I am on a fixed income from SS Disability.  I need to file a
bankruptcy to clear my old student loans from 20 years ago.  Legal Aid
will not file for me.  I can afford the filing fee to the court, but I
cannot afford a lawyer.  How can I find a lawyer willing to do the
work pro bono for me?  It's not a complicated bankruptcy.  The student
loans are my only debts.

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Request for Question Clarification by luciaphile-ga on 03 Nov 2002 05:46 PST

Where are you located?  (e.g. what city or state?)

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Clarification of Question by inanna9-ga on 03 Nov 2002 11:06 PST

I apologize.  This is the first time i have seen or used this service.
I am in Chicago, so there are law schools around me everywhere. 
Thanks for that suggestion; it's one I'll try.

Call 212-735-3000 and ask to speak to Ron Tabak.  He is the pro bono
coordinator for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a major
corporate law firm in Manhattan.

If not a pro-bono lawyer, would consider having a law student do your
paperwork?
Many of the law schools in the USA have law clinics where law students
take on client work either free or for a low fee.

If there are law schools in your vicinity, I would suggest that you
give them a call or even pay them a visit and see whether they may be
able to assist you.


Good luck!

Yes, there are several excellent law schools in Chicago.  A few could
be listed here and these are:

University of Chicago
Northwestern University
Depaul University
Loyola University
Kent School of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology

You might want to also call your Chicago Bar Association. Bar
associations often have pro bono divisions to help out people in your
situation. I hope this helps!

Skadden, Arps has a Chicago office.  Ron Tabak is the firm-wide (all
offices) pro bono coordinator.