Pro Bono Volunteer Information
ANDVSA’s Legal Program provides free legal assistance to low-income victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in divorce, child custody, protective order, and other civil proceedings through staff attorneys and volunteers.
A 2015 victimization study in Alaska found that 50% of females had experience some form of intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault during their lifetime. Civil legal assistance is the most effective way to increase safety for these individuals.
In fiscal year 2019, the Legal Program received over $650,000 of in-kind donated legal services! By volunteering, you can provide victims with real tools that they need to maintain safety, such as full custody for their children, a protection order and financial support.
We provide training and resources for attorneys, including our Volunteer Family Law Manual with form pleadings. You can learn more about the benefits of pro bono by reading our Volunteer Attorney of the Month profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please fill out this form if you would like to volunteer and scan or fax it to Christine Pate cpate@andvsa.org or Mindy Lowrance mlowrance@andvsa.org, (907)747-7547 (fax) in the ANDVSA Legal Office.
Absolutely. Our program provides the resources and training that you need to successfully represent a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. It’s a great way to learn a new area of the law and make a big impact in someone’s life.
The Legal Program has experienced staff attorneys and volunteer mentors providing supervision. We provide a volunteer manual for family law to our volunteers with form pleadings. We provide cost coverage and malpractice to our volunteers and access to free webinars and trainings, including our annual CLE in Anchorage.
ANDVSA utilizes volunteers in many ways. Our greatest need is for attorneys to take all or part of a case (unbundled) representing a victim in court. We also need mentors to work with new attorneys – either as co-counsel or supervisor- who are taking on cases. The Legal Program hosts an Information and Referral Hotline every other Tuesday that provides brief legal information to victims. This phone line can be call-forwarded anywhere in the state and only takes 2 – 3 hours of volunteer time.
Other Legal Resources
Find other legal services and guides for navigating the court system.
Direct Legal Services
A Volunteer Story
Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault : A Volunteer Story from Laura Aubry on Vimeo.
Learn more about how you can get involved in making a difference in the lives of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska! If You Want Peace,Work for Justice!