New Leadership for Growing Hazard Office; New Disaster Response Project Director and openings for two attorneys

PRESS RELEASE

January 10, 2024

HAZARD, KY - AppalReD Legal Aid is pleased to announce that Devon Skeens is the new Directing Attorney of the Hazard field office.

The Hazard field office provides free civil legal help to low-income residents of Breathitt, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry, and Wolfe counties. The Hazard office is located at 600 High Street in Hazard, KY and is open to walk-ins Monday-Friday.

Skeens started his career at AppalReD Legal Aid and left to open his own firm in Louisville. Devon’s family are native to Floyd and Pike County and he looks forward to giving back to the region where his parents grew up. Skeens has considerable expertise in family law, including domestic violence issues, education law, and general civil legal issues. Skeens is also a former high school teacher.

The Hazard office recently added a disaster legal services paralegal position to provide greater legal help to July 2022 flood survivors. The Hazard office is now searching for an attorney to focus on providing civil legal help for flood survivors to support their and the community’s recovery. Another open attorney position would focus on the civil legal needs of crime victims and domestic violence survivors.

Skeens says, “I am very excited to grow AppalReD Legal Aid’s Hazard office to serve even more low-income Kentuckians.”

Attorney Whitney Bailey has been promoted to Disaster Response Project Director and oversees the team that delivers legal services to low-income Kentuckians impacted by the severe storms, flooding, and mudslides eastern Kentucky faced in Summer 2022.

Bailey has helped hundreds of flood survivors since beginning her role at AppalReD in September 2022. She had no previous experience with disaster legal services when she began but has been successful helping clients with FEMA appeals, avoiding collections for flooded vehicles, working on title and home ownership issues, and taking on an unscrupulous mobile home manufacturer. She says, “The most important thing for an attorney who is interested in providing legal help to flood survivors is a passion to serve people and a willingness to learn on the job.”

To apply for legal help, call 1-866-277-5733, visit ardfky.org/gethelp, or visit your local office.

More information about job openings can be found at https://www.ardfky.org/job-opportunities.