Thanks to these law firms who have committed to Standing with Our Neighbors:

  Ayanna Jones-Lightsy Staff Attorney, Standing with Our Neighbors Program Ayanna focuses on housing issues in the Thomasville Heights neighborhood of Atlanta. She obtained her B.A. in history from Clark […]

1. A housing lawyer can make a real difference in improving a child’s school attendance and performance.

Jennifer Shelfer, an Arnall Golden Gregory associate, met Ms. Valiway on a recent Saturday morning at AVLF’s weekly legal clinic. Ms. Valiway explained that she, her five young children, and her elderly mother rented a house that had fallen into disrepair. The sink, bathtub, and toilet were so clogged that Ms. Valiway had to scoop water out and throw it outside. The HVAC was broken, and the house was sweltering. The appliances were barely operable, and most windows were nailed shut. There were holes in the bathroom walls. Roaches had the run of the house and even got inside the ancient refrigerator. The exterminator refused to come back after the landlord did not pay him.

This year’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month kept AVLF’s Safe & Stable Families Team incredibly busy, as they partnered and collaborated with various community organizations to educate the public on the dangers of domestic violence and how to assist survivors.

What difference can a lawyer make? Ask Ms. Daniels, whose studio apartment flooded last summer. The resulting mold was so intense that Ms. Daniels went to the hospital several times.

Again this year, AVLF at the Movies offered the community an intimate, unflinching portrait of the challenges faced by those who are marginalized. Nearly 150 friends of AVLF gathered at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema on Tuesday, September 20, for a screening of Private Violence, which tells a story of violence, frustration, and sadness that also includes resilience, promise, and even hope for victims of intimate partner violence who choose to stand up against their abuser (www.privateviolence.com).

Quick snapshot: Rachel Fox Weitz. Received a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a JD from Emory University School of Law. In between, worked in Washington, […]

Check out photos from the Fifth Annual Guardian ad Litem Benefit at Warner Bates on August 18, 2016. Thanks to Beth Intro Photography for making us look so good!

20—Number of people abused by a partner in the U.S. each minute. 20,000—Daily average number of calls received by domestic violence hotlines. $8.3 billion—Estimated annual cost of domestic violence in the U.S. 35 percent—Estimated number of domestic violence cases reported.

Quick snapshot: Jim McGinnis. I graduated from Auburn in 1979 and Mercer Law School in 1982. My first job was as an Assistant D.A. in Cordele, Georgia, working for Gary […]

If your landlord is evicting you but you have a strong defense or counterclaim, you’ll get your day in court, right?

WRONG – unless you properly raised that defense or counterclaim in your written answer.