Mission

VLJ seeks to improve the lives of economically-disadvantaged adults, children, and families in New Jersey by empowering them with tools, advice and pro bono representation with the goal of securing fair and equal treatment within the legal system.

What We Do

We provide free legal counsel and direct representation for at-risk individuals facing civil legal issues. We also run a number of clinics, including:

- A Bankruptcy Clinic, which aids low-income individuals with Chapter 7 bankruptcies (con-sponsored by Merck and Lowenstein Sandler).
- A Divorce Clinic, assisting low-income residents in obtaining a divorce. This clinic is held at the family courthouse, in partnership with Essex County Family Court. It consists of a 1.5 hour divorce seminar led by an experienced family law attorney, followed by individual assistance.
- Newark Legal Advice and Resource Clinic for Consumers (NLARCC). Due to the growing number of debt collections filed against low-income debtors, VLJ has partnered with the Essex County Court to provide legal advice and limited-scope representation to debtors representing themselves in civil court.
- Newark Reentry Legal Services (ReLeSe). ReLeSe helps low-income Essex residents with criminal records re-integrate with the community. Services include license restoration, resolution of municipal matters, child support modification, and expungement of criminal records.

What’s in it for you: If you’re volunteering through CatchaFire, we know you have an interest in contributing to your community. But why choose us?

There are plenty of worthy projects out there, but we feel VLJ would benefit greatly from assistance with our social media/other project. With over ten years of experience, we are experts in the services we provide- and legal services for those who can’t afford them are critical. We also have been unable to reach as many people as we’d like to due to our lack of social media presence, and we think everyone would benefit if we could draw the attention of a larger crowd.