ABA will work with Obama administration initiative
The ABA, participating in a May 9 briefing for the Congressional Military Family Caucus, told Capitol Hill staff about ABA Home Front, a new website providing an information center where servicemembers and military families can find resources for understanding legal issues and obtaining legal assistance for their problems.
The unveiling of ABA Home Front in early May followed the Obama administration’s release in January of a government-wide review to bring together the federal government’s resources, identify new opportunities across the public and private sectors, and lay the foundation for a coordinated approach to supporting military families. The review, “Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America’s Commitment,” identified priorities for providing better services for military families and led to the establishment of the administration’s Joining Forces national initiative.
The ABA website, which complements other online resources, features information about the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act, which provides legal protections for active-duty military and their families, and a directory of programs providing legal services to military families. The site also is a resource for lawyers who are interested in providing pro bono representation for military members or in providing lawyer-to-lawyer consultation with military legal assistance attorneys.
The site will be expanded to include additional information about landlord-tenant disputes, health law, immigration, contracts and leases, and employment law.
One of the ABA’s legislative and governmental priorities for this year, Access to Legal Services, supports strengthening legal protections and access to legal assistance for active-duty military, their families and veterans.