What is Three Rivers Legal Services?
Three Rivers is a nonprofit civil legal service provider serving 17 counties in North Central Florida.
All services are free for clients.
Where is Three Rivers located?
We have offices in Gainesville, Lake City, Fernandina Beach, and in Jacksonville at 3225 University Blvd. S., Suite 220.
You can reach me at 904-423-8980.
What kinds of cases does Three Rivers handle?
We work on civil matters, including, but not limited to, housing, family, consumer, probate/heirs’ property, bankruptcy, driver’s license reinstatement, and sealing/expunging criminal records.
What kinds of work can an attorney do with Three Rivers?
Volunteers can take on full representation cases (e.g., bankruptcy), brief service matters (e.g., advance directives or helping a client prepare pro se divorce papers) and advice-only matters (e.g., any of our clinics).
In what areas of law do you need volunteers the most?
While we place cases in just about every practice area, we constantly need volunteers to handle wills and advance directives, take calls with our housing clinic, handle bankruptcy cases, explain pro se divorce forms to clients, and handle probate/heirs’ property issues.
We also need volunteers to take on seal and expunge cases and advise clients on how to get their driver’s licenses reinstated. We also hope to ramp up services around small claims and consumer issues.
Does Three Rivers provide any support for volunteers?
We screen all clients for eligibility before referral and provide mentorship and training materials, professionals liability insurance coverage, reimbursement of out-of-pocket litigation-related expenses and office space.
If an attorney already does a lot of pro bono work, why should they get involved with Three Rivers?
Thank you! I know many of you do pro bono in your daily practice.
But did you know that you can refer a client to us for screening? If the client is eligible, we can refer them directly to you, and you’ll get access to all of the benefits mentioned above.
Several volunteers routinely refer their indigent clients to us for screening, giving the attorney access to our liability coverage and reimbursement policy.
We also give out pro bono awards and nominate our volunteers for awards and recognition by state associations.
How can someone get involved?
Visit trls.org/volunteer, call 904-423-8980 or email [email protected] to sign up for one of the opportunities below (or inquire about others).
The Telephonic Housing Clinic is an advice-only clinic, Tuesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.
The next Ask-A-Lawyer events is Dec. 7 at the NAACP office in Jacksonville.
What is your favorite part about your job?
The people I am privileged to work with are all individuals who love what they do and who they serve.
I learned early on in my career that if you don’t absolutely love helping people, you will not last in legal aid.
Being able to help people who find themselves at a disadvantage or at the lowest points in their lives helps me to stay grounded and reminds me that justice is not equal.
Is Three Rivers hiring?
We are hiring a pro bono coordinator to help review, refer and monitor pro bono cases in the 8th and 3rd Judicial Circuits.
You can read more about available opportunities and apply at trls.org/jobs.