In brief, it is a program in which legal community members help each other and family members. It is a program practically custom-made for the compassionate attorneys and judges in the congenial Delaware Bar. It is a voluntary, email-based program. The request for help and the helper -remain confidential.

The sole purpose of SOLACE is to allow the legal community to reach out in meaningful and compassionate ways to judges, lawyers, paralegals, court personnel, legal secretaries, and their families to assist when they are in critical need due to a significant, life-changing event such as a death or catastrophic illness or injury; fire; and/or other catastrophic situations.

SOLACE services are much different than the other services offered by DE-LAP. SOLACE offers immediate short-term support to a legal professional.

 For example, John Doe, a paralegal at XYZ Law Firm, is too ill to drive, lives alone, and needs to get to medical appointments every day at 10 AM for two weeks in April. Someone at XYZ emails the SOLACE Coordinator with this information. The coordinator then sends an email out asking if anyone is able and willing to drive someone to at least one 10 AM medical appointment during the specific weeks. People who are free one morning during those weeks and are eager to respond to the coordinator by email. The coordinator pairs the volunteer drivers with the ill paralegal. 

 

 

No Fanfare. No finger-pointing. No soliciting money. The identities of the requester, the person needing the help, and the volunteer helper are not made public nor are the needs themselves shared beyond the first mass email from the coordinator. Anyone not wishing to receive emails from the SOLACE Coordinator can opt out. Only those persons able and willing to help fellow members of the legal community will know what a great service they provide each other and the wonderful feelings that come with it.

The SOLACE program began operation on October 28, 2002, with a few attorneys and legal professionals forming the initial assistance network. The concept that became the SOLACE Program was developed by Mark C. Surprenant, a New Orleans attorney, and The Honorable U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey. This concept became known as the SOLACE program – an acronym for Support of Lawyers/Legal Personnel, All Concern Encouraged.

In just over seven years today, SOLACE has developed into a network of more than 6,000 legal professionals, all quickly accessible by email. Moreover, the SOLACE network has assisted more than 500 individuals and families. That assistance can come in the form of a condolence card to the grieving family of a deceased attorney to immediate air transportation for an attorney needing to get to a hospital out-of-state for a life-saving organ transplant. The speed at which these requests for assistance are filled is amazing – answers can come in a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days.

For example, the SOLACE program was mainly instrumental in assisting displaced attorneys due to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike in finding housing, office space, office furniture, and books.