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Federal Corner: Pro Bono

Pro Bono Services and Volunteer Opportunities in Florida’s Bankruptcy Courts

In an effort to raise awareness and encourage participation, this page provides an overview of bankruptcy pro bono services available to unrepresented parties in Florida and basic information for volunteer attorneys to provide pro bono bankruptcy services in Florida’s three federal districts. Florida attorneys may also find pro bono opportunities at FFLA’s Pro Bono Matters webpage.

Middle District of Florida

Pro Bono Assistance

Unrepresented parties in bankruptcy cases in the Middle District of Florida can receive pro bono legal assistance through numerous means including a virtual pro se clinic and an in-person pro se clinic.

The virtual pro se clinic, launched district-wide on September 1, 2022, is accessible through the Middle District of Florida Bankruptcy Pro Se Clinic website Here, unrepresented parties can schedule short, virtual consultations with volunteer attorneys.

There are also the following in-person clinics within the Middle District:

In Jacksonville, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association provide an in-person pro se clinic available for walk-in consultations on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Bryan Simpson United Stated Courthouse, 300 N. Hogan St., Jacksonville, Florida 32202. For more information, call 904- 356-8371.
In Tampa, the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association provides an in-person clinic with walk-in consultations every Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the ninth floor of the Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse, 801 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33602. Email for more information.
In Fort Myers, pro se parties are directed to attend the in-person clinic offered in the Tampa courthouse.

In addition to these in-person and virtual clinics, unrepresented parties in bankruptcy cases are issued notices with helpful links:

Filing Without an Attorney
The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
The Bankruptcy Pro Bono Resource Locator
Florida Law Help
Florida Free Legal Answers

Pro Bono Volunteering

Attorneys wishing to volunteer for pro bono bankruptcy services in the Middle District can sign up on the Clinic’s website. For in-person clinics in Jacksonville, attorney volunteers should call 904-356-8371, ext. 362 or fill out the attorney interest form. For in-person clinics in Tampa, attorney volunteers should send an email or fill out the volunteer form.

Examples of Middle District Notices

Northern District of Florida

Pro Bono Assistance

Unrepresented parties in bankruptcy cases in the Northern District of Florida can receive pro bono legal assistance through numerous means including: (1) a telephone hotline at 866-944-6421 where attorneys answer administrative questions about bankruptcy and provide general guidance called Pause for Legal Assistance Now; and (2) the Reaffirmation Assistance Program in which volunteer attorneys sit in on reaffirmation hearings and are assigned to assist unrepresented parties with reaffirmation related matters.

In addition to these offerings, unrepresented parties in bankruptcy cases are issued notices with the same links included in the Middle District notices.

Pro Bono Volunteering

Attorneys wishing to volunteer for pro bono work in the Northern District of Florida should contact:

Northern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association Pro Bono Initiative, 866-944-6421
Legal Services of North Florida. Tallahassee: 850-385-9007; Panama City: 850-769-3581; Quincy: 850-875-9881; Fort Walton Beach: 850-862-3279; Pensacola: 850-432-8222
Three Rivers Legal Services, 352-372-0519

Southern District of Florida

Pro Bono Assistance

Unrepresented parties in bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of Florida can receive pro bono legal assistance through numerous means including a once-monthly, virtual pro se clinic; immediate assistance at a virtual help desk operating at certain motion calendars; and direct assistance from local aid organizations.

The Pro Se Clinic is conducted monthly and is offered as a virtual program. Each month, volunteer bankruptcy attorneys conduct a seminar-type presentation of basic bankruptcy information to pro se individuals in attendance. Often, the attorney presenters are also able to field some basic questions from attendees and provide general guidance about the bankruptcy process as well as benefits and potential pitfalls for consumer debtors.

The Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida runs a help desk during certain motion calendars, during which the presiding judge schedules only pro se matters in which a debtor may require assistance.

Unrepresented parties in bankruptcy cases are issued a notice about available pro bono resources and links to:

The Southern District’s website provides extensive information for parties who do not have a lawyer. Included in the page of available information is the Pro Bono Bankruptcy Referral Intake Form, which enables a pro se litigant to provide all the relevant information to expedite a determination of eligibility for pro bono services.

Pro Bono Volunteering

Attorneys wishing to volunteer for pro bono work in the Southern District of Florida should email the Pro Bono Committee or email the county chair for the applicable county for the Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida each of whom are identified on the intake form.

Attorneys may also call:

Dade Legal Aid/Put Something Back, 305-579-5733, ext. 2252
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, 561-655-8944
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc, Riviera Beach: 561-820-8902; Ft. Pierce: 772-466-4766 ext. 7016
Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. 305-576-0080
Legal Aid Service of Broward County, Inc. 954-765-8950
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, Inc. 954-736-2400