Mississippi Bar Responds to Legal Needs of Tornado Survivors

MISSISSIPPI (Press Release) — As a result of the recent severe storms and tornadoes in Mississippi, the Young Lawyers Division Disaster Legal Services Committee of The Mississippi Bar in conjunction with FEMA, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is providing free disaster legal assistance efforts to storm survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne, and Winston Counties. Free disaster legal assistance is now being provided for individuals who are affected by the tornadoes.

The toll free number for the Young Lawyers Division Disaster Legal Assistance is 1-877-691-6185 and storm survivors may now call the hotline between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm on Monday through Friday.

Examples of services offered by the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division include:

• Assistance with insurance claims (life, medical, property, etc.)
• Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
• Assistance with home repair contracts
• Assistance in consumer protection-foreclosure problems
• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster
• Drafting of powers of attorney
• Preparation of guardianships and conservatorships
• Referring individuals to local and state agencies that may be of further assistance (e.g. consumer affairs)

Julie Gresham, president of the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division stated, “The Disaster Legal Assistance Committee is one of the Young Lawyers Division’s most important committees. Our members are ready and willing to assist all Mississippians who have been impacted by the severe weather that hit our state.”

Storm survivors may call the toll free number and a volunteer attorney will respond by telephone to answer their legal questions. The goal is to assist as many individuals affected by the storms as possible.