.
http://www.lsc.gov/
Primary geographic focus: NATIONAL
Organization type(s): Funder
Acronym or short name: LSC
Tags: Funding: Federal
CONTENT FROM THIS SOURCE
News Story , VideoLSC 2014 Congressional Briefing – Litigants Without Lawyers: Equal Justice Under Threat in State Courts
James J. Sandman, Nathan L. Hecht, Jess H. Dickinson, Janice Holder, Carol W. HunsteinLegal Services Corporation (LSC)
May 21, 2014
LSC hosted a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill. Four state supreme court justices discussed the growing problem of unrepresented litigants and its impact on the court-system.
News Story
LSC President Sandman Appointed to D.C. Access to Justice Commission
Legal Services Corporation (LSC)May 29, 2014
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has appointed Legal Services Corporation (LSC) President James J. Sandman to the D.C. Access to Justice Commission.
CONTENT MENTIONING/INVOLVING THIS SOURCE
News StoryTrump Budget Draft Targets Cops, Crime Victims
Marshall ProjectJanuary 19, 2017
Also civil rights enforcement and legal aid for the poor.
News Story
Trump Team Considering Cuts to Federal Violence Against Women Program
Lucy WestcottNewsweek
January 19, 2017
Proposals to gut civil legal aid would deliver a devastating blow to Americans of all backgrounds and to our justice system.
Interview
Fretting about the Trump effect on legal aid
Claire BusheyCrain’s Chicago Business
January 20, 2017
One organization that could be on the block is the Legal Services Corporation, which funds legal aid programs across the country.
Op-Ed
Hands off Chicago’s legal aid funding
Bob Glaves, Chuck SmithCrain’s Chicago Business
January 27, 2017
No principle is more fundamental to who we are as Americans than our nation's promise of justice for all.
News Story
Trump’s first budget would end program to help low-income Americans get lawyers
Alan PykeThinkProgress
February 20, 2017
A small, efficient, 40-year-old program to provide legal aid to middle- and low-income clients in civil proceedings is facing the budget ax, according to a New York Times report on the early stages of the Trump administration’s internal budget planning.
News Story
Draft of first Trump budget would cut legal aid for millions of poor Americans
Tom McCarthyGuardian
February 21, 2017
Draft proposes elimination of Legal Services Corporation, which provides free legal assistance to low-income people, victims of domestic violence and others.
News Story
Federal cuts would target civil legal aid for poor
Kate GiammarisePittsburgh Post-Gazette
February 27, 2017
Funds for low-income people seeking legal help in civil cases — such as those involving domestic violence protection from abuse orders, child custody issues, evictions, mortgage foreclosures — could potentially become scarcer.
Op-Ed
The Trump budget: Keep civil legal aid off the chopping block
Robert K. VischerStar-Tribune (Minneapolis)
February 28, 2017
This aligns well with the administration's priorities. To paraphrase Trump, when only the rich can afford a lawyer, the system is rigged.
Column
The Single Worst Thing Trump’s Budget Could Do to Our Justice System
Jenna GreeneALM
February 27, 2017
At a time when the ACLU is raking in donations and basking in high-profile love, the Legal Services Corp. is like the mousy, overlooked sister—not nearly so glamorous, but doing work that is absolutely essential.
Audio , News Story
Possible Cuts in Washington Could Have Negative Impact on State’s Most Vulnerable Disaster Survivors
Thelisha EaddySouth Carolina Public Radio
March 5, 2017
Potential budget cuts in Washington has the firm concerned the work it provides, to help the state's most vulnerable residents recover from disasters and navigate the legal system, could also be cut.
Op-Ed
Dick Thornburgh: Ensuring justice for all with legal aid
Dick ThornburghPittsburgh Post-Gazette
March 5, 2017
Legal aid services are a lifeline for many, and essential to our system of justice.
News Story
Law Firms Urge Trump Administration Not to Cut Funding for Legal-Aid Agency
Sara RandazzoWall Street Journal (WSJ)
March 9, 2017
Akin Gump, Paul Weiss and others say cuts to Legal Services Corp.’s budget would affect their ability to provide free legal counsel.
News Story
Lawyers fear Trump may kill legal aid funding for the poor
Jeanne SahidiCNN Money
March 9, 2017
More than 150 law firms across the country sent a letter to White House budget director Mick Mulvaney on Thursday, urging him not to propose the elimination of federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation.
News Story
More Than 150 Law Firm Leaders Urge Govt to Continue Funding of Legal Services
Brenda Sapino JeffreysALM
March 9, 2017
Leaders of more than 150 U.S. law firms with offices in all 50 states sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget Thursday, urging it to continue funding the Legal Services Corp.
News Story
Trump Budget Plan Would Have ‘Devastating Impact’ On Legal Services For NYC’s Poor
Nathan TempeyGothamist (NYC)
March 10, 2017
An item in a preliminary Trump administration budget plan would, if implemented, hobble one of New York City's main providers of legal representation to poor people, and gut other legal services offices across New York state and the country.
Blog Post , Editorial
Where’s LSC’s Funding? 150 Big Law Firms and 134 Nonprofits Want to Know
Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ)March 10, 2017
LSC began to sound the alarm among its partners, which include many high-powered law firms that provide pro bono services in conjunction with them. They were already organized to respond.
News Story
Trump Budget Would Gut Legal Aid For Veterans, Domestic Abuse Victims And Disaster Survivors
Ryan ReillyHuffington Post
March 16, 2017
If the Trump administration gets its way, the Legal Services Corporation is getting the axe.
News Story
Trump takes a gamble in cutting programs his base relies on
Michael D. ShearAlaska Dispatch News (formerly Anchorage Daily News)
March 16, 2017
President Donald Trump's proposal on Thursday for deep cuts to the budgets of a broad swath of the federal bureaucracy was billed as a necessary corrective to the growth of the government's power.
News Story
Proposed Trump Budget Would End Legal Services Corp.
Sara RandazzoWall Street Journal (WSJ)
March 16, 2017
Tucked in President Donald Trump’s sweeping proposed budget released Wednesday is a line item that many in the legal community feared was coming: the complete elimination of the Legal Services Corp.
News Story
Trump to Cut Legal Aid, Lawyers Doubt Congress Will Approve
Gabe FriedmanBloomberg
March 16, 2017
Jim Sandman, president of the Legal Services Corp., said he expects Congress will ignore Trump’s budget and grant his organization’s full request for $502.7 million.
News Story
Legal Services Corp., Under Trump, Faces New Threat to Existence
Marcia CoyleNational Law Journal
March 16, 2017
The Legal Services Corp., created in 1974 under the signature of President Richard Nixon, is once again on the chopping block as another Republican president—Donald Trump— proposes to zero out its funding in his first budget.
News Story
How President Donald Trump’s Budget Could Affect The Chicago Area
Dan WeissmannWBEZ (IL)
March 16, 2017
The proposed budget would also cut into funding for groups that offer legal help in the Chicago area.
News Story
Domestic Violence Victims Could Lose Funding To Hire Lawyers Under Trump Budget
Josh KeefeInternational Business Times (IB Times)
March 16, 2017
President Donald Trump released his proposed 2018 federal budget Thursday, and among the many government agencies the budget would eliminate is the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which helps fund legal representation for victims of domestic violence.
