Public Interest Institute

LEGAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

These are just some examples, if you find other opportunities please notify Assistant Dean for Public Interest Law to ensure that the volunteer experience would qualify for the PII recognition and award programs.

Pro bono Research Database (upcoming opportunity)
The Public Interest Institute’s Pro bono Research Database is a volunteer service available to lawyers serving nonprofit and public interest organizations and lawyers rendering pro bono volunteer services. Non-profit legal organizations, public interest lawyers or attorneys who are engaged in pro bono volunteer work are invited to submit legal research assignments using the form below. If the research request is accepted, the Institute will identify law students who will work directly with the requesting attorney. Our goal is to assist public interest and pro bono lawyers in their efforts to meet the enormous need for pro bono legal services while educating law students about the importance of equal access to justice.
Contact publicinterest@law.ua.edu with “Research Database” in Subject Line if interested (2L/3Ls only).

Volunteer in Elder Law through Ombudsman Program
Volunteer Ombudsmen  help ensure residents of long term care facilities know and understand their rights; encourage residents to exercise their rights and utilize the services that are available to them; and report residents’ complaints and issues to the Long Term Care Ombudsmen.  Must submit application and attend training.
Contact: Kim Johnson
West Alabama Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging
E-mail: kim.johnson@adss.alabama.gov

Tornado-Relief Surveys
Door-to-door survey in tornado-impacted neighborhoods around Tuscaloosa to learn of latent legal issues that may be addressed by UA law’s legal clinics.  Volunteers must attend mandatory training and will work in pairs.
Contact publicinterest@law.ua.edu with “Tornado Relief Survey” in Subject Line if interested

Volunteer in Veteran community (upcoming opportunity)
Student volunteers will be trained and work alongside attorneys in the ABA Young Lawyers’ Division to present a Pro se workshop and perform educational outreach in the local veteran community.
Contact publicinterest@law.ua.edu with “Veterans Project” in Subject Line if interested.

Volunteer as Victim Advocates (upcoming opportunity)
Student volunteers will receive training to perform volunteer outreach on behalf of Domestic Violence victims in Tuscaloosa.
Contact publicinterest@law.ua.edu with “Victim Advocates” in Subject Line if interested.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Archives Project
Located in Alabama as a center for education and discussion about civil and human rights issues.  To volunteer fill out the online form at http://www.bcri.org/forms/volunteer1.aspx or contact the BCRI.
Contact: Wayne Coleman or Laura Anderson or Yvonne Williams
Tel:  1-866-328-9696 or 205.328.9696, ext. 203

Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice
Alabama Appleseed is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1999 to identify significant needs in the State of Alabama, tackle their root causes, and craft practical, lasting solutions to systemic problems through legal advocacy, community involvement, and policy expertise. Opportunities include volunteering with legislative reform efforts, compiling literature for members of State Congress, helping write legal advocacy pieces or Op-Eds.
Contact: Shay Farley
E-mail: shay.farley@alabamaappleseed.org
Tel: (334) 263-0086

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines
(ICBL) is a global network in over 90 countries that works for a world free of antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions, where landmine and cluster munition survivors can lead fulfilling lives. The Campaign was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its efforts to bring about the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Since then, we have been advocating for the words of the treaty to become a reality, demonstrating on a daily basis that civil society has the power to change the world. To volunteer follow the link: http://www.icbl.org/index.php/icbl/Job-Opportunities/Volunteer/Application

Amnesty International USA
Volunteer as a Student Activist Coordinator in Alabama.  The Student Activist Coordinator (SAC) is an experienced Amnesty International student or youth volunteer who represents the organization to assigned groups by serving as an advisor to student and youth groups on group activities, campaign opportunities and policy-related issues; acts as a liaison between AI groups, staff and other volunteer leaders; promotes area-wide initiatives; and acts as a spokesperson for AI where appropriate. For more information about volunteer, please contact the Southern Office of Amnesty International USA at (404) 876-5661 or aiusaso@aiusa.org

NON-LEGAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Hours completed at any of these organizations will count towards the Dean’s Community Service Award (including hours spent in training).   These are just some examples, please feel free to consider other volunteer opportunities and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa
Office volunteers needed to answer the phones, assist homeowner applicants, check e-mail, perform data entry, and order office supplies. Shifts are available M-F from 8am-12:30, 10am-2pm, 12:30-5pm.
Contact: Donna Hallman
205.349.4620 ext. 105
donna@habitattuscaloosa.org

Hand in Paw
Non-profit corporation that provides animal-assisted therapy to those who need help in Tuscaloosa and the Greater Birmingham area. Their mission is to improve the health and well-being of children and adults by serving their physical, emotional, educational, or psychological needs through interactions with professionally trained Animal-Assisted Therapy Teams.  Hand in Paw Therapy Teams serve the needs of patients at the DCH Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. Volunteer to join their efforts to launch a program to support victims/witnesses who are anxious and afraid because they have been asked to testify in the courtroom.
Contact: Kurt Fischer
www.handinpaw.org
(205) 322-5144
kurtfischer22@gmail.com

Impact Alabama’s SaveFirst
Trains college, graduate, and law students to provide free tax preparation services and opportunities for savings and economic improvement to low-income, working families—especially targeting those eligible for an Earned Income Tax Credit refund.
Contact:  Kathleen Smith Shelton
SaveFirst Coordinator
kshelton@impactalabama.org
(423) 309-5902

Soup Bowl
The Community Soup Bowl prepares and serves meals each day to about 500 homeless persons at a facility that is operated by The First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa.  A regular staff prepares meals during weekdays.  Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday to serve meals.  One weekend each semester law students donate their service by shopping for food, preparing and serving meals at the facility.
Contact:  Ms. Amy Grimstead at 205-752-2421 to volunteer on weekdays.
Dargan Ware at dargan.ware@law.ua.edu to volunteer with law students

Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama
Sign up to mentor youth in various programs, including opportunities to mentor children of prisoners and (impacts child abuse prevention, and the prevention of generational incarceration). Mandatory screening and training process.
Contact: Nikki Richardson
Call (205)758-5734 or email at bbbs@bbbswestal.org

Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama
Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama offers many different ways and paths that a volunteer can take. Volunteers can work with girls in the following ways: troops, girl indoor programs or girl outdoor programs. Students are always needed to help with day to day activities in the office and recruiting even more volunteers. Students interested in working can contact Shanna Jaggers and find the right volunteer opportunity for themselves. The Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is also listed on Volunteer Match.org with a list of opportunities. To find more information on the Girl Scouts, please visit their website at http://girlscoutsnca.org/.
Contact: Shanna Jaggers
Phone: 205-759-5421, ext. 1424
Email: sjaggers@girlscoutsnca.org