Volunteer Opportunities

Each year, Volunteer Legal Services Hawai’i serves over 2,500 low-income individuals and families with pressing legal issues. Most come to Volunteer Legal after exhausting all other options. Their cases run the gamut of civil legal issues–family, housing, bankruptcy, employment, tax, guardianship, contracts, tort defense, immigration, public benefits, and real estate. Volunteer Legal attorneys are often the only hope for someone who is facing the legal system alone.

To volunteer, call (808) 528-7059 (or 1-800-839-5200 from the neighbor islands) or email volunteer@vlsh.org.

Attorneys

Volunteer Legal offers a variety of pro bono opportunities that allow attorneys to apply their legal expertise while accommodating their schedule, availability, location, and interests.

Volunteer Legal’s Emerging Attorney Program is designed for newly-licensed attorneys who are interested in building legal skills and subject matter knowledge through pro bono work. Attorneys in the program are expected to commit to a minimum of 15 hours per week for four weeks or 12 hours per week for five weeks.

The Transitioning Attorney Program focuses on experienced attorneys who are interested in obtaining expertise in a new area of law. A transitioning attorney will be able to create his or her own program by selecting components of the Emerging Attorney Program. Participants in are expected to provide 50 hours of pro bono services over a 12-month period.

For more information about development programs for pro bono attorneys, please contact Jan Tamura by email at jan@vlsh.org or by telephone at (808) 522-1858. To apply for a position in either program, please fill out the Volunteer Attorney Sign-Up Form.

Law Students and Paralegals

Volunteer Legal also provides pro bono opportunities for law students and paralegals. The volunteers are exposed to a wide range of legal topics and client contact by assisting with intake, workshops, and clinics. Law students draft case summaries, research legal issues, and work on resource material development.

Volunteer Legal’s Summer Internship Program is designed for law students who are interested in building valuable legal skills and subject matter knowledge through pro bono work. To participate in the formal Summer Internship Program, a student is expected to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per week for six weeks.

Law students wishing to fulfill their pro bono requirements during the school year are encouraged to apply for Volunteer Legal’s Law Student Pro Bono Program. Program participants will engage in many of the activities offered in the Summer Internship Program. Preference will be given to second- and third-year students and students who are able to commit to a minimum of eight hours per week for six or more consecutive weeks. Students who are not in the preference categories should nonetheless apply. If space is available, Volunteer Legal will try to provide a rewarding experience based on your resume and availability.

For more information, please contact Regina Grovner by email at regina@vlsh.org or by telephone at (808) 522-0676.