NEWS Opening of HIV/AIDS legal clinic March 31, 2008 JOHANNESBURG — People who are HIV+ often have to cope with more than illness. Sometimes health rights are violated and access to treatment is denied or severely limited. Because of HIV+ status, there is discrimination at work. Discrimination is also suffered when it comes to housing and insurance. HIV+ positive people, who suffer most discrimination, are also the ones who have least access to legal services. Additionally, the cost of legal services is generally not within their reach. It is for this reason that ProBono.Org, a non-profit clearing house for public interest law matters currently operating in Gauteng, has decided to provide a weekly legal clinic where HIV+ people can access free legal advice and services. As from 15 April 2008 ProBono.Org will run a weekly legal clinic for people with HIV/Aids related problems. It will operate as follows: The clinic will be open from 9 am to noon every Tuesday of the year (unless it is a public holiday). The clinic will be staffed by attorneys who make themselves available on a pro bono basis. Clients will be consulted on 'first come first serve' basis. Attorneys will assist clients in any of the following ways: advice, opinions, non-litigious interventions, alternative dispute resolution, and/or litigation. As far as possible, attorneys will attempt to resolve the problems immediately. Where this is not possible, the client will become a client of the relevant firm, and the attorney will finalise the matter on a pro bono basis. HIV / AIDS Legal Clinic 9 am - 12 noon: every Tuesday 9th Floor Schreiner Chambers - South Wing 94 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg tel: 011 336 9510 fax: 011 336 9511 esther@probono.org-org – Issued by ProBono.Org Related stories SA GLBT parental rights and the ProBono.Org