Pro Bono Program

The Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (LSEM) Pro Bono Unit operates three offices in Flint, Saginaw, and Midland. The Pro Bono Unit covers 10 counties: The Flint office covers the Genesee and Lapeer Counties. The Saginaw office covers the Saginaw Bay, and Arenac Counties. The Midland Office covers Midland, Gladwin, Clare, Isabella and Gratiot Counties. The Pro bono Unit has four primary functions that are utilized to assist clients in accessing the justice system. They are direct representation, advice clinics, financial contributions and miscellaneous projects. The Pro Bono Units objective is to support the overall services of the in-house staff and to assist clients who have civil issues that are not a LSEM priority.

In general, a person must be at or near the poverty level in order to be eligible for assistance through the LSEM Pro Bono program. For instance: a family of three could make no more than $343.00 per week. LSEM sets its eligibility standards based on Legal Services Corporation client income eligibility levels based on 125% of the poverty guidelines as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Once financial eligibility has been established, clients are referred to private attorneys for representation in one of two ways:

Clients are interviewed by volunteer attorneys at a legal advice clinic and are referred by the volunteer attorney at the time of the clinic.
Clients are interviewed by volunteer attorneys at a legal advice clinic or by an in-house advocate and are referred at a later time by the pro bono coordinator.

Legal Services of Eastern Michigan conducts three legal advice clinic in their own offices, works with a private law firm and also the Saginaw County Senior Circuit Pro Bono Bar Association (SCSCPBBA) to conduct additional clinics elsewhere.

Genesee/Lapeer Counties: A legal advice clinic for clients in Genesee and Lapeer Counties is held each month in our Flint office. The clinic handles all civil issues that are not covered by in-house staff attorneys. The Clinic is held from 9:30-12 Noon one day a month.

Saginaw County: A morning and evening legal advice clinic is held for clients in Saginaw and Bay Counties each month in our Saginaw office. The clinic handles all civil issues that are not covered by in-house staff attorneys. The morning clinic is held from 9:00 a.m. -12:00 noon on the last Friday of each month. In the event of a holiday, the clinic is held on the preceding Friday of the month. The evening clinic is held on the last Monday evening from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm.