Welcome to the VOLS Pro Bono Library. To find Project-specific volunteer support resources, navigate the tabs below.
Volunteers with the VOLS Immigration Project provide immigration services to undocumented youth in New York City including DACA Initials & Renewals, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, asylum, adjustment of status, and naturalization as well as derivative citizenship applications.
Volunteers with the Incarcerated Mothers Law Project provide legal advice to incarcerated and recently released women in Taconic, Rikers, and Bedford Correctional Facilities. Family law topics include visitation, contact, custody, and reunification.
Volunteers with the VOLS Microenterprise Project counsel underserved microentrepreneurs in transactional matters related to the start up or operation of their business, engage in community legal education through workshops and creation of accessible resources, and provide critical COVID-19 crisis recovery services to ensure small business survival.
Volunteers with the VOLS Senior Law Project work with low-income seniors and older veterans to draft and execute critical documents to help them plan for end of life and/or incapacity, including Last Wills & Testaments, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and other advance directives.
The VOLS Senior Law Project includes our Veterans Initiative and La Extensión Comunitaria Para Adultos Mayores.
Volunteers with the VOLS Benefits Law Project provide culturally competent legal services to help low-income New Yorkers more equitably access the benefits to which they are entitled.
Sample Documents
Training Materials (Manuals/PPT/Videos)
Below are the pro bono opportunities currently available from the Volunteers of Legal Service team. If you are interested in an opportunity below, please email Pro Bono Specialist, Adama Fonah, (afonah@volsprobono.org), and we will send you a review file. In order to provide timely representation, we kindly request that you clear conflicts and confirm placement within one week after you receive the review file.
Volunteers with the Immigration Project, Senior Law Project & Veteran’s Initiative, and Unemployed Workers Project are not expected to have substantive experience with those areas of law. VOLS provides all necessary training materials, model documents, and mentorship.
IN PERSON SCREENING CLINIC OPPORTUNITY
The VOLS Immigration Project (IP) seeks pro bono law firms to partner in hosting in-person screening clinics this fall for recently arrived youth and families. Attorneys will conduct intake interviews and, with guidance from VOLS IP staff, provide brief legal advice on immigration relief eligibility. Clinics are held on Fridays from 11:30am-2:30pm at a community-based organization in the Financial District. Please contact Keighly Rector (krector@volsprobono.org) if you or your colleagues are interested in participating.
WILLS MATTERS
Client: Mable R.
Summary: Mabel is a single woman in her late eighties with 2 children. She wishes to name his son Derek to all of the pivotal roles. She rents and has section 8. She prefers a home visit because she can’t walk by herself.
Legal Needs: Last Will and Testament, Health Care Proxy, Living Will and Control of Remains
Client: Oksoon K. & Seong K.
Summary: Oksoon and Seong are a married couple in their mid-sixties to seventies (respectively) with two daughters. They wish to name their daughters to all of the pivotal roles. They rent. They both speak Korean and would require a Korean speaking attorney or interpreter. They would like to do their documents together.
Legal Needs: Last Will and Testament, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains and Power of Attorney
Client: Anita F.
Summary: Anita is a 94-year-old divorced woman with no children. She would like to leave her estate between her cousin and her friends and to appoint that cousin and one friend in pivotal roles. Her income consists of Social Security and an annuity, she has a modest amount of resources, and she rents her apartment in the East Village.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains
Client: Sofiya L.
Summary: Sofiya is a single female in her mid-sixties with two children. She wishes to name her son to all pivotal roles. She rents. Please note that: Sofiya has a mobility issue so would really appreciate a home visit or a car service.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Living Will, Control of Remains, Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney
Client: Cecilia G.
Summary: Paul is a 60-year-old married man with no children. He would like to leave his estate to his wife and to appoint his wife in pivotal roles. His only income comes from Supplemental Security Income, he has minimal resources, and he rents his apartment in Alphabet City. He is currently in the hospital and will soon be discharged to a facility. He is unable to travel and will need a visit to the facility.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Control of Remains
Client: Fujiko L.
Summary: Fujiko is an 85-year-old informally separated woman with two children from whom she is estranged. She would like to leave her estate to her friend and to appoint the same in pivotal roles. Her only income comes from Social Security, she has minimal resources, and she rents her apartment on the Upper West Side. She speaks Japanese and will require translation for her documents.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains
Client: Khin L.
Summary: Khin is an 89-year-old divorced woman with one child. She would like to leave her estate to her child and grandchild and to appoint them in pivotal roles. Her only income comes from Social Security, and she lives in her Mitchell Lama apartment in Kips Bay. She has difficulty traveling and would prefer to receive a car service.
Legal Needs: Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Control of Remains
Client: Konstantinos P.
Summary: Konstantinos is a single male in his mid-seventies with no children. He wishes to name his brother to all of the pivotal roles. He owns a Mitchell Lama coop.
Legal Needs: Last Will and Testament, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains and Power of Attorney
Client: Bruce G.
Summary: Bruce is a 74-year-old single man with no children. He would like to leave his estate to his nephew and his friends and to appoint his nephew and his cousin in pivotal roles. His income consists of Social Security and a pension, and he rents his apartment in Hells Kitchen.
Legal Needs: Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains
Client: Lori L.
Summary: Lori is a 70-year-old single woman with no children. She would like to leave her estate to her sister followed by the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Her income consists of Social Security and a pension, and she rents her apartment in an affordable housing building in Midtown West.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament
Client: Luz D.
