Ashley-Britt Hansen
Attorney Ashley-Britt Hansen has served her community since she was 15, working with nonprofit organizations such as the Red Cross and Planned Parenthood. Shortly after being admitted to The Florida Bar, Hansen took on pro bono cases with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
“I was excited to be able to use my license to help the community, so I jumped on it as soon as I got at least a bit of my bearings practicing law,” Hansen said.
Hansen’s regular practice area focuses on insurance company litigation. With JALA, she takes on three or four family law and landlord-tenant cases at a time. Hansen also helps individuals obtain name changes on their birth certificate or social security card with JALA’s Name Change clinic.
“Getting to know someone’s history and what led to the name change are some of the most fascinating discussions I have ever had,” Hansen said. “The name change is so important for someone going through the necessary changes to simply be themselves.”
Hansen found her first pro bono case particularly memorable. After proving that a father had falsely contended his daughter had experienced sexual abuse, Hansen felt that she had given the mother a voice to stand up for her daughter. “That case showed me it isn’t so much about prevailing in family law, it’s about making sure someone’s voice is heard when they are drowning in lies to the detriment of their child,” she said.
Hansen has found her pro bono work both personally and professionally rewarding.
“Pro-bono helps me stay involved with the community, and I often get clients from my pro bono clients,” she said. “Personally, it aids me in the enjoyment of practicing law! I wanted to be a lawyer to help people, and that is important to me.”
She advises attorneys to take on at least one pro bono case at any given time.
“JALA is an excellent resource to get started with pro bono, so there are no excuses,” she said. “My only advice – get with JALA and take a case!”
