Become a Fellow

Disaster Recovery Legal Corps

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria disrupted the lives of thousands of families and created acute and long-term legal crises in affected communities.

Those living on the margins of society—particularly low-income, elderly, and undocumented immigrants—have experienced the worst effects of these disasters. The Equal Justice Works Disaster Recovery Legal Corps (DRLC) mobilized 23 Fellows to deliver critical legal assistance to disaster-affected communities in Texas and Florida.

Fellows were hosted at legal services organizations for a two-year term, where they provided legal assistance on issues related to housing, public benefits, employment, disability rights, immigration, and other disaster-related legal issues. Fellows also expanded the capacity of legal services organizations to ensure that all residents have access to the services they need to stabilize and rebuild their lives. Fellows received substantive and skills-based training before the start of the program, which equipped them with the tools they needed to assist with disaster recovery.

Fellows saw a large increase in requests for assistance amid COVID-19. Thanks to the flexibility of DRLC donors, a number of the Fellows expanded their project scope to assist individuals faced with COVID-19 related legal issues.

The Disaster Recovery Legal Corps program was funded with support from the American Red Cross, the Bigglesworth Family Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the Florida Bar Foundation, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, Sharon and Ivan Fong Family Foundation, and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

This program has ended. A list of organizations that hosted DRLC Fellows can be found below.

Contact [email protected] to learn more.

The Disaster Recovery Legal Corps program was funded with support from the American Red Cross, the Bigglesworth Family Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the Florida Bar Foundation, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, Sharon and Ivan Fong Family Foundation, and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

This program has ended. A list of organizations that hosted DRLC Fellows can be found below.

Contact [email protected] to learn more.

Meet Our Fellows

Read about the DRLC Fellows who are delivering critical legal assistance to disaster-affected communities in Texas and Florida.

Program Host Organizations

View All Host Organizations

Houston Volunteer Lawyers

TEXAS / Houston

Programs
  • Disaster Recovery Legal Corps
  • Disaster Resilience Program

YMCA International Services

TEXAS / Houston

Programs
  • Crime Victims Justice Corps
  • Disaster Recovery Legal Corps
  • Disaster Resilience Program

Disability Rights Texas

TEXAS / Austin, Houston

Programs
  • Design-Your-Own Fellowship
  • Disaster Resilience Program
  • Disaster Recovery Legal Corps

Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc.

FLORIDA / Orlando
FLORIDA / Dayton

Programs
  • AmeriCorps VISTA
  • Design-Your-Own Fellowship
  • Disaster Recovery Legal Corps
  • Disaster Resilience Program

Community Justice Project

FLORIDA / Miami

Programs
  • Disaster Recovery Legal Corps

Human Rights First

TEXAS / Houston

Programs
  • Disaster Recovery Legal Corps

Learn more about joining a Fellowship Program