Volunteer With Us

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Volunteer Legal Advocates!

Volunteer Legal Advocates provides all you need to represent domestic violence survivors, immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, and at-risk children as a pro-bono attorney in the District of Columbia, including:

  • In-person and online training sessions
  • Lunch & Learn sessions on special topics, such as litigation and trial skills
  • 1:1 support from experienced Supervising Attorneys who review all written work & accompany volunteers to court
  • Extensive resource library, including sample pleadings
  • Partnership with co-volunteer on most cases
  • Office space to meet with clients & receive mail (virtual meeting spaces provided during COVID-19)
  • Professional liability insurance
  • Reimbursement for litigation expenses
  • Use of photocopier/fax machine, courier service, process servers

Learn more about our practice areas, ways to get involved, and current volunteer opportunities below.

Practice Areas

CIVIL PROTECTION ORDERS

Volunteers help domestic violence survivors find immediate safety from their abusers through a CPO, or “stay-away” order. These cases provide supervised in-court litigation experience in a short time frame. Volunteers may sign up far in advance to represent a client on a certain hearing date, allowing busy attorneys to predict when they will need to be in court.
Average Case Length: 2-4 weeks

FAMILY LAW CUSTODY & DIVORCE

Volunteers help domestic violence survivors and their children find long-term safety and stability through a permanent custody and/or divorce order. These cases provide a full range of supervised litigation experience, including discovery, motions, negotiations, and hearings.
Average case length: 6-12 months with hearings every 2-3 months

CHILD ADVOCACY AS GUARDIANS AD LITEM

Volunteers represent the best interests of children at serious risk of harm in custody cases, due to concerning factors such as abuse and domestic violence. These cases provide substantial supervised experience in investigation, negotiation, and litigation.
Average case length: 6-12 months with hearings every 2-3 months

IMMIGRATION

Volunteers help immigrant survivors of gender-based violence and their families find relief through a variety of means, such as asylum, special visas for victims of crime, standby guardianship, and adjustments in status.
Average case length: 6-12 months

Become a Volunteer Legal Advocates Volunteer

STEP 2: INTAKE

We want to learn more about you! When you complete the volunteer registration form, we will send you a link to schedule a 15 minute intake interview with a member of our staff.

STEP 3: TRAINING

When you complete the volunteer registration form, we will send you a link to access our Online Training Hub. From there, you can view on-demand training modules based on your practice area(s) of interest.

Volunteer Opportunities

Civil Protection Orders

Full Representation: Civil Protection Order Cases

Civil Protection Order cases provide supervised in-court litigation experience in a short time frame. Volunteers may sign up far in advance to represent a client on a certain hearing date, allowing busy attorneys to predict when they will need to be in court. Below is a summary of the CPO process in DC Superior Court:

  • Incident (“IFO”) occurs
  • Victim files Petition for CPO
  • On the same date, the petitioner goes before a judge ex parte and obtains TPO (two-week Temporary Protection Order)
  • Other party served and both parties appear before judge two weeks later for trial
  • If not served, case gets continued for two weeks or up to 28 days with good cause

Average case length: 2-4 weeks

Average time commitment: 15 hours

To view available CPO cases, click here.
Please contact volunteer@dcvlp.org with questions.

Brief Legal Advice: Civil Protection Order Clinic

Obtaining a Civil Protection Order, or “stay-away” order, is often the first step for a domestic violence survivor to find immediate safety from an abuser.

Activities:

  • help prepare survivors for an upcoming Civil Protection Order (CPO) trial by providing brief advice on their case
  • assist survivors with drafting pleadings including Petitions for Civil Protection Orders, Motions to Continue or Motions for Alternative Service through DC Superior Court’s online filing system
  • draft Amendments to Petitions for survivors who have an existing Civil Protection Order in place

When and Where:

Tuesdays | 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Virtual by phone

This volunteer opportunity is open to: Attorneys

To sign up for a shift in this clinic, click here.

Family Law Custody & Divorce

Full and Limited Scope Representation: Custody & Divorce Cases

Volunteers help domestic violence survivors and their children find long-term safety and stability through a permanent custody and/or divorce order. These cases provide a full range of supervised litigation experience, including discovery, motions practice, negotiations, and hearings, and often trial.

Average case length: 6-12 months with hearings every 2-3 months

Average time commitment: 10-15 hours per month

To view available Custody & Divorce cases, click here.
Please contact volunteer@dcvlp.org with questions.

Brief Legal Advice: Domestic Violence & Family Law Clinic

Having the advice of a lawyer on civil protection orders, custody, divorce, and/or child support helps domestic violence survivors know their rights and empowers them to move toward long-term safety and stability.

Activities:

  • provide survivors and caregivers of at-risk children with brief legal advice on protection orders, custody, and divorce matters

When and Where:

Mondays | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Virtual by phone

Tuesdays | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Virtual by phone

Wednesdays | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | 3160 16th St NW

Fridays | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 2375 Elvans Road SE

This volunteer opportunity is open to: Attorneys

To sign up for a shift in this clinic, click here.

Child Advocacy

Full Representation: Guardian ad litem Cases

Judges appoint DCVLP volunteer attorneys as Guardians ad litem to represent the best interests of children living with abuse, neglect, domestic violence and other dangers to help ensure they grow up in safe and stable homes. DCVLP’s Guardian ad litem volunteers investigate, review reports, interview parties and witnesses, negotiate with other parties, and make recommendations for custody and social services. These cases provide substantial supervised experience in investigation, negotiation, and litigation.

Average case length: 6-12 months with hearings every 2-3 months

To express interest in volunteering as a GAL, contact volunteer@dcvlp.org.

Immigration

Full Representation: Immigration Cases

Volunteers help immigrant survivors of violence and their families find relief through a variety of means, such as asylum, special visas for victims of crime, standby guardianship, and adjustments in status. Activities include preparing applications for immigration relief, appearing at administrative hearings, helping survivors prepare for immigration interviews, and other activities.

Average case length: varies depending on type of case

Average time commitment: 10-15 hours per month

To view available Immigration cases, click here.
Please contact volunteer@dcvlp.org with questions.

Brief Legal Advice: Immigration Clinic

Empower immigrant survivors with the legal advice they need to know their rights and secure immigration relief.

Activities:

  • provide immigrant survivors with brief legal advice on VAWA self-petitions, asylum applications, U and T visas for victims of crime, applications for special immigrant juvenile status, standby guardianship, and adjustments in status

When and Where:

Wednesdays | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | 3160 16th St NW

This volunteer opportunity is open to: Attorneys

To sign up for a shift in this clinic, click here.