Legal Services State Support’s Post

Increased Awareness and Support for Civil Legal Aid In recent coverage from Minnesota Lawyer, the overall gaps in the availability of legal aid nationally and in Minnesota were cited, as well as the nonexistence of the right to counsel in civil cases. These access issues, along with the well-known gap in coverage between rural and urban areas, were discussed at a recent webinar hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA). One of the panelists, Radhika Singh, vice president of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) said that legal aid attorneys should be thought of as “human services providers” because of the ripple effect that civil legal problems can have on the health and well-being of people. In Minnesota specifically, Katy Drahos, access to justice director at the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), noted that statewide access mirrors the nation and that greater Minnesota faces different challenges. “In rural areas, there are fewer attorneys per population and larger service areas. Also, lack of broadband access in some areas can make court appearances challenging for both attorneys and clients. In the metro area, there is a higher volume of cases which makes it tough to meet the need at current funding levels,” Drahos said. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gXTw7ujN

Increased Awareness and Support for Civil Legal Aid — Legal Services State Support

Increased Awareness and Support for Civil Legal Aid — Legal Services State Support

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