Frequently Asked Questions for Volunteer Lawyers

What is NE Free Legal Answers?

NE Free Legal Answers is a pro bono project of American Bar Association Free Legal Answers. The Website is based on the walk-in clinic or dial-a-lawyer model where clients request brief advice and counsel about a specific civil legal issue from a volunteer lawyer. Lawyers provide information and basic legal advice without any expectation of long-term representation. The Website is administered by a national administrator at the ABA and each participating state has a state administrator. The Nebraska State Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project is the sponsoring state administrator for NE Free Legal Answers.

For a quick tutorial how to use the site, Click Here. 

Can all Nebraska lawyers participate?

Yes. All approved lawyers can participate, including private practice, litigation and transactional lawyers, in-house, business, corporate, nonprofit, and government lawyers. This Website is designed to help lawyers previously unable to participate in traditional pro bono programs due to employment restrictions, scheduling conflicts, personal obligations and geographic location. If you are already providing pro bono legal service, this Website provides a new convenient way to do more pro bono work.

• Your participation on the Website is covered by malpractice insurance.
• You can view questions outside your practice area before taking the question.
• You have 3 days to answer questions you take from the queue.
• The Website provides links to legal topics to help you research your answer.
• You can return an unanswered question to the queue.
• Your identity is not disclosed to the user, unless you disclose it.
• The general rule for conflicts of interest do not apply (See Conflicts of Interest).
• You can track your research and time spent doing pro bono on the Website.

Who can use NE Free Legal Answers?

Eligible users:

• must be Nebraska residents, 18 years of age and older.
• must have household income less than 250% of the federal poverty guidelines.
• can’t have more than $5,000 in assets (checking, savings, stocks or bonds).
• can’t be incarcerated.
• can't ask for assistance with criminal law matters.
• can post 3 questions on 3 different legal topics in a calendar year.
• can ask the responding lawyer a follow-up question to the lawyer’s answer until the lawyer closes the question.

How does a user determine if s/he can use the Website?

A user is prompted to answer questions that determine financial and case type eligibility. If the user meets the eligibility requirements, the user will sign a Use Agreement, create a username and password, and post a request for legal advice. The user will provide information about the legal issue to help the lawyer answer the question and select a category that best describes their question (e.g. immigration, divorce). The user can upload documents or photographs for the lawyer to review. The user must disclose the county where the user resides and the names of adverse parties to help the answering lawyer check for conflicts of interest.

Do you verify the user’s financial information?

No. Similar to the walk-in clinic or call-a-lawyer model, this pro bono activity doesn’t verify financial information. Qualified users sign a Use Agreement confirming the information given to use the Website is true.

How do I register to participate?

First, create a username and password. You will be directed to a screen to provide your contact information, Nebraska bar license number, sign the lawyer use agreement and request approval from the website administrator. The state administrator will check to make sure you are an active member of the Nebraska Bar, in good standing. The state administrator will notify you by email when you can start answering questions.

For a quick tutorial how to use the site, Click Here.

Am I covered by malpractice insurance if I participate?

Yes. Participation on the Website is covered by NLADA professional liability insurance through the American Bar Association. If you ask the client to contact you outside the Website (e.g., phone call, consultation, representation) you are not covered for activities outside the Website. If you want to give pro bono legal assistance to a client outside the Website, contact the Director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project. You may be able to provide pro bono assistance through the Volunteer Lawyers Project. VLP provides professional liability insurance coverage for pro bono activities through VLP. The ABA and state website administrator may, from time to time, need to contact participating lawyers related to this insurance coverage.

Do you provide the client my name and contact information?

No. You are identified only as “Volunteer Lawyer.” Your identity is not disclosed unless you disclose it to the client. The ABA maintains records of Website use if information about your limited representation on the Website is needed in the future. 

Is an attorney/client relationship created if I answer a question?

Yes. A lawyer/client relationship forms when you answer a user’s question. The relationship is limited in scope and duration as described in the client and lawyer’s use agreements. The representation is limited to answering the client’s posted question and a follow-up question from the client, if any, to your answer.  You mark the question closed when you determine you have given adequate counsel in response to the posted question. The client and lawyer consented to the limited nature of this relationship both as to scope and duration by accepting the terms of the use agreement.

