| This brochure courtesy of Legal Services of Northern Virginia. If you have questions about this material or this subject, we would like to hear from you. Send us e-mail or call at 703-534-4343. |
Why is the Campaign for Legal Aid needed?
What does Legal Services of Northern Virginia do?
How many cases per year does LSNV handle?
How efficient and cost-effective is this service?
How large is Legal Services of Northern Virginia?
Who funds Legal Services of Northern Virginia?
Won’t an increase in Pro Bono services take care of the need for free legal services?
What else should I know about the LSNV Campaign for Legal Aid?
1. Why is the Campaign for Legal Aid needed?
In the past decade the poverty population in Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun counties and the City of Alexandria has grown to over 102,000, an increase of 70%. However, because of scarce resources Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV) is forced to turn away at least as many applicants for help as it is able to accept and the situation has become even more critical over the last several years in the wake of cuts and stagnation in funding from the federal Legal Services Corporation.
According to the Legal Needs Study completed by the American Bar Association in 1994, tens of thousands of low-income households in Northern Virginia will face at least one or more problems this year where legal intervention would help, but for which no legal assistance is available. While there is approximately one attorney for every 478 persons in Northern Virginia, there is only one legal aid lawyer for every 3,538 poor persons. In short, LSNV simply lacks the resources to meet the tremendous and growing demand for legal help.
2. Why should attorneys and law firms be giving money to Legal Services; isn’t this
a government program?
LSNV is a private, not-for-profit corporation established for the purpose of providing civil legal assistance to low-income residents in Northern Virginia. LSNV was originally established in 1979 by members of the bars in the counties Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun, and the City of Alexandria to provide free legal services to those unable to afford help with their legal problems. LSNV was created from the merger of local legal aid offices in each of those communities. The legal community of Northern Virginia has a long history of providing legal services to the poor and annually provides thousands of hours of pro bono services to low-income families through LSNV’s Volunteer Lawyer Program.
Attorneys and judges have always recognized the importance of legal services to all members of our community, rich and poor. They know that without legal help the poor find themselves unarmed in judicial and administrative systems where they face the loss of income benefits, foreclosure on their homes, or where they are unable to seek the kind of relief that only the courts can give, such as a divorce.
3. What does Legal Services of Northern Virginia do?
LSNV’s primary purpose is to provide legal assistance to eligible low-income persons throughout Northern Virginia; and to secure equal justice under the law for persons who are unable to pay the cost of obtaining legal assistance. The types of cases handled by LSNV are basic "safety net” problems facing victims of domestic violence, abused and neglected children, and the disabled and elderly. LSNV attorneys specialize in poverty law. They have represented thousands of families faced with eviction and substandard housing. They successfully represent families and individuals who have been denied Social Security, Medicare and other benefits to which they are entitled, and have focused more than one-third of their representation on securing protection for child and adult victims of violence and abuse. LSNV also offers advice and counsel and legal representation to individuals and families with consumer and debt collection problems. LSNV sponsors a highly successful Volunteer Lawyer Program through which members of the private bar contribute their time to provide legal services to the poor. In 2000 private attorneys provided legal help in 800 cases through this program.
4. How many cases per year does LSNV handle?
In 2000 LSNV staff and pro bono attorneys handled over 5,600 total cases.
5. How efficient and cost-effective is this service?
LSNV’s average cost per case in 2000 was less than $500, and the per hour cost of legal services provided by LSNV was less than $26. Legal aid is an extremely cost-effective service. For example, helping an individual make the welfare-to-work transition can insure that a family will be permanently released from the bonds of poverty; preventing an eviction or foreclosure with early legal intervention can avoid the far more expensive societal costs of homelessness later. Securing a Protective Order can save women and children from severe physical and emotional harm, and gaining access to health care at a critical time often prevents more serious and much more expensive problems later.
6. How large is Legal Services of Northern Virginia?
LSNV's staff currently includes the full-time equivalent of twenty-five (25) full-time attorneys and ten (10) paralegals. LSNV serves the counties of Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun, and the City of Alexandria The total budget for the organization is $2,800,000.
7. Who funds Legal Services of Northern Virginia?
LSNV's funding sources include Fairfax County (21%), Legal Services Corporation of Virginia (including IOLTA and State Filing Fee, 19.4%), the federal Legal Services Corporation (17.3%), Arlington County (11.1%), City of Alexandria (7.4%), Prince William County (4.5%), United Way (3.4%), Loudoun County (2.3%), the Area Agency on Aging (Title III, 3.2%), foundation grants (1.8%) and other miscellaneous grants and revenue (8.5%).
8. What relationship does Legal Services of Northern Virginia have with other organizations
and agencies?
LSNV has close working relationships with local community-based organizations, state and county bar associations, the private bar, social service providers, and local government agencies. LSNV receives referrals from all of these groups, as well as from the courts. Typical of these efforts is the successful Fairfax District Court Outreach Program that LSNV implemented in collaboration with the Fairfax District Court and Fairfax Bar Association. In another successful project, LSNV's Stop the Violence Program, staff and pro bono attorneys represent victims of domestic violence in obtaining family protective court orders. LSNV has coordinated numerous community and legal education programs with local community organizations and continues to work cooperatively and in collaboration with them to provide high quality legal services to our low-income community.
9. Won’t an increase in Pro Bono services take care of the need for free legal services?
The private bar has always recognized its obligation to provide help to those without the means to pay for representation. In fact, in 2000 private attorneys representing low-income persons through LSNV's pro bono program handled 800 cases. However, the need for legal services far exceeds the capacity of pro bono programs to serve that need. Additionally, legal services attorneys are necessary to provide representation in areas not commonly served by private attorneys, such as public benefits and housing cases involving complex governmental regulations. In Northern Virginia, legal services attorneys and pro bono attorneys work together and supplement the special expertise of each. Contributions to the Campaign support the work of both.
10. What else should I know about the LSNV Campaign for Legal Aid?
Our goal is to make the Campaign for Legal Aid the primary focus for charitable giving in our legal community. The Campaign is modelled after dozens of similar successful efforts in cities and states across the nation. We anticipate that many members of the bar will choose to give significant gifts to the Campaign.
The Campaign for Legal Aid will be directed to donors outside the legal community, as well as to lawyers and judges. The Campaign has and will continue to solicit funds from the broader community because the entire community has a stake in guaranteeing access to the justice system. However, the initial focus of the Campaign is on lawyers and judges who, because of what they do, their knowledge of the unmet need, and their ethical obligation, are now starting to identify the Campaign for Legal Aid as the primary recipient of their charitable giving. Their strong participation will dramatically demonstrate the viability and credibility of the Campaign to the broader community.
Contributions to the Campaign support the work of LSNV staff attorneys and pro bono lawyers. LSNV has an experienced legal staff and program management, and maintains exemplary financial controls. Your contribution will be put to the best possible use here in your own community.