Pro Bono Net, Equal Justice Works, and Lone Star Legal Aid have announced a new and comprehensive training program presented by the Practising Law Institute, entitled Current and Emerging Issues in Disaster Response: Legal Strategies and Practices for Helping Survivors, for attorneys, community organizers, and other advocates across the United States committed to disaster response, recovery, and resilience. 

There have been over 300 federal major disaster declarations across the United States and territories in the past five years, resulting from hurricanes, wildfires, severe weather events, earthquakes, and other emergencies. These major disasters have devastated communities and cost the lives of thousands of people. During the response and recovery phases, the legal issues that individuals face often go unnoticed. Legal problems include landlord and tenant disputes, obtaining disaster assistance, replacing important documents lost during the weather event, and insurance claims.

The on-demand program, which was originally presented on November 19, 2021, provides attendees a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape after a disaster. Speakers share insights from their disaster response work and provide practical advice for supporting survivors and impacted communities through a path of recovery and resilience.

In addition, program faculty explain why and how climate disasters, preparedness (or lack thereof), and policies concerning disaster recovery affect racial minorities, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and immigrant survivors.

Program Segments include:

• Disaster Response and Recovery General Landscape (1:01:34)
• Equitable Disaster Recovery and Resilience: Challenges, Impact, & Solutions to Support At-Risk Communities (1:15:15)
• Overview/Nuts and Bolts of FEMA Individual Assistance Program applications and appeals (0:57:30)
• Legal Support for Immigrant Communities (1:00:04)
• When and How Pro Bono Attorneys Can Help (1:00:12)
• Disaster Legal Issues & Holistic Representation (0:57:07)

You can find the program materials and segment recordings on the Practising Law Institute's website. This program is free and will be available on-demand through November 2022. Attorneys can earn up to six substantive Pennsylvania CLE credits for viewing the program through November 20, 2022. CLE credit for other states is also available.