In a harsh economic climate where unemployment, eviction,
foreclosure and bankruptcy are becoming a reality for more people
every day, the need for free legal services has reached an all time
high for low income individuals and families across the
commonwealth. Neighborhood Legal Services, founded in 1967, helps
to meet that need by providing free civil legal assistance to more
than 3,500 households each year in Essex and Northern Middlesex
Counties.
But the economy has taken its toll on their ability to continue
doing so. "When the economy goes down, demand for legal services
goes up," said Sheila Casey, executive director of NLS. "More
people are experiencing poverty and poverty-related legal issues."
Not only has NLS seen an estimated 40 percent increase in demand
for their assistance, but they simultaneously lost 29 percent of
their operating budget due to cuts in IOLTA funding. At the end of
last year, they downsized from a staff of 33 to a staff of
25.
"We're trying to streamline, make the functions we perform more
and more efficient so we can try to serve as many people as we can
as efficiently as possible," said Casey. "The reality is that these
cutbacks do impact clients, because we just can't answer the phones
fast enough."
NLS provides assistance in five major areas: community economic
development, consumer protection, elder law, family law, health
law, housing, immigration and public benefits. With programs such
as the Housing Court Mediation Project and the Elder Law Project,
their staff includes 12 attorneys and four paralegals. NLS relies
on volunteers to help take on the large caseload. "I have been a
volunteer myself for many years," said Mark Sampson, who joined the
staff a year ago as the housing attorney and runs the Lawyer For A
Day program in the housing court. "It's a very rewarding
experience. The folks here are uniformly very giving and
caring."
NLS volunteers include attorneys, paralegals, law students and
college students who work as interns in the office. Attorneys who
volunteer are provided with training, mentoring and support from
the staff. Attorney Linda Hickman began volunteering with NLS in
2005 after relocating with her husband to Boston. She previously
worked for her congressman and wanted to get some experience before
deciding whether to practice. She made an initial commitment of
three days a week, expecting to reevaluate after six months. Four
years later, Hickman is still there for three days a week despite a
long commute from Boston and family obligations.
Hickman spoke about her experience in the Elder Law Project
working with John Ford: "I landed with someone who could really
teach me a lot, and he has. As a volunteer here, you're really part
of a team, doing something that is not peripheral, making a
meaningful contribution. It's an opportunity to work with other
lawyers who are really talented, get some real experience and be
mentored."
Volunteers are not expected to spend three days a week at NLS.
"From a couple of hours a month, to a couple of hours a week, to
taking on a case from start to finish, we try to have enough
options for people that there is something for everybody" said
Casey. For example, the Pro Se Divorce Clinic meets for one
afternoon four times a year. The volunteer attorney who runs the
clinic spends a few hours walking clients through various stages of
filing a divorce on their own in a clinic setting.
NLS also operates a family law helpline - one of its highest
volume services. When a client calls with questions about family
law and doesn't require full legal representation, they are
directed to an attorney who can help them answer their questions.
Attorneys who volunteer to take these calls are given the caller's
information and may return the call at their convenience, providing
a phone consultation and writing up the results of the call for NLS
records.
Training is an important part of the volunteer experience with
NLS. Volunteers with the Housing Court Mediation Project are given
one-day training sessions that include an overview of
landlord-tenant law, meeting the judge and learning mediation
processes. Volunteers then shadow one of the NLS attorneys for a
few sessions and analyze the cases with the staff. Finally,
volunteers are shadowed during mediations and provided with
feedback and guidance.
"Not only is it a chance for attorneys to become more expert in a
particular area of law, and feel good about the work that they're
doing, but it's a great networking opportunity for lawyers starting
or developing their practice in new areas," said Casey of the
training provided.
In light of the current economic situation, NLS provides
foreclosure training for local attorneys, including information
about auctions, pleadings and finding the information that is
already available. "Foreclosure is a new and expanding area of law
that we've stayed current on. Getting involved in this area gives
attorneys a chance to innovate in their practice," according to
Casey.
Volunteers also receive benefits such as discounted prices to
Continuing Legal Education courses. "One session a month would make
a huge difference in the level of service that we are able to
provide for these folks," said Sampson. "We're helping people that
really have nowhere else to go."
Hickman reflected on her own experience: "If you're helping one
person at a time, eventually it amounts to a lot of people. Right
now, we need all hands on deck."
Rule 6.1 of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct
says: "A lawyer should provide annually at least 25 hours of pro
bono publico legal services for the benefit of persons of limited
means."
To guide attorneys in this goal, Lawyers Journal will
regularly profile an organization from the Pro Bono Opportunities
Guide, a comprehensive listing of statewide agencies that are in
need of pro bono assistance from attorneys, law students or
paralegals.