

Wills on Wheels

Cases that need placement

Sponsors

Past Award Winners

Training Opportunities

Page 14

WAGE CLAIM

LANDLORD TENANT

EVENTS

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Summer Associates Party 2010

Winetasting 2011

NEWS

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Help support our cause

Winetasting 2011!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

DONATE

Program Overview

Domestic Violence

Lawyers for Children

Saturday Lawyer

Eviction Defense

Wills and Advance Directives

Wills for Emergency Personnel

Probate Information Center

Community resource list

Help support our cause

AVLF Volunteer Award Recipients

Winetasting 2010!

Meet our staff

Meet our Board of Directors

Volunteer with AVLF

CONTACT

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