All deserve a fair hearing, justice and respect
Irene, a young lawyer from a small Mississippi town, walked into a young attorney’s office more than 40 year ago with a two-page rental agreement and an eviction order. The events that followed led the lawyer to become a pro bono attorney and believer in the power legal work. She was behind on her rent. She always caught up with her rent in the past but the landlord did not listen this time. Her eviction was imminent.
When Irene walked into the courthouse later that day, the landlord was stunned to see that she had a lawyer. The attorney told the court that Irene had not been properly notified of her eviction and vowed to sue the owner for damages due to the poor condition of the trailer park and rental property. The landlord settled with Irene and with three neighbors who came to the court when they learned that Irene had legal representation.
Irene’s case showed the attorney, who went on to become a bestselling author of legal thrillers and an advocate for legal aid, the power of practicing law to help people. When you arrive to represent someone who can’t pay, everything changes. A veteran who was left with emotional scars following a terrorist attack in Beirut on his unit showed another attorney how powerful it is to provide legal assistance. After he was near the 9/11 attack in New York, the veteran’s mental state deteriorated. Legal aid helped this veteran receive benefits that were previously denied, so he could stay in his home and get a job, and rebuild his life. This case left a lasting impact on the attorney, who went on to be the current and longest serving board chair of Legal Services Corp.
These stories are shared as we celebrate the National Celebration of Pro Bono and the 50th Anniversary of the LSC – which supports 130 legal assistance organizations that provide legal representation for low income people in all corners of the United States. This additional resource for civil legal assistance is desperately needed. A 2022 access-to-justice gap report from the LSC found that low-income Americans received no or insufficient legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems in 2022.
Evictions, like Irene’s case, and other housing issues dominate legal aid caseloads today, making up 39.5% of the cases closed by the LSC grantees in 2023.
Legal aid also helps low-income people find protection from domestic violence, get fair treatment around consumer and financial issues, and get access to public benefits, including benefits for veterans.
Attorneys have a responsibility to share their skills, knowledge and time to ensure that the justice system works for everyone, including people like Irene, her neighbors and the veteran. Legal aid organizations rely on attorneys to offer their pro bono services to help close the justice gap.
While we have a lot to celebrate in the 50 years of the LSC’s history, we have a long way to go in the struggle to ensure justice for all Americans.
John Levi is Senior Counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and board chairman for the Legal Services Corp. John Grisham, an attorney and a bestselling author, serves on the LSC’s Leaders Council.
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