Disaster Response and Preparedness
Jacob Zarefsky
Hosted by
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Sponsored by
Disaster Resilience Program
Opportunities
Disaster Resilience Program
Disasters devastate lower-income communities, creating new poverty and further entrenching inequality. In the wake of any disaster, families often need the assistance of a lawyer to overcome barriers to recovery.
The Disaster Resilience Program (DRP) mobilizes lawyers (Attorney Fellows) and law students (Student Fellows) to provide free civil legal aid in disaster-prone areas to ensure vital legal services are accessible, comprehensive, and responsive to the unique needs of individuals, families, and communities so lives can be stabilized and communities rebuilt to be more resilient.
Program Overview & Benefits
- Attorney Fellows earn a salary over the course of their two-year Fellowship term
- Student Fellows receive a $7,000 stipend upon completion of 300 hours of service (eight to ten-week term)
- Engage in outreach and education, help provide direct legal services to disaster survivors, and foster important relationships within the community
- Build capacity at legal services organizations in disaster-prone areas
- During the summer, Student Fellows help support the work of the Attorney Fellow(s) at their host organization
- Receive trainings, technical assistance, and mentorship throughout the program
DRP Cohort Impact 2021-2023
- 1,799 individuals provided with legal services
- 9,541 participants attended outreach presentations
-
Being in the [DRP] allowed me to become a trusted stakeholder and partner within both the disaster networks and disability organizations.
Stephanie Duke
2020 DRP Fellow - $1M+ in combined economic benefits realized for clients
Still have questions? Email us at
[email protected]
Free Resource for Disaster Lawyers
Download our National Disaster Attorney Guidebook
Edited by senior manager of disaster programming Linda Anderson Stanley and Equal Justice Works alumni Stephanie Duke, this guidebook was created by experts within the disaster law community and contains resources on topics like FEMA recoupment, immigration and disaster preparedness, and more.
Interested in hosting a Disaster Resilience Program Fellow?
Get Help Managing Your Student Debt
For many law school graduates, student debt is the single largest barrier to pursuing a career in public interest law. View our Student Debt Resources to learn more about managing your debt load.