Operation Enduring LAMP
Mobilizing Bar Associations to Provide
Legal Help for Military Personnel/Reservists

Bar Associations - How to Help

Models for Bar Association Assistance in a Reservist Mobilization

KEY to all of the activities described below is a regularly updated list of civilian attorneys willing to assist in the effort.

•  Conduct CLEs for the Civilian Lawyers Regarding SCRA and USERRA and other key areas

The Service Members' Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) govern many of the issues that will be paramount for the reservist being activated, e.g., notify employer of call-up, re-employment rights. There are many excellent resources for locating this information. Several of them are noted elsewhere on this web site.

•  Conduct CLEs for the military legal assistance attorney

The military legal assistance office may be interested in receiving a refresher course on probate and wills issues for their own staff of military attorneys, many of whom are licensed in a jurisdiction other than where they are stationed.

•  Provide direct legal assistance for military and their family members

Reservists and their family members will encounter issues that they would not otherwise face if not for their mobilization. Providing ongoing means of addressing those questions (e.g. landlord - tenant problems, consumer credit issues) can be of primary importance in assisting in this effort. Some forms of assistance include: 1) specially scheduled talk-to-a-lawyer events, 2) a pool of attorneys within the existing pro bono and lawyer referral system who are willing to either provide free legal services or waive normal consultation fees, 3) regularly-scheduled community education seminars with an associated advice component.

During the pre-mobilization effort, the legal services that will be needed include: basic estate planning, powers of attorney, wills, advanced medical directives, and possibly guardianships. In the event of casualities, assistance would be needed for probating of wills and other matters associated with probate. Additional legal concerns that may arise could include business law issues or lease terminations.

•  Offer written matter that addresses key questions

While the Internet has become a key means of obtaining information, it is still vital to provide easy-to-understand pamphlets that address key questions for those who either may not want to use the Internet or who do not have access to it. Additionally, individuals will benefit from receiving information on how to access key information on the Internet.

•  Provide one-on-one assistance for the military legal assistance attorney

Provide an attorney to attorney advice line to assist local military attorneys with questions relating to state law. Many military legal assistance attorneys are not licensed to practice in your state, and therefore are not knowledgeable about local law.

•  Provide one-on-one assistance for your fellow lawyer who has been called for active duty

Lawyers, particulary sole practitioners, called up for active duty face any number of unique issues. A panel of attorneys willing to assume the practices of sole practitioners in their absence will solve this problem most directly. Materials to assist an attorney who will be absent due to reserve duty service in the military can be found by clicking here.

State bar associations may consider a waiver of mandatory CLE requirements for all mobilized attorneys. An easy-to-use Internet accessible form would be the quickest means of addressing this concern.

Bar associations with membership fees could offer reduced or free membership to lawyer reservists.

•  Provide back-up support for the local military legal assistance office

Lawyers who would normally staff the local military legal assistance office may be called upon to perform other duties with units that are being deployed. Assistance for the military JAG office can fill service gaps that may otherwise be created for military family members at the bases.