Advocacy Alert: Preserve Legal Services Corporation Funding
Background
Since its creation in 1974, the Federal government has funded the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), ensuring “Equal Justice Under Law” by enabling access to the justice system for Americans living in households with annual incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines and facing cases involving family law, including domestic violence, child support, and custody; housing matters, including evictions and foreclosures; employment and income maintenance; and connecting military families and veterans to services Last year LSC was funded for $385 million, about $21 million of which went to New York legal services organizations.
The current proposed Federal budget calls for the complete elimination of the Legal Services Corporation.
Congress needs to hear from the legal profession on the importance of legal services funding. This is a core access to justice issue, affecting millions of Americans and the ability of the courts to fairly, effectively and efficiently perform their constitutional and statutory obligations.
For more information, read City Bar President John Kiernan’s March 20th statement on the proposed elimination of the Legal Services Corporation.
What You Can Do
1. Click here to have your message supporting LSC funding delivered to your Representative – Nearly 20,000 messages were hand-delivered to Members of Congress during ABA Day 2018!
2. Review the Legal Services Corporation Talking Points (more here)
3. Join the Conversation! Tag @LSCtweets and #LegalAidDefender on your social media to urge Representative to support LSC funding and educate your followers on the issue
Resources
About the Legal Services Corporation
ABA Issue Resources: LSC Funding
Support Letter from 41 U.S. Senators
Support Letter from 148 U.S. Representatives
Support Letter from Law Firm Leaders
Support Letter from Leaders of Corporate Legal Departments
Key Representatives to Contact
For more information, please contact the Policy Department:
Maria Cilenti
mcilenti@nycbar.org
Elizabeth Kocienda
ekocienda@nycbar.org
Mary Margulis-Ohnuma
mmargulis-ohnuma@nycbar.org
