NYCLA Rule of Law Task Force Recommends Legal Services Corp be Adequately Funded

The Rule of Law Task Force of the New York County Lawyers Association urges that sufficient funding be provided to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) so that it may meet the growing needs of many Americans for basic civil legal services.

What Kind of Legal Assistance Does LSC provide?

The LSC attorneys and staff assist individuals who would otherwise be evicted from their homes, lose their homes to foreclosing lenders, be victims of spousal, child, or elderly abuse, lose custody of their children, be unable to obtain divorces on reasonable terms, be deprived of financial support or health care, be deprived of government benefits (including disaster, education, social security, or veterans’ benefits), or be victims of frauds, consumer scams, predatory or medical debt.

Who Does LSC Serve?

Individuals who have a household income at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible for LSC-funded legal assistance. Sixteen percent of Americans currently qualify, i.e., 52 million Americans. Currently, LSC funds support legal services for more than five million low-income Americans annually. This includes more than a million children, over 200,000 survivors of domestic violence and nearly 45,000 veterans.

LSC supports 130 legal aid providers with over 900 offices. Such providers or offices are in every county of every state, whether rural, suburban, or urban, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories.

What is the History and Governance of the LSC?

LSC was established by an act of Congress in 1974 and has worked to carry out its non-partisan mission of increasing access to justice for more than 50 years. LSC is governed by a bipartisan Board of Directors, appointed by the President, and confirmed by the Senate. By law, LSC’s Board is comprised of roughly equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats, with the majority representing the current Administration. President Trump during his first term appointed most of LSC’s current Board members.

Are LSC Grants Cost-Effective?

A recent LSC analysis of over 50 studies found that civil legal aid yields an average return of $7 for every $1 invested. The analysis shows the positive economic impact that civil legal aid creates by preventing and solving legal problems that lead to costly public expenditures on things like emergency medical care, law enforcement and shelters. Legal aid also helps improve family stability, leading to increased participation in local economies and reduced reliance on other forms of assistance.

Conclusions

An adequately funded LSC is needed for the proper administration of justice, to meet the needs of the poor, and to fulfill the promise of “Equal Justice for All,” that is carved in marble above the entrance to the United States Supreme Court, and to achieve our bar association’s mission of ensuring access to justice for all. It is also a prudent budgetary investment by our nation in its people. Thus, we join the bipartisan group of 37 state Chief Judges, the bipartisan group of 41 state attorneys general, and the more than 160 major law firms in calling for LSC be adequately funded.

About the New York County Lawyers Association
The New York County Lawyers Association (www.nycla.org) was founded in 1908 as one of the first major bar associations in the country that admitted members without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Since its inception, it has pioneered some of the most far-reaching and tangible reforms in American jurisprudence and has continuously played an active role in legal developments and public policy.

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