Hall Render attorneys will play a crucial role in providing Indianapolis residents with essential legal guidance at the Indianapolis Bar Association’s upcoming Ask a Lawyer event on Tuesday, April 11. As pro bono volunteers, Patricia Connelly, Charise Frazier, Jon Bumgarner, John Bowen, Laura Sahm and Nick Johnston will staff one of several locations throughout the city where individuals can visit with a lawyer at no charge and with no further obligation.
Statistics show that more than 50 percent of litigants in civil court cases are unrepresented. To address this need, attorneys from the firm will be prepared to assist individuals with questions on topics like divorce, child custody, child support, landlord/tenant issues, bankruptcy, personal injury, employment law and more. Ask a Lawyer gives these individuals the opportunity to ask whether they have a matter worthy of court action, find out how to proceed or learn where to go for more information.
The program, which was created in 2000, has assisted than 2,600 Indianapolis-area residents over just the past two years.
During Ask a Lawyer, face-to-face legal advice will be provided at 11 locations throughout Indianapolis from 2 to 6 PM on Tuesday, April 11. Call-in advice will also be available by calling 317-269-2000 from 2 to 8 PM, also on April 11.
Ask a Lawyer is one of several pro bono programs of the Indianapolis Bar Association and is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. Pro bono service, defined by the Indiana Supreme Court as free legal services given directly to or for the benefit of individuals whose incomes do not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level, is an expectation of Indiana attorneys. While a specific amount of pro bono service per year is not mandated, attorneys are required to report such service each year.
