In 2010, the Adirondack Women's Bar Association (AWBA), created the AWBA Legal Clinic to Aid Victims of Domestic Violence.  The first clinic was held on November 16, 2010.  That evening, six volunteer attorneys assisted six individuals. Each month, volunteer attorneys of all legal backgrounds meet with individuals referred from the Domestic Violence Project, the Warren County Victim Assistance Program, and the Warren-Washington C.A.R.E. Center, to answer their questions about a variety of legal issues, which are indirectly related to the domestic violence issues they are facing, such as divorce, support, custody, tax, bankruptcy, foreclosure and landlord-tenant issues.  As of January, 2014, the Clinic has served more than 137 people.

​Award Winning Services 
The AWBA is proud to have been recognized by the New York State Bar Association and New York Conference of Bar Leaders for its efforts in establishing and providing such valuable services to this northern community.  In recognition of its efforts, the AWBA was awarded the 2011 Bar Leaders Innovation Award which is awarded to bar groups whose innovative ideas come to fruition to establish successful programs in their communities.  
 
Please Consider Volunteering: 
The Clinic provides assistance to victims of domestic violence, but make no mistake, this is not a typical domestic violence legal clinic, so you do not need to have prior DV legal experience to volunteer.   Our clinic provides in-house legal advice and guidance only.  Volunteers are not required to represent attendees, but rather provide legal guidance, assist with filling out paperwork and provide legal and practical advice on a number of issues.  Participants seek legal advice on ancillary matters which may or may not have anything to do with the domestic violence they experienced (assistance on strictly DV matters are provided by another agency).   Issues which may be brought up at the AWBA legal clinic include, but are not limited to:  (a) family court matters; (b) divorce; (c) estate matters - changing a Will, changing a beneficiary on a life insurance policy; (d) tax matters - innocent spouse doctrine on a tax liability; (e) real estate issues; (f) landlord/tenant matters; (g) harassment at work. 

The Clinic is held the third Tuesday of every month, beginning at 5:30 pm, at 35 Broad Street, Glens Falls, New York.  Each meeting between an attorney and a participant is held one-on-one in a private office setting at the Catholic Charities building, providing each participant the individual attention and privacy the participant deserves.  Malpractice insurance is provided to volunteers through membership in the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.  Each session is approximately one half-hour, with the volunteer attorney providing guidance on the requested legal issue(s), help filling out forms, etc.  Follow up or representation of the participant is not required.  
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If you are interested, or know anyone that is interested, in volunteering for the clinic, please contact Jessica Hugabone Vinson at
​(518) 792-2117 or jhv@bpsrlaw.com 

Thank You for Your Continued Volunteer Support: 
The AWBA is extremely grateful for the support of the following members who volunteered their time to serve at the Clinic during 2013:

Danielle Audette
Brian Borie
​Claudia Braymer
Joanna Davis
Megan Deltry
Stacey Frederick
Kimberly Gall

Laura Grecco
Stuart Kaufmann
Glen Liebert
Marie Markowitz
Jill O'Sullivan
Paul Pontiff
Brenna Sharp

​John Silvestri
Michelle Sleight
Cheryl Sovern
Mary Ellen Stockwell
Francine Vero
Jessica Vinson
Kimberly Wells
​Jackie White

​These volunteers have allowed the AWBA to help the Clinic participants and to make a difference in their lives.