Jim Kowalski, President & CEO
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
The Yulee News considers it important to bring to its readers the many organizations whose services are available to them. We spoke with Jim Kowalski Jr., Esq. who is the President and CEO of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA). Nassau County is one of the 17 counties that are covered by JALA in North Florida.
JALA is the oldest legal aid firm in Florida founded in 1937 as a pro-bono outreach of the Jacksonville Bar Association. Through the years it has become a more formal legal aid organization through the process of hiring attorneys and staff. Currently, there are 40 lawyers and staff making it the 8th largest civil law firm in Northeast Florida. The mission of JALA is, “A nonprofit civil legal aid firm focusing on delivering economic, social, and housing justice to low-income and at-risk individuals and families on the First Coast.”
Legal aid organizations are necessary because they provide free or low-cost legal services to low-income individuals and families who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. “JALA attorneys and advocates handle cases involving community development issues, consumer issues, education issues, family law issues, elder law issues, employment, and unemployment issues, fair housing issues, housing issues, health issues, public benefits issues, mental health issues, veterans issues, and immigration issues. JALA also provides a variety of legal services for those persons having HIV or AIDS.”
About Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm focused on delivering economic, social, and housing justice to low-income and at-risk individuals and families on the First Coast.
If you are an attorney wanting to volunteer with probate and heirs property issues, contact JALA Pro Bono Director Aaron Irving, at (904) 356-8371, Ext. 363, or Aaron.Irving@jaxlegalaid.org.
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