Legal Services and CAALP

ASA’s Legal Services and CAALP provide valuable legal assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS in Central Texas. Our in-house attorney responds to many cases personally in addition to leading The Capital Area AIDS Legal Project, or CAALP, which provides pro bono legal services for low income people who are living with HIV and AIDS.

Through referrals to local volunteer attorneys in the community, CAALP undertakes to assist people with a broad range of civil legal issues, including but not limited to, life planning, insurance, discrimination, confidentiality, immigration, public benefits, landlord-tenant disputes, probate and family law.

With respect to most emergency civil legal matters, CAALP assists quailified applicants through use of in-house resources while a referral is pending.  In addition, CAALP provides valuable client education in some civil matters in a layperson format in order to empower its clients with a general knowledge of their legal rights and assist them in spotting potential legal needs before a legal emergency arises.  CAALP, through its referral service and client education, is working to become a primary legal resource in its service community.

In 2009, CAALP opened 195 separate case matters, representing 230 people helped. 

History

CAALP officially formed in 1990 as a program of AIDS Services of Austin. A volunteer-based organization, CAALP provides  free legal assistance to individuals affected by HIV/AIDS whose income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines.  Since 1990, CAALP has helped more than 3,000 HIV infected people in central Texas.

Contact

For questions and concerns, please contact Linette Harris at 512-406-6173.