News Story
Legal aid funding cut from Trump budget
Marilyn OdendahlIndiana Lawyer
March 16, 2017
Rep. Susan Brooks, the Indianapolis Republican who co-founded the Access to Legal Services Caucus in Congress in 2015, is advocating for LSC funding to be retained.
Column
Making a Goal Line Stand for Legal Aid
Stephen PoorBloomberg
March 15, 2017
It is rare that the Big Law community comes together over issues. The fact that over 150 firms have done so should send a message underlining the importance we place on this issue.
News Story
A Little Free Advice: Lawyers Help Vermonters Facing Eviction
Katie JicklingSeven Days (Vermont)
March 15, 2017
In an effort to make proceedings in her courtroom more equitable, Toor teamed up with the local Law Line to provide free legal assistance to those facing complicated eviction cases.
News Story
Legal services in unprecedented danger under Trump’s budget proposal
Tom McCarthyGuardian
March 16, 2017
Budget proposal includes cuts to organization that helps clients fight negligent landlords and domestic violence, in addition to 18 other small budget agencies.
News Story
Trump Budget Cuts Put Struggling Americans on Edge
Sabrina Tavernise, Trip GabrielNew York Times (NYT)
March 17, 2017
Legal Aid Services helped Joe and Paula Frye keep their home in Oklahoma. Now that program’s federal funding may be in jeopardy.
Column
Legal Aid Is Under Assault, But Don’t Count It Out
David LashAbove the Law
March 17, 2017
Support for the provision of free legal representation to the poor is now, and always has been, a bipartisan issue. It should remain that way.
Op-Ed
Funding Legal Services Corp. vital as need grows
Linda KleinSouth Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 17, 2017
It's critical that Congress sustains funding writes the ABA president.
Interview
Chief Justice on Proposed Legal Aid Cuts: ‘You Can’t Just Be for the Rich Folks’
Angela MorrisTexas Lawyer
March 17, 2017
Judicial leaders in Texas plan to ask Congress and the White House to save federal funding for civil legal aid to poor Texans.
Feature
What Will Happen to Americans Who Can’t Afford an Attorney?
Matt FordAtlantic, The
March 19, 2017
President Trump’s budget would eliminate the Legal Services Corporation, which helps low-income individuals obtain representation in civil proceedings.
News Story
How Trump’s Budget Could Hurt Rural Voters Who Need Legal Help
Mike VainisiATTN
March 20, 2017
Cuts to the Legal Services Corporation will be felt in rural America.
News Story
Bush Appointee Takes Issue With Ending Federal Funding for Legal Services
Jonathan RingelDaily Report (Georgia)
March 17, 2017
He takes issue with conservative arguments for targeting federally-funded legal services.
News Story
Defunding Legal Services Corp. Would Have ‘Dramatic’ Impact in Pa.
Zack Needles, Hank GrezlakLegal Intelligencer (PA)
March 20, 2017
The proposal to zero out funding for Legal Services Corp. would be felt deeply by Pennsylvania's poorest regions, where civil legal aid providers rely most heavily on federal dollars and are already struggling to meet the population's needs.
Letter to Editor
Don’t chop legal aid funding
Deborah R. GrossPhiladelphia Inquirer
March 21, 2017
Eliminating funding for the Legal Services Corp. poses a threat to our entire community. Denying funding for civil legal aid prevents access to justice for all.
News Story
Donald Trump Plans to Eliminate Legal Aid Funding That Supports Survivors of Domestic Violence
Jordan SmithIntercept, The
March 20, 2017
When Sonota thinks about funding for legal aid being discontinued, she gets choked up. She believes defunding the LSC would sound a death knell for people like her.
News Story
Legal aid groups prepare for loss of federal funds
Dominic FracassaSan Francisco Chronicle
March 21, 2017
Legal aid organizations across California are bracing for what could be a devastating financial blow following the release of the Trump administration’s draft budget last week.
Audio , News Story
White House budget proposal cuts legal services for low-income Alaskans
Anne HillmanAlaska Public Media
March 22, 2017
For the past 50 years, Alaska Legal Services Corporation has offered free legal help to low-income Alaskans.
News Story
Proposed cuts would reduce legal aid for poor
Shannon EblenCourier-Post (NJ)
March 23, 2017
Cuts to funding for legal services for the poor could force thousands of New Jersey residents to go without representation in civil cases, advocates warn.
Op-Ed
Don’t eliminate funding for legal services
Erwin ChemerinskyOrange County Register
March 23, 2017
Eliminating federal funding for legal aid for the poor is unconscionable. Everyone — rich and poor alike — should have access to justice.
Op-Ed
Why California should boost legal aid funding
Bob Wieckowski, Salena CopelandMercury News (San Jose, CA)
March 22, 2017
Seniors, people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors and their children, elderly financial abuse victims, victims of consumer scams, working parents in debt and many more will be left alone to navigate a daunting legal system.
News Story
Pensacola pro-bono attorneys may lose $1.4 million under Trump
Kevin RobinsonPensacola News Journal (FL)
March 24, 2017
Thousands of local citizens wind up in court each year fighting legal battles to keep their homes, to maintain custody of their children and to hold onto work and medical benefits.
Letter to Editor
Don’t cut funding for legal services
Daily Gazette (NY)March 24, 2017
Eliminating funding of this critical organization would be devastating to our most vulnerable people at the most vulnerable times of their lives.
News Story
Lawyers Warn Against ‘Devastating’ Cuts to Legal Services
Michael MarcianoConnecticut Law Tribune
March 24, 2017
Members of Connecticut's legal aid community are taking the proposal seriously.
News Story
Budget cuts under Trump could hit South Dakota hard
John Hult, Patrick AndersonSioux City Journal
March 25, 2017
A law office that assists low-income South Dakotans in civil cases like evictions, divorces, protection orders and collections would lose two-thirds of its funding under Trump's budget proposal.
Op-Ed
Cuts to legal services for rural, poor people would hurt those who helped elect Trump
Kevin R. JohnsonSacramento Bee
March 26, 2017
Legal aid organizations across the country, especially in the nation’s rural expanses funded for decades by the Legal Services Corporations, provide the critical voice for the poorest and most vulnerable of our neighbors.
Op-Ed
Legal aid keeps courts accessible
Kimberly SanchezDaytona Beach News-Journal (FL)
March 26, 2017
Justice for all is a founding principle of our democracy. Unfortunately, for many Americans justice comes with a price tag they cannot afford.
Blog Post , News Story
General Counsel Join Fight to Save Legal Services Corp.
Sara RandazzoWall Street Journal (WSJ)
March 28, 2017
The group of top corporate lawyers, from companies including Google Inc., American Express, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Walt Disney, signed on to a letter delivered to all members of Congress.
News Story
185 Corporate Counsel Urge Congress to Fund LSC
Marcia CoyleNational Law Journal
March 28, 2017
Top in-house lawyers said the “minimal investment in LSC generates a significant positive return for business and the health of individuals and communities across the nation.”
Op-Ed
Our democracy can’t afford to cut legal aid services from the budget
John BarrowHill, The
March 29, 2017
It’s dumb because killing the LSC will do next to nothing to balance the budget.
News Story
Why General Counsel Oppose Trump’s Legal Services Cuts
Rebekah MintzerNational Law Journal
March 29, 2017
The in-house attorneys, representing numerous industries and some of the country’s biggest companies, asked Congress to grant the legal aid nonprofit $450 million in FY 2018.
