Pro Bono Project Volunteer Of The Month October 2013

Eunice Beattie of Gordon Silver

Eunice began volunteering with the Pro Bono Project in 2011. While pro bono service has always been an interest, she credits her work with Gordon Silver for allowing her the freedom to provide service to her community, including allowing her to have 2 cases open at a time and to contribute on other attorneys’ cases.

Since 2011, she has taken 12 pro bono cases in addition to contributing pro bono hours on her colleagues’ cases. The cases have included divorce/custody, consumer fraud, landlord/tenant and abused/neglected children. In the past year, Eunice has contributed over 70 hours on 10 cases. In addition to her pro bono cases, Eunice volunteers on a regular basis at our Ask‐A‐Lawyer programs, having participated multiple times in the Family Law Ask‐A‐Lawyer program as well as volunteering for the Federal Court Ask‐A‐Lawyer Program. Time and again she has stepped in for Legal Aid Center at the last‐minute at Ask‐A‐Lawyer programs to provide free consultations to pro se litigants in need of legal advice.

Eunice has stated that her pro bono service through Legal Aid Center is rewarding because she finds the clients so appreciative of the help given, often in times and matters where but for the pro bono service the client would go without an ear or a voice in the system. She has found that it has provided the opportunity to work with cases and clients who are not the typical clientele of large firms and that pro bono service evens the playing field for so many people.

One case that stood out in her mind was a client who had signed a one‐page agreement to purchase a home and had been making payments for year towards the purchase of the residence when it came to light that the client had not obtained title to the Property, that the opposing party was not the owner of the property and may not have even been an authorized agent for the leasing or occupancy of the Subject Property. While the client’s goal was the title to the property as promised, Eunice recognized and had to alert the client to the ramifications of residing in a home without the owner’s permission. Ultimately Eunice was able to negotiate and obtain a release and indemnification of the client and obtain sufficient monies to allow the client to find an alternative residence.

For all of the assistance she provides to clients in need and for the community at large, Eunice Beattie is an embodiment of the contributions and commitment to which attorneys in Southern Nevada should strive.

Congratulations Eunice!