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Legal Advocacy Project

What is the Purpose of the Legal Advocacy Project?

The purpose of the Legal Advocacy Project (LAP) is to increase the ability of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to effectively access and participate in the civil and criminal justice system by providing legal advocacy training and support for advocates. The LAP acts as a resource for advocates at the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault’s twenty member programs.

Did You Know: Legal services are at a Crisis Stage – Your help is needed

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Legal services for domestic violence and sexual assault are at a crisis stage in Alaska.  Our pro bono program has experienced a 77% increase in referrals to the program since July of this year.  The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, the statewide coalition of 18 domestic violence and sexual assault programs across the state, needs your help to continue to ensure that every child has a safe home or a safe place to go.

Since the start of our project, staff has provided more than 20,460 legal case consultations, averaging 30 requests per week.  The pro-bono program has received nearly 2,000 referrals since 1999 for legal assistance.  More than 300 Alaska attorneys have volunteered with the project.
We provide:

  • Staff and volunteer attorneys to represent victims in civil cases;
  • Volunteer attorney training and mentoring, including legal advocacy conferences and webinars;
  • Publications such as the Legal Advocacy Curriculum, Women’s Legal Rights Handbook, Family Law Practice Manual and Full Faith & Credit Booklet on protective order enforcement.
  • Consultation to the Alaska Immigration Justice Project serving immigrant victims.

But we need your help.  Lack of adequate funding continues to threaten this level of essential legal services.  Please fill out the enclosed envelope and donate either time or resources to help ANDVSA continue to make Alaska a safe and supportive place for families. Click on the link at right to make a donation to our project now. You can make a difference.

Download a free copy of our popular Women’s Legal Rights Handbook!

Click on the link below to download a free copy of the updated Women’s Legal Rights Handbook, one of the publications the Legal Advocacy Project provides to educate victims and victims advocates about women’s legal rights.

The 2007 Updated Women’s Legal Rights Handbook

Pro-Bono Program Director Presents Oral Argument to the Alaska Supreme Court

Christine McLeod Pate, ANDVSA Pro-Bono Program Supervising Attorney, presented oral argument to the Alaska Supreme Court on May 16, explaining the reasons why the Network believes it should be considered a public agency in the limited context of appointing counsel in custody matters. The argument was broadcast on Gavel-to-Gavel and is also on the KTOO Gavel-to-Gavel web site. The case has been pending for several years and the oral argument is the final stage of the process before the Court issues a decision, expected to be reached in six to 12 months. Click here to view the oral arguments on Gavel-to-Gavel.