News Story
Legal aid service fears Trump budget slashing
Javonte AndersonChicago Tribune
March 29, 2017
If ILS sustains budget cuts it would have a direct impact on the low-income citizens in Northwest Indiana, officials said.
Op-Ed
Calls To Defund The LSC Are Based On Outdated Information
Father Pius PietrzykDaily Caller
March 31, 2017
Funding LSC helps to foster the principle that access to the courts is an essential element of the rule of law, the bedrock of our Republic.
Op-Ed
Legal Service Corp. Funding is Critical to Justice for All
Eve RunyonALM
March 31, 2017
This proposal is in stark contrast to the bi-partisan support LSC has received throughout its 42-year history.
News Story
Legal Aid of North Carolina faces deep cuts under Trump’s budget proposal
Michael HewlettWinston-Salem Journal (NC)
April 1, 2017
Legal Aid of North Carolina could lose nearly half of its funding under President Donald Trump’s budget proposal.
Column
Want To Help The Economy? Then Don’t Cut Legal Aid.
David LashAbove the Law
March 31, 2017
Among the reasons for this powerful, across-the-aisle support has been the simple fact that an allocation of funding for legal aid is a wise investment.
Letter to Editor
Trump budget threatens legal services for the vulnerable
Abigail SmithDaily Camera (Boulder)
April 1, 2017
If we are unwilling or unable to fight for access to legal assistance now, we will heap injustice on those who can least afford it.
News Story
Legal aid for Louisiana poor on chopping block in Trump’s budget
Richard RaineyTimes-Picayune (New Orleans, LA)
April 3, 2017
For one of the most impoverished states in the country, President Donald Trump's budget proposal could put even greater distance between a lawyer and Louisiana's poor.
Op-Ed
A $15 tax bill nearly cost a family their home. With Trump, it would have
Martha BergmarkGuardian
April 3, 2017
The president wants to scrap legal aid, which countless Americans rely on when they cannot afford a private attorney. If he succeeds, it would be devastating.
News Story , Video
Montana Supreme Court justices raise concerns about legal aid funding
Jonathon AmbarianKTVH (Helena, MT)
April 3, 2017
All seven current justices of the Montana Supreme Court, along with eight retired members, are calling on Congress to continue funding two groups that help provide legal aid for people who can’t afford it.
News Story
Former Judge Lippman expects Congress to restore legal aid
Robert GavinAlbany Times Union
April 3, 2017
Lippman says he expects Congress to restore funds cut by Trump's budget.
Op-Ed
Legal Services, Americorps serve Montana well
Mike McGrath, Beth BakerBillings Gazette
April 4, 2017
These programs are critical partners in ensuring that the Montana justice system meets the Constitution’s command to “establish Justice ... and secure the Blessings of Liberty” to all Montanans.
Op-Ed , Speech
Justice system hangs in the balance
Rep. Joe Kennedy IIIBoston Herald
April 4, 2017
Legal Services cuts impact a lifeline for the poor.
News Story
Law firm leaders come out to defend Legal Services Corp. from Trump Administration
David HuttonSE Texas Record
April 3, 2017
A letter was sent to John Michael Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget from more than 150 law firm leaders, voicing their support of community-based legal services programs.
News Story
Trump’s Budget Would Cut Legal Aid Agencies
Allison ThibaultDaily Caller
April 4, 2017
It could hurt some poor people’s ability to get legal assistance for issues like domestic-violence restraining orders or home foreclosures.
Column
Guarding Legal Services Corp. from Trump budget cuts
Andrea D. LyonIndiana Lawyer
April 5, 2017
Many of us in legal education are dismayed by statements made and actions taken by the Trump administration thus far pushing to eliminate funding to organizations like the LSC that provide civil legal aid to low-income Americans.
News Story
Trump wants to cut off poor people’s legal lifeline
Bryce CovertThinkProgress
April 6, 2017
Without legal aid, there will be little assistance for those facing eviction, domestic violence, or huge amounts of debt.
Op-Ed
Equal justice under the law threatened by budget cuts
Mike O’ConnorSauk Valley Media
April 6, 2017
The federal budget request recently submitted by the president includes the complete elimination of the Legal Services Corp.
News Story
Going Into Motion For the Legal Services Corporation
Chuck QuirmbachWisconsin Public Radio
April 6, 2017
State Bar, Advocates For Domestic Abuse Victims Criticize Trump Plan.
Op-Ed
Don’t kill the Legal Services Corporation
David NammoUSA Today
April 7, 2017
Most of the legal needs of the poor go unmet. The result is a crisis of justice.
News Story
Madison attorneys, advocates say Trump budget cuts threaten legal aid organizations
Lisa SpeckhardCapital Times (Madison, WI)
April 7, 2017
At a press conference Thursday, advocates and lawyers gathered to defend LAW and similar organizations that provide attorneys for low-income defendants in the civil court system.
Editorial
Legal aid vital
Scranton Times-TribuneApril 9, 2017
Before the Trump administration follows through on its proposal to zero-out federal contributions to the Legal Services Corp., it should examine its net impact.
Op-Ed
We must fund legal services for the poor
Nick FishStreet Roots
April 11, 2017
"Equal justice under law” is a core value of our nation. But what happens when a victim of domestic violence, or an older adult facing eviction, can’t afford a lawyer? What happens when millions of Americans don’t have access to justice?
Column
Trump Targets the Legal Services Corporation
Dorothy SamuelsAmerican Prospect, The
April 11, 2017
Another presidential assault on the courts and poor people—and another critical institution heedlessly threatened.
News Story
Ohio Supreme Court chief justice seeks funding for Legal Aid
Tom JacksonSandusky Register (OH)
April 11, 2017
The chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court has asked Ohio lawmakers to reject President Donald Trump's request that they end federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation, the federal agency that funds Legal Aid.
Op-Ed
Cuts to Legal Aid Would Be Catastrophic for Children
Nisha KashyapChronicle of Social Change (CA)
April 13, 2017
Children are the hidden beneficiaries of legal aid services.
News Story
Legal-Service Aid for Vulnerable North Dakotans on Chopping Block
Eric TegethoffPublic News Service (PNS)
April 18, 2017
Tucked into the Trump administration's proposed $54 billion cut to domestic programs, is the complete defunding of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a funding organization that helps provide free legal services on civil matters to poor Americans.
Interview
Viacom’s Shari Redstone on Why Everyone Needs a Good Lawyer
Brent LangVariety
April 18, 2017
“The entire legal system was built upon the assumption that people would have adequate representation. When they don’t, the system fails and the laws don’t matter.”
News Story
Legal experts: Trump’s budget plan may jeopardize legal services for poor
Jared KlineWHSV (Harrisonburg, VA)
April 18, 2017
Several statewide organizations are decrying a proposed cut in President Donald Trump's budget plan they say could jeopardize legal aid to millions.
News Story
Trump’s Budget: Taking Aim at Legal Aid for the Poor
S. Heather DuncanKnoxville Mercury
April 19, 2017
In Knoxville and 25 other counties, the poor can turn to Legal Aid of East Tennessee for help—but that could change if President Trump succeeds in shutting down the nonprofit that provides half of its funding.
Editorial
Don’t cut legal aid for the poor
Tampa Bay TimesApril 24, 2017
Preserving funding for the Legal Services Corp. should be a priority — and so should securing a more stable source of funding at the state level to help thousands of poor Floridians get through the courthouse door.
