MATILDE DAVIS | December 8, 2015
Automatic stay, default judgment, tort, pro se, adverse party, TPO’s, ex parte, standing order, judgment proof, and whatever this symbol is: §. My years of watching The Practice, Scandal, and The Good Wife did not prepare me for this. In my first few weeks at Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, I was bombarded by these phrases and more. On top of learning new legal terms, I tried to memorize names of countless law firms while trying to remember which lawyer worked at which firm. For a person who had no prior legal experience, this was quite a task. In my five years of property management, I was accustomed to talking about closing costs, repair escrows, and FHA loans. The legal field was unfamiliar territory, but I was excited and eager to take in all that AVLF had to offer.
Fast forward nine months. I now know the names of 20+ law firms, the Georgia Bar website is my new best friend, and I significantly expanded my legal and alcohol knowledge. But what I truly gained from my months of working at AVLF goes beyond legal terms and social events. I gained endless inspiration from a staff that is genuinely dedicated to providing the best services to our clients, volunteers, and the Atlanta community. I gained respect for our clients who take however many buses or use their last $10 to pay for parking so that they can have their story heard and begin to advocate for their rights at the Saturday Lawyer Program. Through our volunteers, I gained an understanding that AVLF is not alone in the fight for legal justice. This is confirmed by the countless e-mails in my inbox on Monday mornings from attorneys who want the case files sent to them immediately so that they can start assisting the clients and by the e-mails from law students and paralegals inquiring about the next time they can come in on Saturday.
So in conclusion, when you see me at an AVLF event or around Atlanta, please do the following: 1) Tell me what this symbol means: § 2) Drop some cool legal terminology on me so that I can increase my legal IQ 3) Ask me how you can help to contribute to this amazing organization, because we can definitely gain so much from your talents, your gifts, and your time. Thank you.