Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
P.O. Box 32040
Newark, NJ 07102
More Than A Year Later, Many Area Residents Still Struggling With Legal Issues; Clinic Dates Set for March, April and May
Event Date: May 15, 2014
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MOONACHIE/NEWARK, N.J., March 11, 2014 – This spring, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Disaster Legal Response Program (VLJ’s DLRP) will continue holding free legal aid clinics in Moonachie for New Jersey residents dealing with legal issues directly related to Superstorm Sandy. Held in collaboration with the Bergen County VOAD Hurricane Sandy Long Term Recovery Committee, the clinics will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Recovery Information Center in the Moonachie Presbyterian Church at 221 Moonachie Road in Moonachie on the following Thursdays:
- March 20
- April 10
- May 15
At these free legal clinics, VLJ’s volunteer attorneys provide counsel, advice and/or limited scope assistance to participants. Matters often include insurance, housing or landlord/tenant issues, contractor disputes, and FEMA appeals. Volunteers at the clinics have included attorneys from McCarter & English LLP, Patton Boggs LLP, UBS, Citi, Duane Morris LLP, Gibbons PC, Jackson Lewis LLP, and Morgan Lewis. Clinic participants should bring all relevant documents, such as correspondence with FEMA, insurance policies and correspondence with insurers, mortgages and recent mortgage statements, and leases and correspondence with landlords.
VLJ also continues to hold clinics in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. A regularly updated list of clinic dates is available at http://www.vljnj.org/. The clinics are made possible by generous funding from VLJ’s partners including Merck, McCarter & English LLP, the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund and the Robin Hood Foundation.
All Sandy victims with legal issues in New Jersey stemming from the storm, regardless of their income and assets, are eligible to meet with a volunteer attorney at the legal clinic for advice and/or brief service. Clients needing extended representation are screened for financial eligibility, and VLJ will attempt to locate a volunteer attorney for those who qualify.
VLJ’s DLRP also includes a statewide, toll-free phone number – (855) 301-2525. Intake staff is available to answer calls on Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will screen cases for potential placement with volunteer lawyers. Callers may also leave a message on the hotline after hours and receive a prompt call-back from a VLJ volunteer or staff member to address their issues.
VLJ is a state-wide 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation based in Newark. VLJ provides comprehensive legal services to economically disadvantaged adults, children, and families in New Jersey to ensure fair and equal treatment within the legal system. Programs include free legal counsel and advice, educational seminars on various legal matters, and direct representation for at-risk individuals facing critical civil legal issues.
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About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)