Op-Ed
Budget cuts threaten to slam the courthouse door on many Alabama residents
Linda KleinAL.com
April 26, 2017
When ordinary Americans need help with life's big problems, the Legal Services Corporation is there. But its survival is threatened. That's why it needs help from every resident of Alabama.
Letter to Editor
Protect legal counsel for all
G. Scott McCombColumbus Dispatch
April 27, 2017
Legal Aid helps the forgotten in our society and also makes so much financial sense. Besides, it’s the right thing to do. President Donald Trump must remember the Pledge of Allegiance and protect justice for all.
News Story
Trump’s Cuts to Legal Aid Programs Would Hurt Low-Income Texans
John BognaHouston Press
April 27, 2017
President Donald Trump's discretionary budget proposal for fiscal year 2018, released last week, would cut funding entirely from 19 organizations, including the Legal Services Corporation.
Op-Ed
Budget cuts could threaten legal services for state’s poor
Wendy GlasbrennerGainesville Times (GA)
April 28, 2017
It’s imperative that attorneys like ours are available to intervene in cases where people could otherwise not afford a lawyer.
Editorial
Don’t close courthouse doors on Floridians
Orlando SentinelApril 28, 2017
An additional $22 million for legal aid would be modest by comparison, but it would have a life-changing impact for thousands of Floridians.
News Story
Saving Legal Services Corp’s Funding: Inside The Battle
Gabe FriedmanBloomberg
May 5, 2017
President Trump is expected to release his budget for the next fiscal year in late May, and then Congress will have an appropriations process and during which time LSC’s funding level will be determined.
Letter to Editor
Trump budget would cut vital legal services
William RobitzekCentralMaine.com
May 6, 2017
Gutting civil legal aid would devastate low-income families and vulnerable people in Maine and throughout the U.S. Especially hard hit would be rural areas, where legal help is scarce.
Op-Ed
Legal lifeline to low-income people in peril
Linda Klein, Patricia BennettClarion Ledger (Jackson, MS)
May 6, 2017
When ordinary Americans need help with life’s big problems, the Legal Services Corp. is there. But its survival is threatened. That’s why it needs help from every resident of Mississippi.
Op-Ed
Klein, Williams: Cuts threaten to slam courthouse door on West Virginians
Linda Klein, Marc E. WilliamsCharleston Gazette-Mail
May 13, 2017
When ordinary Americans need help with life’s big problems, the Legal Services Corporation is there. But its survival is threatened. That’s why it needs help from every resident of West Virginia.
News Story
ABA president advocates a $450M budget for LSC in letter to Senate
Lee RawlesABA Journal
May 15, 2017
"Funding for equal justice under federal law cannot be shouldered by state and local governments as an unfunded mandate,” Klein wrote.
Op-Ed
Civil legal aid good for business and poor
Jon LaramoreIndianapolis Business Journal
May 20, 2017
President Trump's budget seeks to eliminate the Legal Services Corporation. The impact inevitably will be felt most heavily in rural areas, which are the most costly to serve. But it ultimately will be felt by business owners across Indiana as well.
News Story
Trump’s Cuts to Legal Services Are Yet Another Way of Making Poor People Suffer
Lisa NeedhamRewire
May 22, 2017
Trump's presidential budget proposes to eliminate funding for a program helping those with low incomes obtain legal representation for things like obtaining restraining orders, preventing foreclosures, and ensuring elderly people aren't scammed by lenders.
News Story
A Top Republican Backs A Federal Legal Aid Agency The White House Is Trying To Defund
Zoe TillmanBuzzFeed
May 23, 2017
The Trump administration has proposed getting rid of the Legal Services Corporation, which funds legal aid for low-income Americans. The agency’s president nevertheless said he’s “optimistic” about the future, given bipartisan support from Congress.
News Story
Trump budget hits legal aid and public service sectors
Marilyn OdendahlIndiana Lawyer
May 24, 2017
Conversely, the LSC is confident Congress would continue to allocate funding as it has for the last 42 years.
News Story
North Carolina AG opposes President Trump’s budget proposal that could lead to deep cuts for Legal Aid of North Carolina
Michael HewettWinston-Salem Journal (NC)
May 25, 2017
The Trump administration’s budget proposal, released this week, has called for eliminating Legal Services Corp., which has a current appropriation of $385 million.
Letter to Editor
Six of the worst cuts in Trump’s budget
Deborah RhodeWashington Post
May 26, 2017
Access to justice.
News Story
Cynthia Coffman attorneys general ask Congress to preserve federal legal aid funding
Ernest LuningColorado Statesman
May 26, 2017
Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, a Republican, urged Congress to reject a Trump administration budget proposal that would eliminate federal spending on civil legal services for rural and low-income Americans.
Op-Ed
Loss of legal services would threaten foundations of democracy
Julie Reiskin, John ZakhemColorado Springs Gazette
May 28, 2017
Access to justice is not a Democratic or Republican issue; it is an American value. As the Honorable Learned Hand cautioned, "If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: Thou shalt not ration justice."
Op-Ed
Equal justice at risk
John G. Levi, Victor B. MaddoxCourier-Journal (KY)
June 1, 2017
Every day, LSC-funded legal aid attorneys in Kentucky and across our nation are upholding this ideal as they work to expand access to justice to all Americans. Their vital work must continue.
News Story
Law students come to Martinsburg, learn about rural challenges, benefits
Danyel VanReenenJournal (Martinsburg, WV)
June 1, 2017
Resulting from a partnership between the Legal Services Corporation and the Equal Justice Works, the trip marks the beginning of a summer program for legal students interested in working with rural legal aid clients.
Op-Ed
Scalia supported legal aid — Trump doesn’t
Ralph GantsBoston Globe
June 5, 2017
The late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia praised the Legal Services Corporation for providing “high-quality legal assistance to those who would otherwise be unable to afford adequate legal counsel.”
Op-Ed
Civil legal aid programs extend ‘justice for all’ to Maine’s most vulnerable
Kevin Hancock, Nan HealdPortland Press Herald (Maine)
June 5, 2017
Pine Tree Legal Assistance is such a lifeline, but its federal funding source is imperiled by budget cuts.
News Story
Federal budget cuts could reduce legal aid to poor, elderly
Edith Brady-LunnyPantagraph
June 7, 2017
The chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court is adding his voice to others in the legal community calling for renewal of federal funding for attorneys to represent the nation's poor and elderly.
Op-Ed
In support of legal services
Brad CookNew Hampshire Business Review
June 9, 2017
Fund-raising campaign deserves help to meet a staggering need.
Op-Ed
With Liberty and Justice for All
Anthony A. HilliardArkansas Business
June 12, 2017
The best way to ensure liberty and justice for all and to protect the Constitution is to ensure all Arkansans have access to the justice system.
Letter to Editor
Federal leaders need to know how costly it would be to cut legal aid
Carol A. StarkeyBoston Globe
June 13, 2017
Eliminating LSC would have negative consequences for our nation’s bottom line.
Op-Ed
Former U.S. AG: President Trump, please don’t cut Legal Services
Dick ThornburghFox News
June 15, 2017
As U.S. Attorney General, I proudly advocated for the Americans with Disabilities Act. I know firsthand that legal rights mean little without lawyers to enforce them.
