MEDIA CONTACT:   Kathleen Beitiks   415-538-2440 barcomm@calbar.ca.gov

San Francisco, November 06, 2003 — Hundreds of attorneys have volunteered their expertise to help victims of the recent disastrous fires in southern California.

Coordinated by the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, the California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA) and the State Bar's Office of Legal Services, Access and Fairness Programs, the volunteers are working with broad coalitions set up by local bar associations and legal services organizations.

The lawyers are staffing tables set up at FEMA disaster relief sites in several locations. They are offering a kind of first-step triage to victims who need advice about issues ranging from mortgages to landlord-tenant to insurance questions.

They also will staff toll-free telephone lines set up to provide guidance to victims. In addition, a Disaster Legal Services Hotline has been set up --- 1-800-310-7029.

All services are provided free of charge.

Serious legal issues that may require a long-term commitment will be referred to local county bar associations for referral to a pro bono attorney.

Below is a list of resources and links for fire victims who need legal help.

TIPS FOR VICTIMS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FIRES

• To apply for Disaster Assistance: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) 1-800-462-7585 (speech & hearing impaired). More information from FEMA: www.fema.gov
• Lawyers are prohibited from seeking employment face-to-face or by telephone at the scene of an accident, hospital or at a time when you are not physically, emotionally or mentally able to evaluate your legal needs reasonably. If lawyers contact you inappropriately or you have questions about certain behavior, call the State Bar's Complaint Hotline: 1-800-843-9053.
• If you need a lawyer and you are a disaster victim from San Diego, San Bernardino Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley), Riverside or Ventura County, call the Disaster Legal Services Hotline at: 1-800-310-7029.
• If you need more assistance finding a lawyer go to the State Bar's Web site (www.calbar.ca.gov) to find a certified lawyer referral service to put you in touch with a lawyer who can handle your problem. From the Home Page, go to Public Services>Lawyer Referral Services.
• To check an attorney's official State Bar membership record, go www.calbar.ca.gov and click on "Attorney Search."
• For legal assistance in San Bernardino County: Community Meeting: "Disaster Relief Legal Issues" Saturday, Nov 8, Morning: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Legal information on real estate, contracts, landlord-tenant, insurance, fraud avoidance and other fire related issues for fire victims. Afternoon: 12 - 5 p.m. Free consultations with attorneys on fire-related issues. Feldhym Public Library, 555 West Sixth Street, San Bernardino, CA.
• More information and specific resources available for Native American individuals affected by the fires: http://www.calindian.org/tribalalert10.31.03.htm
• For questions about your insurance or to find the name of your insurance carrier, call the California Department of Insurance, Consumer Hotline: 1-800-927-4357.
• For frequently asked questions about insurance: http://www.insurance.ca.gov/docs/FAQSCFire.htm
• For shelter locations and information on affected areas call the American Red Cross at 1-866-GET-INFO or http://www.acrossla.org/PR/10_29_2003.evaccenters.shtml
• For Disaster Unemployment Assistance through the Department of Labor: http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/disaster.asp
• Don't be the victim of disaster consumer scams! Tips from the Department of Consumer Affairs: http://www.ccaa-net.org/disaster_brochure.pdf or 1-800-344-9940

TIPS FOR LAWYERS WHO WANT TO HELP

What can attorneys do to help victims of the California Wildfires? Attorneys can play a vital role in the recovery effort of disaster victims by providing free legal advice through a hotline service, meeting with clients at an intake clinic, or by providing more substantive, long-term involvement pro bono counsel for disaster victims.

To find out about these opportunities, trainings and other ways to provide assistance contact the local organizations below or visit their Web sites. Attorneys do not need to reside in one of these counties to provide help to victims.

Community Meeting: "Disaster Relief Legal Issues" Saturday, Nov 8, Morning: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Legal information on real estate, contracts, landlord-tenant, insurance, fraud avoidance and other fire related issues for fire victims. Afternoon: 12 - 5 p.m. Free consultations with attorneys on fire-related issues. Feldhym Public Library, 555 West Sixth Street, San Bernardino, CA. Attorney pro bono volunteers are needed for this event. Please call 909-885-1986 to indicate your availability.

San Diego County Bar Association: 1-800-464-1529 http://www.sdcba.org/Fire_Volunteer.html

San Bernardino Bar Association: 1-909-885-1986 http://www.sbcba.org/

For more legal information please visit the State Bar of California