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IBP rolls out pro bono legal aid via web portal

  • June 11, 2023

By Rey E. Requejo

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has launched its Pro Bono Portal (PBP) where indigent litigants nationwide can now avail themselves of free legal services online through the IBP’s “web-based legal aid platform.”

In its advisory, the IBP said its lawyers and legal aids nationwide have started their training.

“To avail legal aid services, a potential client can apply for legal assistance through the PBP which can be easily searched by typing ‘IBP pro bono portal‘ or ‘IBP free legal aid,’” the IBP stressed.

“The system then sends the application to the IBP Chapter concerned which can filter out the application and assign it to the member,” he said.

It also said the other important features of the PBP include “the integration of the means and merits test and its language translations to Pilipino and Cebuano.”

The IBP assured that “the PBP is free, secure, inclusive, and designed to be responsive to the needs of indigenous Filipinos while highlighting the competence and integrity of the Bar’s pro bono legal aid programs.”

It said the training of lawyers and their legal aids is being done by the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). The training started last April 20.

“The PBP was developed by Justice Connect, a non-profit company based in Australia which supports organizations in various jurisdictions including inter alia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Germany,” the IBP said.

“The development of the PBP was made possible through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported ‘Access to Justice and Support for the Rule of Law’ program of ABA ROLI,” it added.

It also said that the technology of Justice Connect “effectively and efficiently connects clients and pro bono lawyers and law firms in a system that

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IBP’s free legal aid now online thru ‘Pro Bono Portal’

  • June 1, 2023

Indigent litigants nationwide can now avail themselves of free legal services online through the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP) “web-based legal aid platform.”

The IBP launched its Pro Bono Portal (PBP) and lawyers and their legal aids nationwide have started their training.

“To avail legal aid services, a potential client can file an application for legal assistance through the PBP which can be easily searched by typing ‘IBP pro bono portal‘ or ‘IBP free legal aid,’” the IBP said in its advisory.

“The system then sends the application to the IBP Chapter concerned which can filter out the application and assign it to the member,” he said.

It also said the other important features of the PBP include “the integration of the means and merits test and its language translations to Pilipino and Cebuano.”

It assured that “the PBP is free, secure, inclusive, and designed to be responsive to the needs of indigenous Filipinos while highlighting the competence and integrity of the Bar’s pro bono legal aid programs.”

It said the training of lawyers and their legal aids is being done by the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). The training started last April 20.

The IBP said “the PBP was developed by Justice Connect, a non-profit company based in Australia which supports organizations in various jurisdictions including inter alia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Germany.”

“The development of the PBP was made possible through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported ‘Access to Justice and Support for the Rule of Law’ program of ABA ROLI,” he said.

It also said that the technology of Justice Connect “effectively and efficiently connects clients and pro bono lawyers and law firms in a system that draws from an understanding of the outcomes

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8.79 lakh people received govt’s legal aid since 2009

  • May 26, 2023

8.79 lakh people received govt’s legal aid since 2009

DHAKA, April 27, 2023 (BSS) – As part of the present government’s commitment to provide justice for all, it is providing free legal aid from 2009 through the National Legal Aid Services Organization (NLASO) and so far 8,79,929 people received its services.

“Apart from these, NLASO provided free legal advice to 3, 53, 656 people in this period,” Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq told BSS on the eve of National Legal Aid Services Day, to be observed tomorrow.

The law minister further said the then Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formulated Legal Aid Services Act, 2000, and formed NLASO to provide legal assistance to the people who are financially insolvent, penniless or unable to get justice because of various socio- economic reasons.

“But the issue of providing legal aid remained neglected from 2001 to 2008. After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed government for the second time in 2009, implementation of that act gained momentum,” he added.

Narrating the achievements of NLASO to BSS, Law Ministry spokesperson Dr Md Rezaul Karim said the organization managed to realize Taka 134.90 crore as compensation for the victim parties and resolved a total of 82, 588 cases or disputes through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) from 2009 to March, 2023.

“The NLASO, through its 64 district legal aid offices, provided legal services to 4, 50, 067 people, of which 1, 05, 650 received the services in prisons. A total of 1, 53,413 people were given free legal aid though toll -free national helpline ‘16430’ since its launching in 2016,” the law ministry official added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the National Legal Aid Day on April 28, 2016, launched the service and it became more and more popular with

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Brownwood library adds virtual court kiosk for legal aid

  • May 16, 2023

BROWNWOOD, Texas — “Better Call Saul.” Well, that would be great if he wasn’t a fictional lawyer who worked pro bono. But at Brownwood public library, there is free legal service that is available to the public.

“The main thing I think to say is, it’s free! It’s free legal help to people who need it,” said Suzanne Dowdy, Director of Children’s Services at the Brownwood library. “And that can use it for that purpose. Because legal fees we all know, cost a fortune. And they can do a lot of leg work here. A lot of free conversations with whoever their attorney is. Research their case. There’s a lot of stuff they can do here and save money.”

