While a soldier has the right to the services of a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer when facing a criminal charge or some misdemeanor charge, there are other legal services that the JAG does not have the personnel and time to provide. Soldiers and their families often face legal problems that are more civil in nature and families of deployed soldiers often find the need for legal services while the service member is overseas. These services are in the areas of consumer law, family law, landlord-tenant, employment law, and other areas. Military families often unfortunately require assistance in the area of probate, trusts and estates, or guardianship law.

The lawyer accepting the case, which has been referred by the JAG office, will be committed to completing the case without charge to the soldier. The ABA or local bar association will try to refer cases to volunteer lawyers that are in their field of practice or concerning topics that they have expressed an interest in. The ABA has been committed to being a clearinghouse for these cases and any lawyer interested can sign up on their website. Also a lawyer’s local bar association will have an area for interested lawyers to sign up at their local office. Soldiers interested in taking advantage of this service should contact their JAG officer wherever they are stationed. They might also go on the ABA page for more information on the service.

This type of pro bono legal help can alleviate many worries of our military personnel, who have enough on their plate already. It can be a great help to their families and many lawyers are proud to provide this service to our troops.

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The term in the Latin is actually “Pro Bono Publico” and the translation is “for the public good.” While attorneys are known for doing this work and do have an ethical duty to do so, other professions do their share of pro bono work such as physicians, accountants, financial planners and other professionals. Pro bono work is done to benefit people who have a problem, but don’t have the financial means to hire a professional on their own.

Pro bono work for attorneys generally means that the attorney or firm will not charge a legal fee, but the client, be it an individual or non-profit group, will have to pay the costs, i.e., court filings, subpoena fees, etc. If a person or group cannot pay anything at all, even costs, then sometimes a legal aid group will help or the attorney or firm may waive these costs and shoulder the whole financial burden of the case.

Truly destitute people will generally qualify for Legal Services, which is non-profit agency funded through the state and federal government. There also exists Protection and Advocacy Services for the disabled in every state. Here disabled people regardless of income can go for some legal services related to disability issues. This agency is supported by federal funds. The attorneys in these agencies are paid a salary and are not working pro bono. However, especially in the case of Legal Services, when there is a conflict for the agency in a case or the agency staff is overloaded, Judges and other court administrators look to the general attorney population to help out on a pro bono basis.

The people or groups that benefit from pro bono legal help are much more diverse than might be expected. There are groups in some states like the Lawyers for the Arts, who are a group of attorneys dedicated to giving legal aid to artists or arts groups that meet a certain low income threshold. This type of help can be as varied as negotiating with a landlord for loft space, reviewing a contract for a gallery hanging or answering a music copyright issue for a singing group. Victims in domestic violence cases often need legal help and their money is tied up by the other party of the dispute and so would benefit from pro bono help.

Attorneys throughout the legal specialities do pro bono work and many consider these cases to be some of their most satisfying legal work. Attorneys are encouraged to do pro bono work through the courts and the bar associations, but most do it because it is rewarding work and a way to give back to the community. The American Bar Association has support systems for attorneys doing pro bono work and encourages this work in many helpful ways.

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They are in a cooperative effort with nonprofit legal organizations across the United States to provide help to the millions of poor people who face legal problems every year without help from a lawyer. Pro Bono Net does this by “(i) supporting the innovative and effective use of technology by the nonprofit legal sector, (ii) increasing participation by volunteers, and (iii) facilitating collaborations among nonprofit legal organizations and advocates working on similar issues or in the same region.”

The organization operates the following websites:

Probono.net is a website for legal aid and pro bono attorneys, law professors and students, and related social services advocates. The website makes it easier for pro bono attorneys to get involved, saving them time and connecting them with opportunities, training events, mentors, and searchable libraries of practice resources. These resources are very important for any attorney doing pro bono work as it will cut down the expense of the case and connects them with other attorneys who have done similar cases.

LawHelp is a website that is very important for the person who is looking for free legal help. The site helps people find “free legal aid programs in their communities, answers to questions about their legal rights, court information, and links to social service agencies.”

The LawHelp Interactive website is a help to who wish to represent themselves in a legal action. It will increase possibilities for pro se litigants to achieve success on their own. “This site allows subject matter experts to create interview templates that can be used to assemble court forms and other legal documents based on a user’s input.”

