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Legal Assistance to Military Personnel (LAMP)

What is LAMP?

LAMP is a consortium of state and local bar associations that provide legal assistance to military personnel and their families

If you are military personnel assigned within Texas and need legal help, you should first contact the legal assistance officer assigned to your unit.

Pro Bono Opportunities for Legal Professionals

Operation Enduring LAMP (Legal Assistance to Military Personnel) is an ongoing project of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Lawyers Care, and the Military Law Section. A significant number of military personnel are assigned within Texas. The Staff Judge Advocate's Office on each base, post, or installation provides legal assistance to military personnel and their family members, but legal assistance officers are unable to provide court representation.

The LAMP program helps active duty military, members of the Reserves and National Guard called to active duty, and their families with a wide range of legal issues ranging from family law matters to employment issues to consumer law. Legal assistance is especially needed for family members in communities beyond the reach of an active duty legal assistance office.

Because the Staff Judge Advocate's Office cannot provide court representation, volunteer support from pro bono lawyers, paralegals, and other legal support staff is vital to Operation Enduring LAMP's success. Attorneys are encouraged to volunteer for general legal assistance pro bono programs. Reserve Judge Advocates may receive points credited towards retirement for providing pro bono legal assistance.

At a minimum, legal assistance to military personnel can involve court representation, counseling, telephone calls, and letter writing for signature by the client or the attorney. The client is responsible for any out-of-pocket expenses. Local attorneys who agree to do this work pro bono provide legal assistance, as appropriate, in the attorney's individual office or at the Centers/Armories. Local bar associations may also provide meeting space.

Articles to assist counsel and judges in handling cases involving veterans

Special thanks to Captain Evan R. Seamone, Assistant Professor in the Administrative and Civil Law Department of the US Army Judge Advocate General’s School and Editor of the Military Law Review [202 Mil. L. Rev. (2009)]

Contact Us to Volunteer

If you would like to know more about our LAMP efforts, or if you are a legal professional who would like to volunteer, please contact:

Col. Bryan Spencer
LAMP Director
800-204-2222 ext. 1857
bryan.spencer@texasbar.com

Col. Spencer relays requests for legal assistance to volunteer attorneys. Volunteer registration of lawyers, paralegals, and other legal support staff is key to the success of the LAMP program.

Legal Assistance to Military Personnel (LAMP) Intake Form

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