Op-Ed
Congress should restore full funding to a program that helps ensure ‘Justice for all’
Matthew M. HaarPatriot-News (Harrisburg)
June 20, 2017
Unnoticed by many is the daily struggle many Americans face in handling the costs of legal aid.
Letter to Editor
Contrary to editorial, Legal Aid needs additional funds
John SheaTelegram & Gazette (Worchester, MA)
June 22, 2017
While we appreciate the T&G’s concern about the state budget, we are failing in our country’s pledge of equal justice under the law and additional funding for legal aid is required to close the justice gap.
Op-Ed
Liberty and justice for Tacomans jeopardized
Derek KilmerTacoma News Tribune (WA)
June 25, 2017
Our legal system shouldn’t deny justice to working families and veterans. Those on fixed incomes shouldn’t be cut out of our legal system.
News Story
Proposed ’18 budget would cut LSC by 24%, increase funds for law enforcement and immigration court
Lee RawlesABA Journal
June 30, 2017
Martha Bergmark, a former LSC president, says she is extremely concerned about the proposed cut to a vital organization which has already experienced previous funding losses.
Column
The threat Trump poses that gets almost no attention
Catherine RampellWashington Post
July 3, 2017
Low-income families, whether in red-state America or blue, turn out to need a lot of legal help.
Op-Ed
Don’t turn our backs on justice for all
Walter Mondale, Linda KleinStar-Tribune (Minneapolis)
July 7, 2017
The White House wants to defund legal aid services that help millions of Americans. That would be costly — and wrong.
Blog Post
Tough Times for Legal Aid Everywhere, But Especially in Hawaii
Nancy YoungNonprofit Quarterly (NPQ)
July 10, 2017
The cut comes at a time when legal aid groups in Hawaii and throughout the nation are already facing more demand for their services than they can meet.
Op-Ed
Want to make a real difference for struggling vets? Ensure access to legal aid
Alicia McCormickNavy Times
August 6, 2017
Far too often, veterans do not know their rights and don’t get the help they need. Low-income veterans and other military personnel received inadequate or no professional legal help for 88 percent of their civil legal problems in 2017.
Editorial
Legal aid cuts another hit for the poor
Charlotte ObserverAugust 8, 2017
The legal aid cuts done in the name of budget-balancing but now said by longtime observers to likely be permanent deny the poor a fair shake in the complicated legal system.
News Story
New York City Guarantees a Lawyer to Every Resident Facing Eviction
Kriston CappsCityLab
August 14, 2017
The new law protecting low-income tenants is the first in the nation.
Op-Ed
The Legal Services Corporation’s meeting in Cleveland reminds us that access to justice is worth fighting for
Lea KayaliPlain Dealer (Cleveland, OH)
August 27, 2017
The truth is, due process is growing harder to come by for many Americans.
News Story
The Legal Crises to Follow in Hurricane Harvey’s Wake
Vann NewkirkAtlantic, The
August 29, 2017
Lawyers in Houston are acting as first responders, connecting victims with insurance issues, among others, to pro bono assistance.
Letter to Editor
Pro bono attorneys needed to address justice gap
Linda Rio ReichmannChicago Tribune
August 30, 2017
Low-income Americans received no or inadequate legal help for 86 percent of their non-criminal legal problems, including domestic violence, divorce, child support, veterans' benefits, disability access, housing conditions and health care.
Feature
For Struggling Consumers, a Cheaper Way to File for Bankruptcy
Katy Stech FerekWall Street Journal (WSJ)
September 10, 2017
A nonprofit has developed an online program designed to help people prepare a chapter 7 filing without a lawyer.
Op-Ed
Harvey and Irma survivors need food, water, shelter – and a lawyer
Martha BergmarkFox News
September 12, 2017
As recovery proceeds, survivors will have a critical need for something less obvious – legal help.
Op-Ed
Every year, millions try to navigate US courts without a lawyer
Lauren Sudeall Lucas, Darcy MealsAssociated Press (AP)
September 21, 2017
Without legal assistance, their issues will likely be unresolved or, worse, wrongly resolved against them.
News Story
Legal help for needy in demand in Metro Detroit
Oralandar Brand-WilliamsDetroit News
October 9, 2017
From assisting parents in custody disputes to helping low-income homeowners stave off foreclosure, area law clinics are ramping up their efforts to assist Metro Detroiters who can’t afford attorneys as demand increases.
Feature
The Justice Gap
Lincoln CaplanHarvard Magazine
October 20, 2017
America’s unfulfilled promise of “equal justice under law”.
Op-Ed
Lawyers step up to help disaster survivors
Hilarie BassHouston Chronicle
October 23, 2017
But as the interest in the story wanes, legal needs for the people affected by these storms are just beginning to surface. Disaster survivors' legal problems can be lengthy and complicated. That is where lawyers can help.
Op-Ed
Scrapping loan forgiveness for public servants hurts our democracy
Christopher P. ChapmanHill, The
November 11, 2017
Broad access to justice is essential to the preservation of any democracy, and yet many Americans struggle to afford adequate legal representation.
Column
Consumer advocates will converge on Congress, but don’t expect GOP to see the light
David LazarusLos Angeles Times (LA Times)
November 14, 2017
More than 100 consumer advocates and lawyers will meet throughout the day with lawmakers and staff members.
Column
A Special Kind of Giving
Mona CharenNational Review
December 22, 2017
Tzedek DC, a new Jewish legal-aid society, provides pro bono representation for the poor in debt cases.
News Story
Could Gaming Help Close the Access to Justice Gap?
Gabrielle Orum HernándezLaw.com
January 5, 2018
As the legal industry writ large continues to consider opportunities to close the access to justice gap, four state legal aid groups have proposed an unconventional approach: gaming.
News Story
Mobile game helps people act as their own lawyer so they don’t, for example, call the judge ‘dude’
David BrooksConcord Monitor (NH)
January 16, 2018
Private lawyers are often too expensive for such small-claims or family court cases and the number of lawyers working pro bono doesn’t begin to meet the need, creating a lot of what is known in legalese as self-represented litigants.
News Story
Legal aid funding included in budget deal
Marilyn OdendahlIndiana Lawyer
February 9, 2018
LSC’s funding will stay at the 2017 level of $385 million until Congress finishes the appropriations process that will determine the balance of funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2018.
News Story
Defunding Legal Services Corp., per Trump’s wishes, would cut almost $4 million from local legal aid groups
Jeremy NobileCrain’s Cleveland Business
February 14, 2018
Legal aid groups once again face a potential budget slashing as part of a recent proposal by President Donald Trump at a time when their resources are already stretched thin.
News Story
Amid another call for defunding, LSC asking for an increase
Marilyn OdendahlIndiana Lawyer
February 20, 2018
LSC leaders are confident of continued support from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill but the organization is asking for more money even though it may still get a funding cut in fiscal year 2018.
Op-Ed
Low-income hurricane victims being denied legal assistance
Charles ElsesserMiami Herald
February 21, 2018
Congress must appropriate funding that permits legal aid groups to provide legal help, including representation, for as long as necessary for recovery, which we know can take years.
News Story
Legal aid for low-income Texans cut under proposed 2019 White House budget
Steffi LeeKXAN (Local NBC, Austin, TX)
February 23, 2018
Connie Castillo and Jeanette Bell live in different parts of Texas, but both share a similar feeling: If it wasn’t for civil legal aid services coming to their help, they don’t know what they would do.
