Pro Bono Legal Services

The Rape Survivors’ Law Project (RSLP) is the pro bono initiative of the VRLC. To date, the RSLP has engaged over 300 attorney and paraprofessional volunteers. The RSLP was originally launched in the Fall of 2000 in partnership with the Women’s Bar Foundation of Massachusetts and the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts. The VRLC has since assumed the primary role in all direct client work and in training and supervising the RSLP’s pro bono attorneys.

Through the RSLP, pro bono attorneys and paraprofessionals assist sexual assault victims with a variety of civil legal needs including privacy rights, protection orders, housing, university judicial proceedings, immigration and negotiations with employers and school administrators. In addition to representing victims with these legal needs, our volunteers assist VRLC staff with research projects, as well as drafting amicus briefs and legislation regarding the rights of sexual assault survivors. 

One of the many reasons the VRLC's pro bono program is so successful, is because we work with law firms to meet the needs of their existing pro bono structure.  VRLC attorneys will come to your law firm in Massachusetts to provide a training, as well as making the notification and acceptance of VRLC cases very easy.  Most importantly, the VRLC attorneys are dedicated to victims receiving exceptional legal representation.  The VRLC is selective with which cases are referred to the RSLP and VRLC attorneys monitor the cases and mentor the pro bono attorneys. 

In 2009, the VRLC leveraged over $566,000 in billable pro bono hours- thanks to our stellar cadre of pro bono attorneys!

Participation in the RSLP is open to attorneys and paraprofessionals in Massachusetts. For more information about the RSLP and how to become a volunteer or how to schedule a training at your law firm, please contact Kate Lawson at (617) 399-6720 x 15 or email at klawson@victimrights.org.