The Pro Bono Project of Mesa County is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides access to legal services and education to those who qualify as poverty level individuals within our areas of priority. These services are provided by attorneys in the community at no cost.
OUR HISTORY, MISSION & VISION
History: The Pro Bono Project of Mesa County, Inc.(“Pro Bono Project”) was organized in 1986 with one goal in mind: To enlist volunteer attorneys to provide high-quality legal counsel, advice and representation, free of charge, to low-income, under-served individuals throughout Mesa County, Colorado. Since the beginning, the Pro Bono Project has worked diligently with local attorneys to educate Mesa County residents on legal issues which impact their day-to-day lives and to match volunteer attorneys with those residents in need of civil legal assistance who cannot otherwise afford attorneys or who are caught in violent situations.
The Pro Bono Project exists because of funding from the Mesa County Bar Association, donations from local law firms, individual attorneys, and grants from private foundations, including the United Way of Mesa County, Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation (“COLTAF”), and AV Hunter. Pro Bono Project also receives government funding from Victim’s Assistance & Law Enforcement (“VALE”) Board, The Family Violence Justice Fund (FVJF) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The Pro Bono Project works in conjunction with Mesa County attorneys and area agencies to provide free legal assistance and education to those who could not afford legal representation in Mesa County. We attribute our success to the many attorneys who, over the years, have generously donated their time to our efforts. While the Pro Bono Project’s goal is to place the cases of those in need with volunteer attorneys whenever possible, the Pro Bono Project is also committed to educating individuals on how to handle legal matters on their own through seminars, clinics, workshops, and materials prepared and presented by local attorneys. Each year, the Pro Bono Project serves hundreds of Mesa County residents.
Mission:
Established in 1986, Pro Bono Project of Mesa County is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit dedicated to providing free legal advocacy and representation to victims of domestic violence and low-income residents of Mesa County. The Pro Bono Project helps residents achieve economic self-sufficiency and family stability through providing high quality legal advice, educational outreach, and representation through volunteer attorney’s. We can also provide direct legal assistance for victims of assault, sexual assault, child abuse, crimes against at-risk person, and stalking.
Vision:
The Pro Bono Project’s objective is to create a program through which all eligible Mesa County attorneys provide free legal services to low-income families and to victims of domestic violence, with the goal of improving Mesa County residents’ access to the legal system. We seek further to provide access to justice through education and pro se empowerment.
Pro Bono Project of Mesa County, Inc.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2024 AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
AMANDA BERNAL ~ PRESIDENT
Paralegal
MARTHA KENT ~ VICE PRESIDENT
Retired Attorney
TREVOR JOHNSON ~ TREASURER
Senior Vice President – OakStar Bank
TINA STAAKE ~ SECRETARY
Family Court Facilitator
21st Judicial District of Colorado
JEREMY SAVAGE
MCBA Vice President
KEVIN KENNEDY
Magistrate
21st Judicial District of Colorado, Mesa County
STEPHANIE HOLGUIN
Attorney at Kain & Burke, P.C.
KAY SNIDER
Attorney at Kay Snider, P.C.
BRIAN CONKLIN
Attorney at Brian Conklin, LLC
CYNDI MCDANIEL
Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator
21st Judicial District of Colorado
Non-Voting Members:
AMANDA SHEPARD
Executive Director
Pro Bono Project
1129 Colorado Avenue
(970)424-5748 (direct)
contact@probonomc.org
COLORADO LEGAL SERVICES