Op-Ed
Trump has a chance to help domestic violence survivors
Martha BergmarkHill, The
February 28, 2018
If he wants to change the story, and at the same time provide real support for survivors of domestic violence, the president has an opportunity at his fingertips: Defend, don’t defund, the Legal Services Corporation.
Editorial
Encouragement and Aspirations for the #LegalAidDefenders
Connecticut Law TribuneMarch 2, 2018
Within the swirl of political activity of 2017 lay yet another attack on the Legal Services Corp., the federal agency that serves as the single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans.
News Story
Proposed Cuts to Civil Legal Services Will Deny Courtroom Justice to the Poor
Eleanor J. BaderTruthout
March 11, 2018
Last year -- fiscal 2018 -- Trump identified the Legal Services Corporation as one of 19 organizations to be completely eliminated.
News Story
Legal Aid Funding ‘Crucial’ After Hurricanes, Florida Chief Justice Says
Celia AmpelLaw.com
March 13, 2018
Comments at a congressional hearing in Washington came weeks after President Donald Trump threatened to eliminate funding for the Legal Services Corp.
News Story , Video
Proposed cut for legal aid for low-income Americans hurts programs for poor
Roland RodriguezKRIS-TV (Corpus Christi)
March 20, 2018
Not only will this 2019 budget-cut hurt low-income Texans, it will also hurt the programs that help them.
News Story
Congress gives $410 million to Legal Services Corp.
Marilyn OdendahlIndiana Lawyer
March 23, 2018
Significantly, the rise in appropriation comes after the Trump Administration proposed defunding LSC completely.
News Story
Kentucky Could Become Third State Not To Fund Legal Aid
Associated Press (AP)March 27, 2018
State lawmakers are considering cutting the program to save money in a budget crunch caused by massive pension liabilities and stagnant revenues.
Op-Ed
States’ Vital Role in Providing Civil Justice for Everyone
Martha BergmarkGoverning
April 2, 2018
It's up to lawmakers to provide the funding that's needed and to back reforms that make the system work better.
Column
Kentucky Attempted To Kill Legal Aid Funding — We Should All Be Terrified
Joe PatriceAbove the Law
April 18, 2018
Kentucky's broken the taboo against eliminating legal aid funding -- expect things to get even worse around the country.
Op-Ed
Legal aid ensures equal justice for all; Congress must increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation
Hilarie BassHill, The
April 27, 2018
It helps disaster victims get the government assistance to which they are entitled. When domestic violence survivors need protection, LSC lawyers help obtain court orders. And LSC helps tenants who face illegal evictions.
Op-Ed
Meeting the Challenge of the Legal Aid Crisis
John G. Levi, Ken Frazier, Harriet MiersNational Law Journal
May 4, 2018
The opioid crisis and the recent spate of natural disasters present new challenges to already overburdened civil legal aid providers.
News Story
Partnership could ease bankruptcy process
Jeremy NobileCrain’s Cleveland Business
May 6, 2018
While the Akron nonprofit is the only group in the state partnering with Upsolve for a one-year pilot program to help low-income clients facing bankruptcy, it joins several other legal aid groups doing so across the country.
News Story
Community Legal Aid pilot program provides virtual legal assistance in Wayne County
Jeremy NobileCrain’s Cleveland Business
May 16, 2018
Community Action has set up a virtual office at its Wooster location to connect low-income Wooster citizens seeking legal help with legal aid attorneys, allowing typical consultations and assistance with legal documents to be addressed.
Op-Ed
State budget should support legal aid
Jack D’AuroraColumbus Dispatch
May 27, 2018
Remarkably, the state of Ohio contributes nothing to legal aid. The Ohio Supreme Court’s Task Force recommended in 2015 that the Ohio General Assembly fund the cost of the 120 legal-aid attorneys and support staff who were laid off because of declining funds.
News Story
Can’t Afford a Lawyer?
Christie ThompsonMarshall Project
July 18, 2018
Civil representation is too expensive for many, but Washington state has one solution.
News Story
Atlanta Legal Aid Takes On New Foe: Homeowner Tax Hikes
Meredith HobbsLaw.com
August 16, 2018
Atlanta Legal Aid is using a major federal grant to expand "limited scope," high-impact volunteer projects, including the property tax aid initiative.
Column
How Rising Inequality Has Widened the Justice Gap
Robert FrankNew York Times (NYT)
August 31, 2018
Rising inequality has harmed low-income families not only by depriving them of a fair share of society’s income growth, but also in a more specific way: It has stacked the legal system even more heavily against them.
News Story
New App Lets You ‘Sue Anyone By Pressing a Button’
Caroline HaskinsMotherboard
October 10, 2018
DoNotPay is a free app that is designed to help normal people fight big corporations in small claims court.
Op-Ed
Liberals Abandoned Civil Legal Aid. Now They Need to Bring It Back.
Douglas GrantSlate
October 12, 2018
A “civil Gideon” is needed to provide publicly funded attorneys for low-income people in cases like eviction proceedings, domestic violence, and public benefits disputes.
News Story
Legal Aid Funder Faces Existential Crisis Under Trump
RJ VogtLaw360
October 28, 2018
Following Donald Trump's election to the presidency, the LSC and its grantees face an existential crisis — for the first time since President Ronald Reagan left office, the executive branch has repeatedly called for LSC's elimination.
Op-Ed
The Modernization Our Civil Legal System Needs
Susan K. UrahnGoverning
November 6, 2018
Technology can help people who don't have lawyers and make courts more efficient.
Op-Ed
America’s civil justice system needs reform, too
Martha BergmarkUSA Today
December 12, 2018
Poor remain underrepresented and taken advantage of when it comes to court claims and judgments.
Feature
No Country For Old Lawyers: Rural U.S. Faces A Legal Desert
Cara Bayles, Jack KarpLaw360
January 27, 2019
Although about 20 percent of Americans live in rural areas, only 2 percent of lawyers practice there.
News Story
LSC new leaders’ council will raise legal aid profile
Minnesota LawyerFebruary 8, 2019
The group will include some of the country’s rising leaders from diverse industries.
Column
Republicans’ deregulation is hurting consumers. A new bill from Democrats could help.
Catherine RampellWashington Post
March 4, 2019
At exactly the same time that Republicans have been rolling back supposedly burdensome regulations, they have also been making it harder for downstream victims to seek redress.
Investigative
How Americans navigate a civil justice system made ‘by lawyers, for lawyers’
Mollie BryantBig If True
March 18, 2019
Across the country, a huge influx of individuals are representing themselves in civil courtrooms, which lack the criminal side’s right to counsel.
News Story
Will Congress Heed Trump’s Call To Nix Legal Aid Funder?
RJ VogtLaw360
March 24, 2019
For the third year in a row, President Trump’s budget calls for eliminating LSC, but advocates for America’s main funder of civil legal aid remain hopeful that lawmakers will again rebuff that recommendation.
News Story
In Louisiana civil courts, the poor are left to defend themselves
Richard A. WebsterTimes-Picayune (New Orleans, LA)
March 14, 2019
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services – a nonprofit that provides free legal representation in 22 parishes, including Orleans – does what it can to fill the gap and meet the substantial demand, but it does so with limited resources.
News Story
Will Congress Heed Trump’s Call To Nix Legal Aid Funder?
