RESPOND, Inc.
- To Volunteer, Contact:
- Organization Type: Nonprofit Legal Services Provider
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Location:
P.O. Box 555Somerville, MA 02143
- Phone: 617-625-5996
- Website: https://www.respondinc.org/about/volunteer-at-respond/
- Email: development@respondinc.org
RESPOND partners with individuals, families and communities to end the serious public health issue of domestic violence. RESPOND strives to achieve its mission through prevention, intervention and education services that promote safe, healthy relationships. A pioneer in the movement to end domestic violence, RESPOND is New England’s first domestic violence agency and the second oldest in the nation. Its work began in the early 1970s, when four women from Somerville, Massachusetts started a grassroots effort to support victims of domestic violence by opening their own homes as safe havens for women fleeing abuse. In 1974, these “founding mothers” formed RESPOND, an organization that has provided life-saving shelter, support services, training and education programs to hundreds of thousands of members of the community for nearly 50 years.
Volunteer Activities: Attorneys, paralegals, law students to provide information and legal advocacy around 209A, child support, probate, divorce, custody, immigration and represent clients free of charge.
Listing up-to-date as of March 2024.
- County(s) of Volunteer Opportunity: Middlesex
- Area of law: Family & Juvenile, Immigration & Naturalization, Domestic violence, abuse prevention orders
- Populations Served: Domestic Violence Victims, Low Income
- Opportunities For: Law Students, Lawyers, Mentors
- Hours for Pro Bono Opportunities: Flexible
- Malpractice insurance is provided for volunteers: No
- Training Provided: Yes
- Training Required: Yes
- CLE credit for trainings: No
- Training / Supervision Comments: Programs and Services volunteers must attend an intensive 45-hour training educating participants on the effects of domestic violence on individuals, families and children. This training prepares staff and volunteers to work with trauma survivors and is conducted on weekends and evenings.
- CLE credit for pro bono: No
- Mentoring or supervision offered: Yes
- Volunteer lawyers need to meet a caseload or hours requirement: Yes
- Other Case Load Requirements: Prefer 6-12 month commitment from volunteers.
- Types of projects in need of Pro Bono help: Client counseling (e.g., brief advice), Litigation: Trial/Direct Representation
- Volunteers may participate long-distance: No
