Helping Hands Legal Center:

Lending a Hand to the Community

by Roane Beard

Sometimes, we all need a hand working out our problems. For people with legal problems and limited financial resources, The Helping Hands Legal Center is the place to turn to.

“We help indigent people with legal problems,” says Mary Ann Patti, a graduate from Birmingham’s Cumberland School of Law who divides her time between running the center and building her own private practice. “People who have a problem, but can’t afford legal help, can come to us when they have nowhere else to turn. We write letters for people, help people get insurance settlements, help with consumer issues, help resolve landlord/ tenant disputes. We do a little bit of everything.”

Helping Hands was founded two years ago with a grant from the law firm of Kerrigan, Estess, Rankin & McLeod. Patti, who had worked with the firm after a stint in the State Attorney’s office, was offered the chance to run Helping Hands after returning from maternity leave.

“Bob Kerrigan felt there was a need to start a place to help local people who didn’t have legal resources,” Patti says. “The Kerrigan firm is very generous when it comes to giving time to the community. Mr. Kerrigan has volunteered at Loaves and Fishes, and gives time in other ways. The center is an extension of that.”

Most of the assistance Helping Hands provides deals with family law issues, such as divorce or custody, although they can help people with a range of civil problems. Helping Hands doesn’t handle criminal cases.

“It’s very enjoyable for the most part,” says Patti. “People who come in are very grateful. If you just take a little time to listen to their story and listen to what has happened it can be very helpful. Often, the problem isn’t that difficult, but there are so many emotional problems to sift through that it can seem like a difficult problem. Sometimes, people just need to get something off their chest.”

To qualify for assistance at the center, applicants must demonstrate that they fall within certain income limits set by the judiciary, and cannot own property.

“If they don’t meet standards, we still try to find people who can help at a reduced rate, or give some suggestions on how to proceed,” says Patti. “If somebody needs help, they need help.”

The center is involved in the community on several levels. In addition to the legal services they provide, the center can certify pro-bono hours to the Florida Bar for attorneys who volunteer their time there. Last year, Helping Hands had about seven attorneys volunteer their services at the center, and a FSU law student satisfied part of his degree-related community service requirements by volunteering there.

“I’ve also had high school students come in and ‘shadow’ me,” says Patti. “They’ll follow me around the office for a day or so to get a feel of what it’s like to be an attorney. We don’t just provide legal help here. We’ve had community involvement with us and we try to be involved in the community.”

The Helping Hands Legal Center is located on 98 East Garden Street, next door to the Cajun Experience. Their hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 to 2:00. Call for an appointment. 439-1151.