RJ VogtLaw360
March 24, 2019
For the third year in a row, President Donald Trump’s annual budget calls for the elimination of the Legal Services Corp., but advocates for America’s largest single funder of legal aid services remain hopeful that lawmakers will again rebuff that recommendation.
News Story
Closing Housing Justice Gap Needs More Than Lawyers
Andrew StricklerLaw360
April 14, 2019
A daunting justice gap facing low-income people threatened with home evictions demands a “wrap around” response by volunteer lawyers backed by social services and other kinds of assistance, pro bono advocates said Tuesday.
News Story
Cornyn meets with Texas Access to Justice Commission, vows to fight for funding for Legal Services Corporation
Carrie BradonSE Texas Record
April 30, 2019
On April 10, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) met with a group from the Texas Access of Justice Commission in order to discuss future funding for the Legal Services Corporation.
News Story
Closing Housing Justice Gap Needs More Than Lawyers
Andrew StricklerLaw360
April 14, 2019
A daunting justice gap facing low-income people threatened with home evictions demands a “wrap around” response by volunteer lawyers backed by social services and other kinds of assistance, pro bono advocates said Tuesday.
News Story
250+ General Counsel Ask Congress to Boost Federal Funding for Legal Services Corp.
Caroline SpiezioLaw.com
April 29, 2019
More than 250 general counsel are asking Congress to increase federal funding for Legal Services Corp. as the Trump administration seeks to completely cut funding for the group, which offers legal aid to low-income Americans.
News Story
General Counsel Request More Funding for Legal Services Corp.
Melissa Heelan StanzioneBloomberg
April 29, 2019
This is the third year in a row that the Trump administration has threatened to defund LSC, the nation’s single largest sponsor of civil legal aid, despite bipartisan support for the group.
Op-Ed
Top Amazon Lawyer: ‘Justice for All’ Requires More Funding and Innovation
David ZapolskyFortune
June 18, 2019
The private and public sectors need to work together to fix the broken civil justice system and ensure justice for all.
News Story
Trump to Nominate Big Law Attorney to Legal Services Corp Board
Melissa Heelan StanzioneBloomberg Big Law Business
June 14, 2019
President Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate Matthew D. Keenan, the former chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s pro bono committee, to the board of directors of the Legal Services Corporation.
News Story
Top Legal Aid Funder Lands $15M Marked For Disaster Relief
RJ VogtLaw360
June 9, 2019
On June 3, the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the second year in a row to earmark $15 million for LSC — this time without limitations on how it could be used.
News Story
Legal Aid Groups Shouldn’t Wait For A Disaster To Act
Emma CuetoLaw360
September 22, 2019
When people think of providing aid after a hurricane, earthquake or flood, they don't typically think of legal aid, but natural disaster victims often need help with everything from disputes with landlords to appealing a denied FEMA claim to proving their identity after losing key documents.
News Story
All Work And Low Pay: Wage Gap Persists For Legal Aid Attys
Emma CuetoLaw360
September 29, 2019
While it isn’t surprising that attorneys working for nonprofit groups would receive less pay, the size of the discrepancy — and the low salaries in general — is concerning, Sandman said.
News Story
Legal Aid Org’s Departing Chief Praised For Funding Boost
Emma CuetoLaw360
January 26, 2020
Sandman said that his time at LSC had been “very rewarding,” and that after leaving he hopes to teach and to find other ways to contribute to the cause of access to justice.
Feature
An LSC grant program is trying to increase access to justice through tech
Stephanie Francis WardABA Journal
February 1, 2020
Since 2000, approximately $65 million has been awarded by the TIG program.
News Story
Trump budget again aims to defund Legal Services Corp
Caroline SpiezioReuters News Service
February 10, 2020
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called for a defunding of Legal Services Corp in his budget proposal for fiscal year 2021, the fourth year in a row his administration has aimed to shutter the nonprofit, which promotes access to civil legal aid to low-income Americans.
News Story
LSC looking to continue streak of appropriation increases
Marilyn OdendahlIndiana Lawyer
February 11, 2020
Pointing to what it describes as an “overwhelming need for civil legal services,” Legal Services Corp. is asking a federal appropriation of $652.6 million for fiscal year 2021, a $212.6 million increase from the appropriation it received for fiscal year 2020.
News Story
Under Pressure: Legal Aid Attys Brace For Virus’s Impacts
Emma CuetoLaw360
March 15, 2020
As the entire legal industry continues reacting to the spread of COVID-19, the legal aid community is bracing for its expected impact on their services for underserved communities. And in some parts of the country, providers are already weathering the effects. This article looks at how some providers across the country are preparing.
News Story
As COVID-19 Layoffs Increase Demand for Legal Aid, Providers Expect Precipitous Funding Drop
Angela MorrisTexas Lawbook, Law.com
March 25, 2020
Civil legal-aid providers across the country are expecting a flood of Americans to begin qualifying for legal aid because of mass layoffs arising from COVID-19 government shutdowns. Some will face serious legal issues, yet as the demand for legal aid increases, the bottom just dropped out of the legal-aid budget. When the federal government cut interest rates to spur the economy, that also zeroed out the interest rate for Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, which is the traditional funding source for legal-aid providers.
News Story
After $100M Ask, Legal Aid Funder Nets $50M For Relief Work
RJ VogtLaw360
March 27, 2020
Op-Ed
More resources for the Legal Services Corporation are needed as the pandemic continues
Rep. Steve CohenHill, The
April 28, 2020
Audio , Interview , News Story
COVID-19 Has Created A Legal Aid Crisis. FEMA’s Usual Response Is Missing
Rebecca HersherNational Public Radio (NPR)
May 11, 2020
Long Form
No Money, No Lawyer, No Justice – The vast, hidden inequities of the civil legal system
Kathryn JoyceNew Republic
June 22, 2020
News Story
Legal aid providers, already stretched thin, anticipate surge in evictions and requests for help
Crain’s Cleveland BusinessJuly 28, 2020
News Story
Domestic Violence, Eviction, Finances Drive Virus Legal Aid Rise
Melissa Heelan StanzioneBloomberg Law
July 24, 2020
Op-Ed
Law Schools Must Focus on Access to Justice
Jonathan Lippman, Matthew Diller, David UdellNational Law Journal
September 26, 2016
Fordham, Stanford and other institutions are working to lessen the legal system's limitations.
Column
What the Poor Really Need Is Legal Aid
Susan BeckLaw.com
June 24, 2016
Now is the time for a Second Wave Revolution in Big Law pro bono.
News Story
To More Efficiently Leverage Civil Legal Aid, New York Providers Eye Online Portals
Ricci DipshanALM
June 23, 2016
The focus on providing, expanding and modernizing civil legal aid in New York comes directly from the top.
News Story
Big Firms Slow to Answer Legal Services Funding Plea
Susan BeckALM
June 13, 2016
So far, only 19 law firms have agreed to contribute.
News Story
Study: More help needed for unrepresented in family court
Donna BrysonAssociated Press (AP)
June 10, 2016
Some jurisdictions report it's becoming the norm for at least one party to act on his or her own behalf in family court, often because trained help is out of financial reach.
News Story
Microsoft To Fund New Pilot Project To Improve Legal Aid
Susan BeckALM
April 19, 2016
Microsoft Corp. is committing $1 million to fund pilot projects for online legal portals that will direct low-income people to legal service providers.
