Do you provide malpractice insurance if I take a case?
Attorneys volunteering with LegalCORPS are covered by Volunteer Lawyer Network’s malpractice insurance.

How can I avoid a conflict of interest?
LegalCORPS carefully screens clients through its application process to determine all potential parties to a legal matter and provides a potential volunteer with this information in order to avoid conflicts of interest.

How is LegalCORPS involved once a case is placed?
Once LegalCORPS has matched an attorney and client the organization’s involvement ends, aside from periodic check-ins to collect case closing forms or determine the progress of a long-term representation. The representation relationship is between the client and the attorney in respect of the requirement of attorney-client confidentiality.

What if a client has worked (and paid) an attorney for prior work on the legal matter?
LegalCORPS strives to maintain a positive and open relationship with the attorneys and firms working in our community. If a client indicates a prior attorney relationship on the same or similar legal issue LegalCORPS will contact the attorney (with the client’s permission) to determine whether LegalCORPS assistance is suitable.

What happens if a case needs to go to litigation?
LegalCORPS does not provide representation for cases requiring litigation and makes every effort to screen cases to determine whether litigation is likely. Sometimes, however, litigation is unforeseeable. LegalCORPS does not expect its volunteers to engage in the litigation portion of representation and will not bind its volunteers to such representation. Volunteers are free to continue representation of the client during the litigation phase but the representation will not be under the auspices of LegalCORPS. If the case is a Hennepin County matter, Volunteer Lawyers Network may be able to assist in finding a volunteer attorney. Referrals will be provided to other resources as necessary.

What happens if I want to work with a client nonprofit or microenterprise after it is no longer eligible for LegalCORPS services?
LegalCORPS determines a client’s eligibility each time it applies for assistance and attorneys are matched with clients for a discrete legal issue. Each time a client is matched with an attorney a new client representation agreement is made through LegalCORPS. It is a good practice to formalize this representation through your own retainers and letters of representation as well. We realize that attorney-client relationships are often built over time and after one or more successful representations an attorney and client may want to continue to work together, and can certainly do so through LegalCORPS so long as the client meets the criteria. Once a client is no longer eligible for LegalCORPS services, the attorney and client are free to continue their relationship through whatever means they agree upon, without the involvement of LegalCORPS.

What do I need to do once the representation is over?
Please complete the LegalCORPS case closing form and return it to our offices. It is very important that we collect this data in order to accurately report on our work to the government, funders, and the community.