chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
    October 31, 2024

    Young Lawyers Lead Hurricane Recovery: ABA YLD Mobilizes for Disaster Relief

    The ABA's Young Lawyers Division is helping to lead the charge in disaster relief.

    The ABA's Young Lawyers Division is helping to lead the charge in disaster relief.

    The American Bar Association (ABA) has rapidly mobilized its resources to support affected communities in the wake of Hurricanes Milton and Helene, which left widespread devastation in Florida, North Carolina, and other areas of the southeast United States. Leading this effort is the ABA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program, a critical component of the ABA’s response to disasters.

    Since 2007, the YLD’s DLS program has been a national leader in providing free legal aid to disaster survivors across the United States. Working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state and local bar associations, legal aid organizations, and countless volunteer attorneys, the DLS program addresses urgent legal needs stemming from disasters. These needs often include navigating FEMA claims, resolving landlord/tenant disputes, managing home repair contracts, and combating contractor fraud. Over the years, the DLS program has responded to over 300 federally declared disasters in 45 states and five U.S. territories, making a tangible difference in communities struggling to recover.

    In Florida and North Carolina, YLD volunteers set up legal aid hotlines, established partnerships with local bar associations, and provided critical support at FEMA disaster recovery centers. Survivors have faced an array of legal issues, from insurance claims to housing disputes, making the role of pro bono attorneys more vital than ever. The YLD has worked tirelessly to ensure legal aid reaches those most in need, especially marginalized communities that often lack the resources to recover quickly from such catastrophic events.

    However, the recovery process is just beginning. The road ahead will require sustained legal assistance and increased funding to meet both immediate needs and long-term legal challenges. To support this ongoing effort, the ABA is calling on its members to advocate for critical disaster relief funding from Congress. ABA members can take action by sending an advocacy letter directly to their House and Senate congressional representatives via the ABA’s Quorum online platform. The ABA sample letter urges Congress to allocate sufficient resources to ensure robust legal support for disaster survivors and to strengthen disaster preparedness nationwide. Members can access the letter here and customize it before sending it to their own Representative and two Senators.

    ABA members also have several other ways to get involved in disaster relief efforts. They can volunteer for the YLD’s DLS hotline, offer legal expertise in person at FEMA centers, or donate to the ABA Disaster Relief Fund, which directly supports free civil legal aid in affected regions. These contributions, whether through time, advocacy, or donations, are essential to ensuring that communities have the legal support they need to recover and rebuild.

    The legal community has always played a pivotal role in responding to crises, and its efforts following Hurricanes Milton and Helene are a testament to the profession’s resilience and dedication to justice. The ABA encourages all its members to unite in support of these recovery efforts, demonstrating once again the power of legal advocacy in times of crisis.

    Together, through both volunteerism and advocacy, ABA members can help hurricane survivors regain stability, secure their rights, and access the justice they deserve.

    The good news? You can help these efforts. The ABA Congressional Messaging Portal has a letter you can send to your US Senators and US Representative asking them to consider legal aid in any disaster relief appropriations. Just enter you name, email, and home address (this is how it knows which congressional offices to include), and you will find a preformatted letter you can edit and send in minutes.

    Click here to send a letter to your Members of Congress, urging them to include funding for disaster legal services.