Legal aid attorneys, pro bono partners
from law firms, government leaders, judges, and advocates from around the
country gathered at the White House earlier this month for a forum on “The
State of Legal Assistance.” Moderated by
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Chairman John Levi, the forum looked at the
legal challenges faced by America’s most vulnerable groups, including veterans,
low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
A 2009 LSC study found that less than 20
percent of the legal problems experienced by poor people were addressed with
the help of a private or legal aid lawyer.
At the forum, a panel of LSC attorneys spoke of the strains on their
system in the wake of the country’s economic recession, and the hardships faced
by those served by legal aid.
John Whitfield, Executive Director of
Blue Ridge Legal Services in Harrisonburg, VA, noted that because of declining
revenue, his rural program has lost 26 percent of its staff compared to the end
of 2010. Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Executive Director, Colleen Carter, remarked that her organization’s funding
has decreased by 28 percent at the same time that the poverty population in the
region has increased by 30 percent. She
observed that foreclosures in the area have impacted the rich and poor alike,
and especially the working people in the community. Legal aid services for many facing
foreclosure have enabled them to keep their homes.
Speaking at the forum, President Barack
Obama said that making civil legal assistance available to low-income Americans
is “central to our notion of equal justice under the law.”
Attorney General Eric Holder also spoke
about the importance of access to justice for all of America’s people:
“Particularly
in this time of economic challenges – when funding for aid programs is limited,
and government budgets are on the chopping block – the urgency of this crisis
has been brought into stark focus. Fortunately, the leaders and advocates in
this room have responded not with despair, but with resolve. You’re stretching every dollar. You’re seeking ways to amplify the impact of
every resource we can bring to bear. And
I want you to know that this Administration stands ready to support your work
in any way possible.”
Attorney General Holder went on to note
the importance of elevating, encouraging, and engaging in pro bono
services. And he expressed his support
for President Obama’s budget which provides continued financial support for the
Legal Services Corporation, and, “offers the assistance necessary to transform
people’s lives and ensure that their rights are protected.”
He highlighted the work of Justice
Department’s Access to Justice Initiative on such issues as foreclosure
mediation, promoting pro bono, and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, and
called on those present “to create and strengthen the state-level Access to
Justice Commissions that have shown such remarkable progress.”
Statewide Access to Justice (ATJ)
Commissions have been an important development over the last decade in the
effort to close our nation’s civil-side justice gap. Typically established by the state’s highest
court in conjunction with state bar leadership, these formal Commissions are
tasked with coordinating, expanding and improving state-level civil legal
assistance. About half of the states
and the District of Columbia have active ATJ Commissions.
To
learn more about the Access to Justice Initiative, visit Justice.gov/atj.
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