Community Legal Aid

More than half of Americans mistakenly believe they are entitled to free legal representation if they cannot afford a lawyer for civil matters, a new The Harris Poll survey shows. One third of Americans who didn't seek legal help for civil matters believed they could handle the problem themselves or didn't think it was serious enough for legal help. To learn more go to the Legal Services Corporation website: https://lnkd.in/ehUA-jiM

Shanah Tovah from your friends at CLA!

We're #hiring a new Supervising Attorney - Family Preservation Project in Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Area. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Thank you Country Bank for your continued support of Community Legal Aid's Language Access Project!

#BacktoSchool, #PrideWorcester, staff awards and MORE! The September 2024 edition of #JusticeMatters is out now. https://icont.ac/50sk6

"Pittsfield’s Second Street Second Chances (2nd Street) to celebrate expanded space, program offerings with ribbon cutting, open house" By Josh Landes | WAMC Northeast Public Radio “We are kind of like a central access hub for folks here who are formerly incarcerated. We don't duplicate services as much as we refer to our community partners and to the resources that we are aware of in our communities," Executive Director Lindsay Cornwell told WAMC. “The staff of Second Street are also Sheriff's Department employees, so the Sheriff's Department is our largest partner. But you know, we are a 501c3 nonprofit. We function with a board of directors. We have multiple partners in the community- Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Community College, Berkshire Museum, Berkshire Innovation Center, Community Legal Aid.” The work begins behind walls. “We meet with inmates here in Berkshire County at the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction in Pittsfield prior to the release, and we also traveled to the [Western Mass Regional Women's Correctional Center] in Chicopee, Mass, where the Berkshire women are held," said Cornwell. "We meet with inmates in both facilities, we do reentry work. So, for individuals, it might be just getting to know them, building a rapport with them, and then figuring out what it is that they need help with post release. And so, we start working on that process prior to the release from incarceration, they have all of our information, they've been connected to a community navigator from Second Street already.” The organization helps the newly released secure crucial documents like copies of birth certificates, social security cards, and IDs. The ribbon cutting and open house is set for September 30th at 2. “We make referrals for folks to treatment programs, whether it's for substance use disorder, mental health treatment," Cornell said. "We help people access hygiene products, clothing. We help people connect to getting a cell phone, obtaining a cell phone when they're released from jail. I mean, we make housing referrals, we make referrals for employment, we help people build resumes- So, I like to say we pretty much help people with anything and everything that they might need assistance with while they're releasing from incarceration back into the community.” Read more on our website: https://lnkd.in/efxbXRTf

More than half of Americans mistakenly believe they are entitled to free legal representation if they cannot afford a lawyer for civil matters, a new survey by The Harris Poll shows. 59% of Americans who experienced a civil legal matter with the past three years did not seek out legal help from an attorney this includes: 63% who were contacted by creditors or collection agencies. 56% who were fired from a job. 52% who experienced a natural disaster. 82% of 55+ year old's who were victims of a scam or identity left. 31% who were threatened with eviction or foreclosure. To learn more go to the Legal Services Corporation website: https://lnkd.in/ehUA-jiM

CLA mourns the heartbreaking loss of a devoted champion of justice and dear friend, Adrian Angus, who passed away this week. Adrian was a skilled and passionate advocate, teacher, and mentor to his many colleagues at the Committee for Public Counsel Services and in the larger legal community. While he was a zealous advocate for his clients and the cause of justice, he was also one of the kindest and most compassionate people around. CLA was privileged to have Adrian as a member of its Board of Directors. He will be greatly missed. You can read more about Adrian in this message from the President of the Worcester County Bar Association.

Thank you to the Carlos Vega Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for supporting Community Legal Aid's Family Preservation Project!

More than half of Americans mistakenly believe they are entitled to free legal representation if they cannot afford a lawyer for civil matters, a new survey by The Harris Poll shows. 5 ways Americans think about civil justice: 1. Misconception about rights: More than half of Americans (58%) mistakenly believe they are entitled to legal representation if they cannot afford a lawyer for civil matters. An additional 18% are unsure. 2. Many don't seek help: Many who experienced a civil legal matter in the past three years (59%) didn't seek help from an attorney who could have been pivotal in solving their problem. 3. Unclear about legal problems: One of three Americans didn't seek legal help because they thought they could solve the problem on their own (33%) or didn't think the problem was serious enough to need legal help (33%). 4. Women less likely to seek help: Only 53% of women sought legal help when experiencing civil matters, compared to 66% of men. 5. Variety in civil legal needs: Survey respondents who didn't seek help: - 63% contacted by creditors - 56% fired from a job - 52% experienced a natural disaster - 31% faced eviction or foreclosure To learn more go to the Legal Services Corporation website: https://lnkd.in/ehUA-jiM