News Story
Legal Services Corporation president: U.S. has defaulted on pledge of equal justice under law
Rachel LippmannSt. Louis Public Radio
March 2, 2016
Declining federal money for legal aid programs, and a drop in other funding sources, mean the United States is no longer living up to a founding principle.
News Story
Court Leaders Want Poor To Have Better Access To Lawyers
Daniela AltimariHartford Courant
January 11, 2016
An influential coalition of jurists and legislators is hoping to change this inequality.
Blog Post
What to Do With Your Bonus
Susan BeckALM
December 22, 2015
Here's a suggestion for something else to do with a teeny-tiny sliver of that bonus money: Write a generous check to a civil legal aid group.
Op-Ed
Providing equal access to justice for all
Rep. Joe Kennedy IIITaunton Daily Gazette (MA)
September 11, 2015
It’s time for Congress to stand firmly behind increased funding for legal aid and ensure every American is afforded the protections our justice system promises, says Joe Kennedy III in this op-ed.
Op-Ed
For criminal justice reform, look to civil legal aid
David UdellAl Jazeera America
September 5, 2015
Any reform on criminal justice will fall short unless our leaders recognize that being smart on crime requires being just as smart on civil justice.
Interview
LSC’s James Sandman: We Need Technology & Paraprofessionals
Monica BayBloomberg
July 31, 2015
Q&A with Legal Services Corporation president James Sandman about solutions and trends in civil justice.
Op-Ed
How to save families from losing everything
Martha Bergmark, Thomas E. PerezCNN
July 27, 2015
There is a resource for our communities that does not receive enough attention, yet is critical to ensuring that families not only stay afloat but move up the economic ladder: civil legal aid.
Listicle
10 Financial Moves That Keep You Sane During a Divorce
Marilyn LewisMoney Talks News
July 23, 2015
Lawyers rank highest in this listicle about keeping sane during a divorce.
Op-Ed
U.S. needs renewal of a core value: access to justice
Jean A. Lastine, John G. LeviMinnPost
July 17, 2015
Civil legal aid programs are being forced to turn away scores of low-income Americans seeking civil legal assistance. It's time to change that says this op-ed.
News Story
There’s just one legal aid lawyer for every 8,893 low-income Americans who qualify for them
Rob WileFusion
June 29, 2015
A staggering statistic on the barriers to justice facing Americans.
Op-Ed
Equal justice remains elusive for the poor
Lauren CarasikAl Jazeera America
June 29, 2015
Op-ed pointing out that equal justice remains elusive for millions of poor and low-income Americans. And the failure to provide meaningful access to representation runs afoul of regional and international human rights norms.
News Story
Major Law Firms Give Little to Legal Aid, Study Finds
Elizabeth OlsonNew York Times (NYT)
June 29, 2015
While major law firms are enjoying record revenues — more than $100 billion last year — they are donating only a tenth of 1 percent of their proceeds for legal aid to low-income people.
Feature
The Justice Gap: How Big Law Is Failing Legal Aid
Susan BeckALM
June 29, 2015
An in-depth examination of law firms' lack of financial contributions to civil legal aid.
Op-Ed
Put Lawyers Where They’re Needed
Theresa AmatoNew York Times (NYT)
June 17, 2015
Millions of Americans lack crucial legal services. Yet enormous numbers of lawyers are unemployed. Why can’t the supply of lawyers match the demand? This op-ed explains.
News Story
How to Dump Tenants and Make a Fortune
DW GibsonNation
June 11, 2015
Article detailing how landlords are turning public housing into a lucrative business, hurting renters in the process.
Blog Post
Mind the Gap: Bending the Cost Curve of Legal Services to Close the Justice Gap
Ray BresciaHuffington Post
June 9, 2015
How do we use technology and innovation to break down barriers to justice and affordability of lawyers? This op-ed lays out ideas.
Op-Ed
Maxwell: Congress should not cut legal aid to the poor
Bill MaxwellTampa Bay Times
June 5, 2015
Op-ed encouraging Congress not to cut federal funding for civil legal aid.
Op-Ed
Legal Aid Jobs Await Law School Graduates
Ray BresciaNational Law Journal
June 1, 2015
Op-ed about the disconnect between the number of unemployed law graduates and the unmet need for civil legal services.
Editorial
Don’t cut Legal Services’ budget
Miami HeraldJune 1, 2015
Cutting funding for civil legal services is a terrible idea with human and financial costs says this editorial.
Blog Post
Funding civil legal aid: A bipartisan issue
Sharon Browne, Martha MinowHill, The
April 13, 2015
The funding crisis for civil legal aid puts America’s commitment to justice at stake. Funding for civil legal aid is a bipartisan issue.
Feature , News Story
The Utah Lawyers Who Are Making Legal Services Affordable
Michael ZuckermanAtlantic, The
August 7, 2014
A so-called sliding-scale model plus a bit of creativity allows Open Legal Services in Utah to represent those with few other options.
Blog Post
Closing the ‘Justice Gap’
Lonnie A. PowersHuffington Post
July 11, 2014
This blog post details the way technology and self-help centers are helping expand access to justice.
Blog Post
Legal Assistance in Civil Cases Under Growing Threat
John EligonNew York Times (NYT)
September 16, 2011
Proposed congressional funding cuts to LSC are badly timed, with civil legal needs rapidly increasing, according to the Legal Aid Society of New York.
Column
Discussing Disaster Relief Costs, and Changing Tone When It’s Closer to Home
Michael PowellNew York Times (NYT)
December 31, 2012
Legal service lawyers helped families and businesses file insurance, FEMA and unemployment claims after tornadoes and other disasters in MO, TN, MS and KY, so why not after Hurricane Sandy?
Letter to Editor
Legal Help for the Poor: The View From the A.B.A.
William T. Robinson IIINew York Times (NYT)
August 30, 2011
To address justice gap, increase LSC funding and pro bono work instead of opening the practice of law to unschooled, unregulated nonlawyers.
Op-Ed
Guest opinion: Legal Services aids veterans, more needy Montanans
James J. Sandman, Alison PaulBillings Gazette
December 3, 2014
Billings Gazette op-ed co-authored by Alison Paul, executive director of Montana Legal Services Association, and LSC president James Sandman.
News Story
A Push for Legal Aid in Civil Cases Finds Its Advocates
Erik Eckholm, Ian LovettNew York Times (NYT)
November 22, 2014
Organizations like the Eviction Assistance Center in Los Angeles help, but free legal assistance in noncriminal cases is rare and growing rarer.
News Story
Is There Such a Thing as an Affordable Lawyer?
Michael ZuckermanAtlantic, The
May 30, 2014
For many Americans, legal services are out of reach. This long and thoughtful magazine article examines innovative ways to think about and meet legal needs for the poor and middle class.
Op-Ed
Creative Ways to Provide Access to Justice
Martha BergmarkNew York Law Journal, ALM
March 25, 2014
Federal funding for civil legal aid is crucial, but there the lesser-known story is that innovators in the legal field are taking matters into their own hands.
Op-Ed
U.S. Justice Gap is Under International Scrutiny
Risa E. KaufmanNational Law Journal, ALM
March 3, 2014
How the US can meet its international human rights commitments and ensure fundamental fairness in the US legal system.
This page last modified: Wed, October 19, 2016 -- 9:50 am ET