Philly Bar Association will offer Philly area residents free legal advice

The Philadelphia Bar Association is offering free confidential legal advice to the public for its annual Law Week from Monday, April 25 to Friday, April 29.

Volunteer attorneys through the Young Lawyers Division will hold an in-person Legal Advice Live program on Wednesday, April 27 at the Parkway Central Library. People can also call their LegalLine from 12-6 p.m. the same day.

Philadelphia residents can receive advice on family law, landlord-tenant disputes, employment law, and other topics they need assistance with.

Melissa Ruth is the chair-elect of the Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, which organizes the Law Week activities.

Ruth said Law Week is just an opportunity for the Young Lawyers Division to give back to the community.

“We know that the legal system can be confusing for people, and we just want to help people find the answers that they need, and even if that’s just pointing them in the right direction sometimes,” Ruth said.

People can show up with any legal question, Ruth said, and often the volunteers will point them to someone through the Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Program, or to a Pennsylvania LegalAid program, or other pro-bono services.

“It can be hard for people to know where to go or who to talk to,” Ruth said.

“If they have an issue, they don’t know what type of lawyer they need to talk to or even whether it is a legal issue. But I think if they just are prepared to provide as much information as possible, then our lawyers will be able to help them.”

Law Week will also include the Lawyer in the Classroom program. Volunteer attorneys will visit Philadelphia schools to introduce students to legal careers. Attorneys will answer any questions that students have about being a lawyer or the legal system.

Ruth said six schools are involved so far, but they are still working on confirming the details.

Philadelphia area students are also invited to participate in the Law Week Poster and Essay Contest.

Students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade can submit a poster depicting the 2022 Law Week theme, “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change,” for a small cash prize.

High School juniors and seniors are eligible to write an essay on the chosen prompt. The first-place essay will win a $1,000 college scholarship.

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