Though primarily a legal issue, flood cases are also often accentuated by economic, political, regulatory, and public health issues. As this timely article discusses, even the most expert legal opinions are of no utility in the absence of governmental or private sector actions to mitigate disaster response risks: Legal Volunteer Opportunities for Non-Lawyers, by Elizabeth M. Manzo & Staci Zaretsky (ABA GP Solo (May 20, 2019)).
As depicted in the next article, vulnerable communities afflicted with chronic flood-related disasters are constantly battling against marginalization, socioeconomic exclusion, and the violation of their civil rights. To augment the limited legal capacities of local legal aid organizations, lawyer lists are sometimes established for pro bono support. See, e.g., Bar Association Plugs Legal Aid for Flood Victims, By Abdul Sattar (Bienfait, May 14, 2019). Increasingly, lawyers are also seeking to engage non-lawyers to fill important volunteer needs to further augment such legal capacities. In this way, advocates can provide multi-dimensional and cross-disciplinary services to the most vulnerable individuals.
In 2018, floods in parts of Pakistan left many of our fellow citizens displaced, homeless, and hungry. Now, as we try to clean up and rebuild our homes and lives, we are left thinking “what would we do differently next time?” and “how to prepare so that next time does not produce these same catastrophic effects?”
The National Disaster Management Authority has reported that in 2017 the Government of Pakistan spent roughly 2.1 billion dollars on repairing damages to public infrastructure caused by floods. The future flood risk is real, and the stakes are high.
Aside from the obvious ways to contribute to disaster response – such as food, clothing, or financial donations – the legal community, including those who are not currently practicing, have an opportunity to assist in disaster response.
The goals of this volunteer list are twofold. First, in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, we aim to recruit non-attorney professionals to help with the administrative duties in the wake of a disaster. These roles could include: counseling individuals on how to obtain proper documentation to apply for assistance; connecting families with resources; helping individuals navigate complicated insurance claims processes; assisting with Federal Emergency Management Agency claims; providing applications for legal guardianship for minor children; and drafting wills to ensure everyone is provided for. These are but a few ways that non-attorneys can help.
The second mission is to develop a list of non-attorney volunteers who are available to work with legal aid attorneys in future disasters to build legal capacity in the wake of disasters. These opportunities require a commitment to legal services provided before and after a disaster. The following are a few examples of the types of opportunities available for non-attorneys to join legal aid attorneys in disaster response.
The skills necessary to fulfill a legal support role are basic and can be learned through reading or participation in training sessions.
The long-term benefit of such a volunteer engagement is two-fold. First, participants have the ability to serve their fellow citizens at a time of significant need, and may have a direct impact on the outcome of a disaster. Second, serving in this role provides an opportunity to learn from lawyers about legal issues and procedures to further your understanding of how the law can assist in disaster response.
Please consider joining us in our efforts to build a strong list of legal volunteer opportunities for non lawyers. There are professional and personal rewards associated with disaster response.
For more information on disaster response and recovery, you can visit FEMA’s official website.