Legal Service Champions: Metro Volunteer Lawyers (Denver, CO)
Metro Volunteer Lawyers has been a top contributor to the Colorado Pro Bono Portal since its launch in 2021. I recently had the opportunity to hear from Anne Zogg, Manager of MVL Programming, about the program’s innovative work and how MVL is serving low-income clients in the Denver area. Fun fact: MVL has a fantastic library of pro bono related articles on their website. Check it out!
What is Metro Volunteer Lawyers (MVL):
MVL is the pro bono program of the Denver Bar Association, in collaboration with the Adams/Broomfield, Arapahoe, Douglas/Elbert, and 1st Judicial District Bar Associations. MVL’s mission is “to bridge the gap in access to justice by coordinating the provision of pro bono legal services by volunteer lawyers within the Denver Metro Area to people who could not otherwise afford legal services for their civil legal issues.”
We offer a full referral program, various family law clinics, a mediation program, a monthly walk-in clinic at the Denver Indian Center, and a Power of Attorney Program which assists elders with various advance planning documents.
How has MVL innovated to meet the needs of the community?
In 2021, an estimated 47,456 parties, or 73% of all litigants in Colorado appeared before courts without attorneys in domestic matters. The need for volunteer attorneys to take pro bono cases on a full representation basis simply exceeds the available volunteers. Therefore, in order to help bridge the gap in access to justice, MVL developed a Family Law Unbundled Program, which provides unbundled services to pro se parties in domestic relations matters.
[An unbundled services model] has allowed MVL to expand its services, particularly during the pandemic, and provide more help to those in need.
What do you want pro bono attorneys to know?
Staff support and mentors are available! And if you do not have time to take a case on a full referral basis, please take a look at our various clinic opportunities.
2–4 hours of your time can make a significant difference in the life of a local community member!
Thank you to Anne and the entire MVL team for being a dedicated partner of the Colorado Pro Bono Portal and for all of their work to increase access to justice! Learn more and sign up for MVL projects here.
