Teaming up to help Pittsburgh-area tenants in public housing eviction cases

Article about the partnership in Pittsburgh between legal aid and a private law firm to help with unlawful evictions.

News Story (Pennsylvania)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
June 28, 2015
Full story

Tags: Benefits of Legal Aid, Housing: Eviction, Housing: Landlord-Tenant, Pro Bono

Organizations mentioned/involved: Neighborhood Legal Services Association (Pittsburgh) (NSLA)


DETAILS

But eviction proceedings can be an intimidating process for a tenant to try to go it alone, he added, and for the nonprofit legal aid agency to have assistance from a firm the size of Reed Smith was enticing.

Neighborhood Legal Services has lost more than 22 percent of its budget over the past several years due to state funding cutbacks, and its Butler office closed at the end of 2012. Meanwhile, Reed Smith had 2014 revenue of $1.15 billion, with 1,890 lawyers in 25 offices around the world.

“I think we do a great job and have pioneered a lot of legal arguments,” Mr. Vitek said. “But when Reed Smith shows up with two associates to handle a case, it does add some gravitas.”