Lawyers and law firms nationwide are participating in volunteer events this week to help youth experiencing homelessness with their legal needs, as part of the National Celebration of Pro Bono.
The efforts are in response to ABA President Hilarie Bass’ Legal Needs of Homeless Youth Initiative.
The effort involves training volunteer lawyers to provide legal assistance to youth living in shelters and matching lawyers with shelters to provide free legal help.
It’s estimated that there are more than 500,000 homeless youth in the U.S.and, officials say, they need access to lawyers who can remove the legal barriers that prevent them from getting
the education, employment, housing and health care they need.
Additional information about the initiative and resources available for setting up pro bono partnerships for serving youth experiencing homelessness can be obtained by visiting www.ambar.org/homelessyouth.
