Legal aid staffers and volunteer lawyers from some large firmsin Texas were at booths handing out legal aid brochures onWednesday to Hurricane Harvey victims staying at a shelter at theGeorge R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston and at otherlarge American Red Cross shelters.

"We are just trying to shove flyers in everybody's hands andthen later when they will need help, they can come see thelawyers," said Saundra Brown, manager of the Disaster Response Unitat Lone Star Legal Aid.

FEMA assistance, how to avoid contractor fraud

The flyers include information Harvey victims will need on suchtopics as applying for Federal EmergencyManagement Agency assistance, or how to avoid contractor fraud,she said.

The booths that have been quickly set up at the shelters inHouston are the first beachhead in a major legalaid system that will be operated jointly through Texaslegal aid organizations that include Lone Star, the Houston BarAssociation and other local bar associations, and the American BarAssociation.

Brown said Lone Star has asked for private space at the sheltersso lawyers can do intake and give legal advice to Harvey victims.But the space has not yet been arranged.

Meanwhile, the Houston Bar Association will ask lawyers tosignup by Thursday for volunteer slots for clinics that will be upand running soon at the shelters, said Alistair Dawson, a partner at BeckRedden in Houston who is president of the HBA. He said the lawyersexpect initially to volunteer at shelters at the George R BrownConvention Center, the Toyota Center, NRG Center and at LakewoodChurch, and then move out to other smaller shelters.

More than 17,000 people in 45 shelters

According to the American Red Cross, more than 17,000 people are in45 shelters in Texas in the wake of Harvey's destruction, includingmore than 8,000 in the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Dawson said the HBA will operate its Legal Line every nightbeginning Sept. 5 so that people can talk to lawyers on thephone.

"Beyond that, we are going to set up clinics," he said.

Senior reporter Brenda Sapino Jeffreys covers the businessof law in Texas. Contact her at [email protected] OnTwitter: @BrendaSJeffreys