Web site offers help for those affected by disaster

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new Web site launched by four national legal organizations will help victims of disasters find information and assistance to speed recovery from hurricanes, fires, floods or other disasters.

The site is sponsored by the American Bar Association, Legal Services Corporation, National Legal Aid & Defender Association and Pro Bono Net.

"The site – www.disasterlegalservices.org – lists information for people who need help and the lawyers who want to volunteer to help them," said ABA President H. Thomas Wells Jr. "By pooling the resources of our organizations, we can provide services in a timely, efficient manner."

The Web site seeks to:

- Serve as a centralized national resource for legal aid and pro bono lawyers across the country on legal issues related to all types of disasters

- Recruit and help mobilize pro bono lawyers in the aftermath of a disaster

- Provide accurate and timely information on legal issues related to disasters to the low- and moderate-income public

Helaine Barnett, president of Legal Services Corporation, said, "People affected by disasters face so many difficulties. Our goal is to make it easier for them to find information that will help them rebuild their lives. This site will guide them in finding legal assistance, and the links on the site will allow LSC-funded attorneys and volunteer lawyers to quickly find the information they need to assist persons affected by natural disasters."

"This comprehensive site provides both individuals steering through the personal aftermath of a major disaster and legal aid lawyers striving to provide their clients with the most complete legal advice possible with a treasure trove of information that they might not consider at first," said National Legal Aid & Defender Association President & CEO Jo-Ann Wallace. "The site allows legal aid lawyers to point their clients toward information that they might not consider at first. For example, the site offers links to the IRS Disaster Tax Relief site, the Small Business Administration, Disaster Unemployment, FEMA and food stamp application. Those important links will help the people impacted by a disaster address concerns that surface after the initial shock."

"In the aftermath of a disaster, lawyers often want to volunteer their services, but aren't sure how to connect with those in need. The new site will present opportunities for attorneys to get involved and resources to help them be effective advocates," said Mark O'Brien, executive director of Pro Bono Net.

The new disaster site builds on a prior collaboration – www.katrinalegalaid.org – by the four organizations and will provide a link to that site. The Katrina site has provided invaluable assistance to disaster victims and lawyers. Between September 2005, when it was launched, and the end of July 2008, the Katrina site has had more than 16,000 unique visitors.