Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Bar Association has just launched the “Vermont Flood Relief Legal Assistance Project.” The project is designed to help flood victims get no-cost legal advice related to flood recovery.
The VBA has recruited attorneys (and is working on recruiting more) to provide pro bono advice over the phone for up to half an hour to answer pressing questions from flood victims. Victims with more complex issues may also be eligible for help from an attorney who has agreed to work on a low bono or pro bono basis for up to five hours. Any payment to an attorney engaged through the low bono aspect of project will be paid through a $20,000 grant provided by the Vermont Bar Foundation. (I.e., at no cost to the client).
Flood victims will be matched with lawyers who have indicated expertise in the areas in which the victims have questions. Flood victims can call the VBA (1-800-639-7036 weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm). The sign-up form and more information for victims can also be found HERE. Attorneys interested in participating can also find more information HERE.
Help for Small Businesses
The Bar Association is also partnering with the Vermont Law and Graduate School Entrepreneurial Legal Lab (VLSell) to help small businesses. The project was created in 2018 with funding from the Vermont Small Business Development Center. It has provided guidance and subsidized legal help for Vermont entrepreneurs since that time. Its mandate is sufficiently broad to help small business owners with flood recovery. Eligible businesses may receive up to 10 hours of project-paid non-litigation legal assistance from an attorney.
Business owners interested in participating may find an application form HERE. Attorneys interested in participating in the project can sign up HERE.
For more information about either program, contact VBA Legal Access Coordinator, Mary Ashcroft Esq at [email protected].