Client Profiles

The focus of the SCCBA Pro Bono Initiative is to enable more indigent persons to access legal services by helping lawyers gain easier access to those that need assistance through the Probonomatch.org site. The stories presented on this page are about those that the volunteer lawyers help. These client story were provided courtesy of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley.

AIDS Legal Services Sample Pro Bono Case...........................................................   While AIDS Legal Services was representing a client living with AIDS on a debtor harassment action, the client's health condition suddenly deteriorated. The client needed immediate assistance with drafting a simple will and durable power of attorney for health care. ALS quickly referred the case out to a law firm associate who had participated in our simple wills training earlier that year. The law firm associate was able to meet with the client and complete the simple will and durable power of attorney. That way, the client was able to have the details of his life in order before he passed away. The durable power of attorney for health care was crucial when the client became unable to make medical decisions. The client's agent, assigned in the client's durable power of attorney, stepped in to assist the doctors by representing the client's wishes.

Legal Advocates for Children & Youth Sample Pro Bono Case...........................................................   A low-income grandparent who had been caring for her grandchildren ranging in age from 5 to 8 contacted Legal Advocates for Children & Youth seeking assistance with a guardianship. The mother had been in prison for several years and had been homeless with the children prior to her incarceration. The mother also had a long-time substance abuse history. The fathers had been uninvolved with the children's lives. The grandmother seeking guardianship was concerned because the mother was due to be released soon and she felt the mother needed to complete treatment prior to regaining custody of the children. A LACY social worker conducted a home evaluation of the grandmother and met with the children. LACY referred the case to a pro bono attorney who had completed the guardianship training. LACY staff provided on-going technical assistance to the pro bono attorney and the guardianship was granted over the course of two court hearings.

Mental Health Advocacy Project Sample Pro Bono Case...........................................................   One of Mental Health Advocacy Project's patients' rights advocates met a client at the Veteran's Administration hospital with major depression who was suicidal, tearful and without any hope. He had tried unsuccessfully for the past two years to obtain federal disability benefits. The client was so ashamed about his homelessness, that he became estranged from his family in Southern California. An MHAP attorney was able to successfully represent the client in obtaining ongoing disability benefits. He also received approximately $30,000 in retroactive benefits. The impact that the benefits award had on his life was immediately apparent as he traveled to Los Angeles to reunite with his family, was able to see his 2-year old granddaughter for the first time and visit his son a week before he was shipped to Iraq. The client now resides with his family in Southern California.