Getting legal help isn’t cheap. And lower-income communities often don’t have either the access for the help of an attorney or the technology to research their litigation. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation— a nonprofit—are donating virtual kiosks throughout the state. According to this nonprofit, the goal for now is to implement 250 of these legal aid kiosks in different regions of the state. Dowdy said the Brownwood library was recently awarded this kiosk and is thankful for it.

“I’ll tell you this, in this town, we’re close to 20,000 people, including Early,” she said. “And we do have people who come in with a lot of needs for legal services. And we didn’t have the resources. I mean we were like you know, you can check out a book. My best advice has always been Google it.”

On the legal aid kiosk, people can attend a court hearing virtually, get an understanding of their legal issues, file and submit court forms and get help finding a lawyer.

“But this just brings it to a one stop shop where people

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Legal aid to poor jail inmates urged

  • May 10, 2023

Rights lawyers have called upon the government to provide more legal assistance to the poor inmates languishing in jails without trial.

They made the call as the country is set to observe the National Legal Aid Day 2023 today.

The government can create a mechanism so that every lawyer could be obliged to represent the poor in the courts, according to the lawyers.

The rights lawyers mentioned that many poor people were languishing in jails without trial after being accused of various crimes.

‘As per the law, every lawyer in developed countries needs to fight a certain number of cases in favor of poor people facing various criminal charges,’ said jurist Shahdeen Malik.

He said that every bar association should introduce such practice so every lawyer must take at least one case to represent the poor facing criminal cases.

Shahdeen said that in foreign countries free legal services were provided mostly to the poor people facing criminal cases.

He added that the citizens’ liberty would be curtailed if they were detained in jail for a long time.

Until April 2023, the National Legal Aid Services Organization provided legal assistance to 3.53 lakh people across the country since 2009, said a release issued by the law ministry on Thursday.

The release said that a total of 82, 588 disputes or cases were disposed of through the out-of-court settlements.

It mentioned that Tk 134.93 crore were realized and distributed to the victims in most dowry-related cases.

Rights lawyer ZI Khan Panna told New Age that donors increased funds to state-owned legal aid service providers as they are getting increased response from poor people.

The government is set to observe the national Legal Aid Day today.

Legal aid panel lawyer at Supreme Court Khurshid Alam Khan said that more skilled lawyers should

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Supreme Court Urged To Revive The Rule On Community Legal Aid Service (CLAS)

  • August 20, 2022

To address the insufficient number of volunteer IBP legal aid lawyers nationwide who are tasked to render free legal aid services to the poor and the underprivileged, the Supreme Court should consider bringing back the rule on CLAS. This is akin to the Doctors to the Barrios program of DOH.

Such was call made by the League of Provinces of the Philippines during its 7th General Assembly when its approved a resolution requesting Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo to bring back the CLAS Rule. LPP National President and Marinduque Governor Presbytero J. Velasco, Jr. explained that the CLAS Rule aims to “require new lawyers to provide free legal assistance of at least 120 hours to poorer sectors and give meaning to the constitutional mandate to guarantee access to legal assistance to individuals and groups with limited means.” With the CLAS, the flagship IBP project will be assured of additional IBP volunteer lawyers yearly with the new bar passers. CLAS will augment the overburdened the public attorneys.

The Supreme Court has earlier suspended the implementation of the CLAS Rule because of the seeming conflict with the Revised Law Student Practice Rule or Rule 138-A of the Rules of Court.

Gov. Velasco, who is also a retired Supreme Court associate justice himself, said there is no inconsistency between the two rules as in terms of implementation and monitoring, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines will on top of the CLAS Rule, while the Revised Law Student Practice The rule is the look out of the concerned law schools under their respective Clinical Legal Education Programs (CLEPs).

Among the advantages of resuming the CLAS Rule is ensuring that there will be adequate legal aid lawyers who will handle pro bono cases for the indigent persons who will otherwise become victims of injustice. This will

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Legal Aid free walk-in clinic Aug. 10

  • August 6, 2022

Jul. 30—GREENSBURG — Legal Aid announces a free Legal Aid walk-in clinic from 3 to 5 pm Wednesday, August 10, at the Greensburg/Decatur County Public Library, 1110 E. Main Street.

The free clinic is for low-income residents.

The Legal Aid Clinic and pro bono program utilizes local volunteer attorneys offering free legal consultations to low-income individuals for the provision of legal advice and assistance in furtherance of equal access to justice within our community whom might not otherwise be able to afford the counsel of an attorney.

Individuals coming to the Legal Aid Clinic can expect to receive a 10-minute consultation to answer general and eviction questions, offer legal information, or to receive other limited pro se assistance or advice, in person, on a first-come, first-served base.

This is not for those with criminal law questions.

There is no need to register in advance.

Can’t attend these clinics? Visit www.legalaidpbi.org/services to find additional clinics and other ways to get free legal help.

About Legal Aid

Legal Aid is a non-profit agency providing free civil legal services, attorney referrals and legal clinics to low-income individuals, covering eight counties in South Central Indiana.

Legal Aid serves residents of Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Rush, and Shelby counties.

Legal Aid is part of Pro Bono Indiana.

Information provided — Information provided

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December 2023
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