Summary: Luz is a Spanish speaking 80-year-old divorced female. Client has one adult son. Client is a renter, does not own real property. Client wishes to name her sister
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Health Care Proxy, Power of Attorney, Control of Remains and Living Will
OFFICE HOURS
The Senior Law Project team hosts virtual office hours over Zoom every Thursday from 1-2PM. Our staff are always available to answer questions about your cases over email or on the phone, but we also wanted to set up this forum to make it as convenient as possible to ask any questions you may have and meet the VOLS staff. The office hours do not require pre-registration, and you can join the meeting any time during the hour. Please find the Zoom link here.
CONTRACTS
Client: Brian H. / Pook Hustle
Business Description: Brian is a Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist and creative professional who performs and does business under the name “Pook Hustle.” Brian has previously worked with other artists on various business ventures but now wants to increase his focus on the business side of things by starting his own music company. The new business will house his own creative pursuits, as well as represent and manage other New York City artists.
Legal Needs: Brian requests legal assistance with drafting: (1) a template artist collaboration agreement (for music and video projects); and (2) a template live performance booking agreement.
Client: Brian H. / Pook Hustle
Business Description: Brian is a Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist and creative professional who performs and does business under the name “Pook Hustle.” Brian has previously worked with other artists on various business ventures but now wants to increase his focus on the business side of things by starting his own music company. The new business will house his own creative pursuits, as well as represent and manage other New York City artists.
Legal Needs: Brian requests legal assistance with reviewing an agreement with a former business partner distributing remaining creative assets (music and video) in preparation for dissolution of their business.
Client: Antæus R. & Mika T. / Soft Butch
Business Description: Antæus and Mika recently opened the doors for business of their trans-owned and queer-centered cafe, bar, and community space in Bed-Stuy. They hope for the space to host free community events and queer centered nightlife opportunities, as well. As past employees of the café that used to sit in the same space, Antæus and Mika recently joined together as business partners with the plan purchase and rebrand the former café. They intend to temporarily sublease the space from the former owner, with a plan to eventually purchase the former owner’s lease interest, equipment, and other assets.
Legal Needs: Antæus and Mika request legal assistance with review of their sublease agreement with the owner of the former café.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Client: Elizabeth S. / MindOpen Learning Strategies
Business Description: With over 25 years of direct service, management, and capacity-building experience in New York City’s complex human service systems, Elizabeth founded MindOpen Learning Strategies as a business that provides trauma-informed, anti-racist training and consulting to nonprofits and corporations looking to advance social justice goals.
Legal Needs: Elizabeth requests legal assistance with drafting a joint venture agreement to govern collaborations between MindOpen and two other organizations to develop educational materials.
Client: Hassane K. / Emera AI
Business Description: Hassane is an African immigrant and adjunct professor of machine learning. He founded Emera AI as a technology platform for the African diaspora in the United States to easily buy goods and services for family back in Africa. Currently Emera AI operates in Burkina Faso, but Hassane plans to expand to other countries in Africa soon.
Legal Needs: Hassane requests a legal consultation on international money transfer regulatory compliance, including relating to operating as a “money services business” and facilitating “remittance transfers.”
Client: Antæus R. & Mika T. / Soft Butch
Business Description: Antæus and Mika recently opened the doors for business of their trans-owned and queer-centered cafe, bar, and community space in Bed-Stuy. They hope for the space to host free community events and queer centered nightlife opportunities, as well. As past employees of the café that used to sit in the same space, Antæus and Mika recently joined together as business partners with the plan purchase and rebrand the former café. They intend to temporarily sublease the space from the former owner, with a plan to eventually purchase the former owner’s lease interest, equipment, and other assets.
Legal Needs: Antæus and Mika request legal assistance with obtaining their liquor license with the New York State Liquor Authority.
Client: Antæus R. & Mika T. / Soft Butch
Business Description: Antæus and Mika recently opened the doors for business of their trans-owned and queer-centered cafe, bar, and community space in Bed-Stuy. They hope for the space to host free community events and queer centered nightlife opportunities, as well. As past employees of the café that used to sit in the same space, Antæus and Mika recently joined together as business partners with the plan purchase and rebrand the former café. They intend to temporarily sublease the space from the former owner, with a plan to eventually purchase the former owner’s lease interest, equipment, and other assets.
Legal Needs: Antæus and Mika request legal assistance with advising on the purchase of an existing café and bar, including options for structuring the purchase, navigating the due diligence process, and any other relevant legal considerations.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Client: Tyshaun B. / Boss Girl Media
Business Description: Tyshaun posts writings, videos, and other content to social media on the topic of personal transformation, motivation, and life coaching. She also offers teachings and life coaching sessions. Tyshaun has written a book on these topics that she hopes to self-publish.
Legal Needs: Tyshaun requests a legal consultation on how to protect her intellectual property rights in her book in anticipation of self-publication.
Client: Krystyn G. / Gakovii
Business Description: Krystyn has a professional background in data science, finance, and responsible AI. Krystyn founded Gakovii as a research and media business that investigates discrimination in algorithm and AI design, and other ethical issues in the tech space. Through Gakovii, she also produces the podcast “Technically Biased” where she interviews experts at the intersection of ethics, social justice, and technology.
Legal Needs: Krystyn requests a legal consultation on how to protect the business’s intellectual property, including its logo and other designs to be used in merchandise, given that some of the business’s assets were produced with generative AI.
