Volunteer Attorney

I work as a federal government lawyer, so I wasn’t sure how helpful I could be as a GSA volunteer.  But I decided to give it a try and realized that my years of practicing law, both in the government and in private practice, have enabled me to be quite helpful.  Even when the area of law is unfamiliar to me, I can draw on my research and analysis skills to read up on the issues and provide value to the client.  That always involves listening and often discussing potential courses of action.  And it can even involve finding a pro bono attorney, which I once did -- the client was ripped off by a contractor and the pro bono attorney was able to obtain full repayment.  All of this for me is a way to love my neighbor as myself using my legal skills.  And for that opportunity I am grateful to GSA.

Client Coordinator

Volunteering with the Good Samaritan Advocates Legal Clinic has been such a blessing in my life and such a rewarding experience in many ways. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to volunteer with so many others at GSA to come alongside clients through their legal difficulties, offering them hope and a path forward at a time in their lives when many of them feel hopeless and without anywhere or anyone else to turn to. All the volunteers deal with many dire situations and often, clients are from other countries and are not familiar with the language and thus, have so much fear of the legal situation they find themselves in. We often hear back from clients that the kindness that they experienced from the GSA staff and having someone who cares about them through their struggles meant so much to them. Clients tell us that this guidance, care and counsel gives them the strength and hope that they need to take the next step in their journey. It can be life changing for them. The gratefulness of the clients and the relationships that we develop with them as they navigate such a difficult time in their lives brings a real sense of satisfaction and is personally, very rewarding to me. GSA offers a tangible way to truly make a difference in people’s lives, offering hope, love and being able to share the love of Christ to those in need. I have worked alongside so many volunteers, all with such a passion to selflessly serve from a heart of love. The GSA volunteers all have various giftings and skills, however everyone has the same goal of being the hands and feet of Christ to those who are suffering.  This shared goal to selflessly serve with kindness, love and compassion as well as seeing the Lord work in powerful ways, creates a strong bond among the volunteers and staff at GSA. GSA has become like a family to me.  I highly recommend volunteering with GSA!

Volunteer Attorney

COME AND JOIN US....WON’T YOU?

I am a volunteer attorney with the Good Samaritans Advocates ...and it has changed my life! After being in and around the Virginia Court System for about 40 years, my age and availability changed. No longer restricted to a 50 hour work week, the horizons opened up a bit. My earlier salaried days centered around working with families in the context of juvenile delinquency. The work was difficult...often challenging...and sometimes even rewarding! But there was something missing. There was a serious barrier between the secular and the sacred. Once called before a tribunal for praying with a client, the narrow escape was, “Your Honor, she told me they had tried everything else... so prayer was just a suggestion!” My Bible was allowed to stay on my desk....which often led to the opportunity to discuss Man’s Law versus God’s Law. Still it was a very tight rope to walk. I had just figured out that many of Man’s programs (some of which I had developed!) were simply ways for folks to feel better in their Sin. Ouch! ......So along came GSA looking for volunteers....and many of the cases involved Family Law....which fit my experiences perfectly. What a difference! Learning to “help” people was good...but being able to “minister” to people is even better! Folks get themselves into the biggest messes! The root cause can usually be traced to a Separation from God . A biblical world view and Godly living is a hedge of protection for most of us. But legal skirmishes can befall us all....and many do not have the resources to successfully navigate the legal system. Thus enters GSA as Christian Legal Aid. We always start with prayer and end with prayer. In between we help clients better understand their legal situation and boil down the issues so they can see the next decisions that need to be made. We have asked God to join us and help us....and most of the time we can hear HIS voice...usually easier for us than for the client...which leads us to encourage reaching out to others for help and support, “How about a local Church?...A good Church will want to help you and it is a Come as You are Party! God loves you and He cares about what is going on in your life!” When the light goes on for them...maybe even just a glimmer ....You can feel God’s pleasure. And you know this was a good commitment to make... It has changed my life!

Volunteer Attorney

My experience with GSA over the past several years has been delightful and rewarding on several levels.  As a volunteer attorney with decades of in-house experience in a local government facility management organization, GSA provides me the opportunity to serve with other attorneys and volunteers to help our neighbors who cannot afford legal services.  Through a team approach, we get to know our clients and their issues, and then help them find a road map to navigate through the challenging situation.  Because GSA is a Christian legal pro-bono organization, I have found it an extra joy that my faith insights and wisdom tradition are valued as part of how we serve the best interests of our clients. Because GSA conducts the intake and document discovery beforehand, the 60-90 minute client meetings are very productive.  Because GSA limits the client representation to the clinic appointment, the attorneys are not obligated to the client beyond the time spent in the appointment.  In complicated matters, we refer the client to appropriate resources as part of their road map.  We can also invite them to request another clinic appointment. The supports and structure that GSA provides makes it enjoyable to team up with others to use our collective experience and talents to make a real difference in the lives of others.  Even though it’s only a few hours a month, it is some of the best spent time that primes my pump for the next clinic.