Pro Bono Net is an amazing organization that operates in the spirit of the ABA and its pro bono initiative.

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Over Brian’s career, he has faced a number of large manufacturers with tremendous success. He has taken on companies such as Ford, GM, Toyota, Pepsi, and many others for manufacturing dangerous and defective products.

Brian considers one of his most important accomplishments as “Obtaining over a million dollars for the most amazing 95-year-old woman I have ever met, whose life was ruined due to the negligence of another, after the insurance company stated in writing that her claim was a “sham.”

Current Auto Defect Cases

Tragedy struck in 2006 when an alleged defective 1995 Ford Explorer caused two people to succumb to fatal injuries and two others to become seriously injured. The lawsuit brought by Brian Chase and his team at BISNAR | CHASE alleged that the defective 1995 Ford Explorer was produced with numerous auto defects that contributed to the deadly rollover accident. Some of the suspected defective auto products include insufficient roof strength, defective seat belts and unsafe tires among others.

In 2007, the defense attempted to dismiss the case. They believed that the cause should not be tried in California but instead be moved to Mexico where the car accident happened. The motion was granted and the case was dismissed.

Brian and his auto defect team fought to appeal the motion. On May 27, 2010 their hard work paid off. The appellate court announced that the motion to dismiss would be reversed. The plaintiffs were awarded their court costs on appeal and further proceedings have been ordered in this case.

Brian and the family members of the deceased are currently preparing for litigation. They hope that in their pursuit for justice they will make a difference. By holding corporations responsible for their products, they aim to force giant for profit corporations to put people before profits.

Products Liability Lawyers Expose Defective Product Manufacturers

Brian Chase and his partner John Bisnar have received numerous mentions in the media for their relentless work at products liability attorneys. Among their many accomplishments, the duo has been featured on Fox News, published in Newsweek, and the OC Register.

Through their relentless work, Brian and John have exposed a number of defective products. They continue to issue press releases, blog posts, and distribute free auto defect books and free California personal injury books as a public service.

National Reputation
As an attorney, Brian is highly regarded by his peers. He is currently one of four Vice Presidents of CAOC, the past president of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and is an active member of the AAJ. Brian continues to lecturer at various attorney organizations where he teaches techniques, strategies and tactics to other lawyers.

Brian continues to receive recognition for numerous awards that include an AV rating on Martindale-Hubbell, Super Lawyers, and a 10 out of 10 rating on Avvo among others. These and numerous other awards have recognized his significant contributions to consumer safety.

Staff members from the personal injury law firm BISNAR | CHASE volunteered at the event, helping to give out gifts and prizes to attendees. The grand prize drawing winner received an Apple iPad while other people got involved in rib eating contests, BBQ competitions, and car shows. A hilarious event called the “Mr. BBQ” Pageant kept everyone laughing.

Though it was the firm’s first year being involved with the event and supporting Kristie’s Foundation, John Bisnar, partner of the Newport Beach personal injury law firm said it was something they would like to be a part of annually.

“When a child is critically ill, it takes a significant emotional toll on the family,” said Bisnar. “Kristie’s Foundation gives families hope when it seems they have none. That’s why we felt it was so important to be a part of this event. We look forward to participating in next year’s event and providing our support in any way we can, to help such an important cause.”

Kristie’s Foundation provides a variety of programs and services for terminally ill children and their families, including the Family Support program, Kids Club, and the Wish-Assist program. All of these aim to fulfill different parts of involved families’ lives with anything from emergency funds to emotional support. The foundation understands how hard life in and out of hospitals can be, and how fun activities are necessary to highlight other moments together.

Kristie’s Place is the foundation’s newest project, for which they are currently raising money. It will be the first ever children’s end-of-life care facility in Los Angeles and will house medically-equipped family suites, a fireside room, a petting zoo, a memorial garden, a reflection room, and arts and activities rooms.

“To us, Kristie’s Place is essential in helping families cope with the special needs of children who suffer from terminal illnesses,” said Bisnar. “That’s why it’s important for our firm, as well as our local community, to support Kristie’s Foundation and its fund-raising efforts.”

Check out the Kristie’s Foundation website to learn more about how you can donate or get involved.

Read more BISNAR | CHASE Supports Kristie’s Foundation and Critically Ill Children. Also, be sure to stay current with BISNAR | CHASE press releases .