WASHINGTON (May 2, 2023) – Last week, general counsel from 208 businesses, including many of the largest corporations in America, sent a letter urging Congress to increase the budget for the Legal Services Corporation.
“Corporate leaders understand the importance of access to justice in America, because it directly affects the strength of our workforce and our economy and is central to the fundamental American concept of fairness in the legal system” said NLADA President & CEO April Frazier Camara. “Whether a person receives a fair day in court should not depend on their economic status, and civil legal aid organizations across the country must have sufficient resources to assist those who cannot afford legal representation.”
Signatories on the letter, who lead the legal departments of companies across a broad range of industries, explain how access to civil legal aid supports the success of their businesses by strengthening the communities in which they operate, and by helping people to get and keep jobs by removing barriers to employment and education.
The letter also highlights the consequences of failing to provide funding for civil legal aid, noting that the budget for LSC has lagged far behind as other federal spending has increased in recent years.
To learn more about LSC funding for FY2024, please email Rabiah A. Burks, [email protected].
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The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), founded in 1911, is America’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel. NLADA has pioneered access to justice at the national, state and local levels, playing a leadership role in the creation of public defender systems and other important institutions from The Sentencing Project to the Legal Services Corporation. A leader in the development of national standards for civil legal aid and public defense, NLADA also provides advocacy, training and technical assistance for equal justice advocates across the country.