Bay Area Legal Services

19/06/2026

In observance of Juneteenth, Bay Area Legal Services will be closed Friday, June 19th. Our offices will reopen Monday, June 22nd.

18/06/2026

Exciting news for Bay Area Legal Services' Veterans Team! ⭐

A U.S. Military Academy specialty license plate benefiting the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline is expected to become available on October 1, 2026.

Operated by Bay Area Legal Services, the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline provides free civil legal assistance to veterans throughout Florida.

The plate is one of eight new specialty license plate designs. Stay tuned for additional updates as we prepare for its launch.

Bay Area Legal is excited to share that a U.S. Military Academy specialty license plate benefiting the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline is expected to become available on October 1, 2026.

17/06/2026

Our partners at Bay Area Legal Services bring volunteer attorneys to our campus biweekly to meet with residents and provide free legal assistance. HEP residents can receive help with civil legal matters, select expungement services, and benefits-related issues. When additional assistance is needed, residents may be referred to their partners at Gulf Coast Legal Services. Resolving these legal challenges helps remove barriers and brings HEP clients one step closer to achieving their goals and long-term stability!

16/06/2026

Bay Area Legal is excited to welcome our 2026 Legal Fellows and Summer Interns! 🎉

During orientation, our fellows and interns had the opportunity to learn about our mission, explore our many practice areas, meet staff from across the organization, and gain insight into the critical legal services and advocacy we provide throughout our community.

A special thank you to our leadership team and staff who shared their expertise and experiences, and to Salkumi Mexile and our Volunteer Lawyers Program for coordinating this orientation.

We’re excited to have these talented future legal professionals with us this summer and look forward to the impact they’ll make!

11/06/2026

🗓️ Reminder: St. Pete Life Planning Clinic happening June 23rd!

🗓️ Save The Date! Bay Area Legal Services will host a free Life Planning Clinic on June 23rd in St. Petersburg, helping individuals and families plan for their futures with confidence.

Services offered include:

📄 Power of attorney forms
❤️‍🩹 Healthcare proxy forms
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Guardian or minor forms
🌳 Advice on life planning

Register today: bit.ly/4vtsNyX

08/06/2026

Earlier this year, Bay Area Legal Services conducted a Legal Needs Assessment to better understand the challenges facing our community. The findings reinforced what we already knew to be true: the demand for legal aid has never been greater.

As populations continue to grow across the counties we serve, so does the need for a clearer understanding of the legal issues affecting our neighbors. The assessment revealed significant increases in requests for assistance related to:

💵 Economic insecurity, particularly among older adults
🏡 Housing and homeownership
🤝 Public benefits
💙 Family law and protection for survivors of domestic violence

Bay Area Legal Services will use these insights to strengthen services, build partnerships, and create pathways to justice for those who need it most.

Thank you to the community partners who shared their time, expertise, and perspectives to help inform this important assessment:

thredpartners | Children's Board of Hillsborough County | Pasco County, Florida, Government | Daystar Life | Clearwater Bar Association | Children's Home Network | Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. | United Way Suncoast | Legal Aid of Manasota, Inc. | Feeding Tampa Bay | Fresh Start for Pasco Inc. Charity | The Salvation Army of Pasco County, FL | Hispanic Outreach Center Centro de Apoyo Hispano | Sunrise of Pasco, Inc. | Foley & Lardner LLP

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

A great evening celebrating leadership and service within the legal community at the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Barristers' Bash and Installation of Officers and Directors! 🎉

Several members of the Bay Area Legal Services community attended the event, including Board Member and HCBA Chair-Elect Vivian Cortes-Hodz, Development Council Member Karen Cole, CEO Joan Boles, and Board Member Christine Derr, who was sworn in to the HCBA Board of Directors for the coming year. Congratulations, Christine!

📸 Photo credit: Bob Tee Photography & Music

04/06/2026

🗓️ Save The Date! Bay Area Legal Services will host a free Life Planning Clinic on June 23rd in St. Petersburg, helping individuals and families plan for their futures with confidence.

Services offered include:

📄 Power of attorney forms
❤️‍🩹 Healthcare proxy forms
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Guardian or minor forms
🌳 Advice on life planning

Register today: bit.ly/4vtsNyX