How do I check for conflicts of interest?

Each posted question includes the user’s name and county. A conflict of interest exists if, at the time you view a posted question, you know that answering the question involves a conflict of interest with a current or former client. If you are associated with a firm, the general rule for imputation of conflicts exists only if you know another lawyer in your firm has a conflict of interest related to the user’s question. Neb. Ct. R. of Prof. Cond. § 3-506.5 governs the short-term limited legal services you will provide on this Website. If you know a conflict exists, don’t take the question. Users are informed of the possibility that another lawyer at your firm may be representing other parties with an interest in the posted question.

Am I required to log in regularly?

No, but we hope you will. You may log in any time to review a list of user questions and select questions you want to answer. The state administrator will send weekly emails to participating lawyers with updates about questions in the queue, including the number and type of questions open or pending. You are not required to respond to the email. The state administrator may communicate with you directly from time to time.

For a quick tutorial how to use the site, Click Here.

Can I search for questions I want to answer?

Yes. You can view all the open questions or you can filter questions according to county or question type. Questions are grouped by a category the user selects (e.g., divorce, debt). You can read the full question before deciding to take it from the list to answer it.

Do I need to answer a question right away?

No. Once you take a question, you have 3 days to answer it. If you don’t respond within 3 days, the question will automatically return to the main queue. You can always retake the question if it is still available when you log in. However, a best practice would be to take a question when you are ready to answer it.

What if I need more information to answer the question?

You can ask the client to provide additional information to help you answer. Once you answer the question, the client will be asked to accept the answer you provide or send a follow up question. You mark the question closed when you determine you have answered the client’s question. The client can’t ask follow up questions after you close the question.

What if I decide I don’t want to answer a question I took from the queue?

Return it to the main queue immediately so another lawyer can answer.

What if the Client Doesn't Respond to My Request for Additional Information?

If the client doesn’t respond to your question within ten (10) days, the site wiill automatically close the question.  The client will receive an email explaining why the question was closed.

How long does a question stay on the Website?

30 days. If a question is not answered within 30 days, the use will receive an email with instructions to seek assistance elsewhere. The user will be provided a list of other resources for assistance.

Are There Training Materials and Resources Available?

Yes. For a quick tutorial how to use the site, Click Here. This Website provides basic information, materials, and statutes to assist you.  Click Here to access the available materials and resources.  For a quick tutorial on how to register and answer questions, Click Here.  If you have recommendations for additional resources and materials or you would like to add materials to assist volunteers, Email Laurel Heer Dale and attach materials you would like to see added to the Website.

Will I earn CLE credit for pro bono services?

No. Nebraska does not award CLE credit for pro bono legal services. VLP will record volunteer time for use in NSBA Volunteer Lawyers Project volunteer reporting and volunteer recognition. Your participation may be reported in NSBA media that recognize volunteer participation, including the NSBA Website, The Nebraska Lawyer, VLP fundraising articles and reports, and E-counsel.

How does this Website collect and protect confidential information and advice?

The Website is designed to insure privacy. The Web program is administered using email through a platform that limits access based on a screening. Confidentiality is maintained because the ABA Website Administrator and state site administrator only have access to content between the lawyer and client. Information available to the ABA Website Administrator and state site administrator and to the pro bono lawyer remain confidential subject to the limitations of the Privacy/Confidentiality Policy. The client requests for information and the response of lawyers participating in NE Free Legal Answers may be maintained in a database to measure the effectiveness of the project. Protocols will be established and followed to maintain the security of this database. A guarantee against a security breach is not possible when using the Internet and Internet-based systems.

For each visitor to the Webpage the web server automatically recognizes only the consumer domain name. This information is collected for statistical purposes. Aggregate information is collected on pages a user visits or accesses on this Website. Collected information is used to improve the content of the Web page and is not shared with other organizations for commercial purposes. Information may be disclosed when legally required at the request of government authorities conducting an investigation, to verify or enforce compliance with the policies governing this Website and applicable laws or to protect against misuses or unauthorized use of this Website.

How do I contact the Nebraska site administrator with a question?

If you have a question or run into a technical problem with the site, please Email Mara Kellogg the Nebraska Site Administrator or call (402) 742-8132. 

For a quick tutorial how to use the site, Click Here.