ABA works to help hurricane victims

Even as volunteer lawyers are responding to the ongoing legal needs of victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, the ABA is mobilizing to respond to those who will be affected by Hurricane Irma.

Working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local legal aid offices, the Disaster Legal Services Program of the ABA Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) has a plan in place to provide legal assistance to disaster victims in the path of Hurricane Irma.

Telephone hotlines will be set up in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the states declared disaster areas to connect victims to lawyers who can respond to disaster-related legal issues that include landlord/tenant problems, insurance claims, FEMA claims and consumer issues such as contractor fraud. 

“The ABA hopes that everyone in the path of Hurricane Irma stays safe. Once the storm passes and the damage can be evaluated, the ABA will be prepared to assist with the legal needs that so often arise after these natural disasters,” ABA President Hilarie Bass said. “Lawyers stand ready to help and will be there for those affected by this hurricane.”

Since September 2007, the ABA YLD has responded to more than 157 declared disasters in 43 states and two U.S. territories.

In the past two weeks, more than 1,500 lawyers have volunteered to provide legal assistance to those affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana.