Volunteer lawyers are working with the Madison County court system to create a new way for low-income residents to receive free legal services.
The Legal Advice Conference Center, or LACC, opened in the Madison County Courthouse law library last week. The center will provide half-hour sessions of free legal advice from licensed attorneys.
The center is the result of a joint effort between the court system, the Madison County Bar Association and the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation.
The organizers expect to focus on family law, foreclosures, wills and power of attorney issues.
"We're calling it LACC for those who lack the resources to hire an attorney," said Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder. "What we determined is that there are people who qualify for low-income assistance, but that there's not enough attorneys. At least to have someone to help them fill out paperwork or explain to them what's going to happen at their court hearings would be wonderful. Really, 30 minutes of legal advice may be just what they need to help them get on their way."
The 30-minute session that Hamel resident Emily Stevenson had with Alton attorney Amy Meyer last week sent her on her way to file the correct paperwork so she could recover stolen property.
"It's a big blessing," said Stevenson, who is an unemployed former restaurant manager. "Almost everyone wouldn't talk to me because I couldn't pay for it."
In order to qualify for help from the center, a person may not earn more than two times the federal poverty guidelines. For instance, a single person must make $21,780 or less to receive services through the center, since the federal poverty limit for a single person is $10,890 or less.
Meyer, who is a member of the Madison County Bar Association, said she's offering free legal advice because she believes it's important to give back.
"It's part of our calling to the Bar," Meyer said. "And it feels good to help people."
Ron Foster, president of the Madison County Bar Association, said the new center will give lawyers who want to help out an opportunity to do so. About 150 lawyers in the 450-member group volunteer to provide pro bono services, and Foster said it's easier to volunteer time in half-hour sessions than commit to full cases.
"The lawyers who have already volunteered are looking forward to facilitating their ability to help because with the resources we have now it makes their job easier," Foster said. "And I think for those lawyers who have yet to get involved ... it will make it easier for them to transition in so we can help meet the need that's overwhelming out there."
Joan Spiegel, managing attorney of the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, said her group is the only one that currently provides free legal services to county residents. Land of Lincoln has been around for 40 years and covers 65 counties in southern Illinois. The Alton office covers 12 counties and closes about 3,000 cases a year. It is funded by a combination of federal funds and charitable donations, and all of the services the foundation provides are free of charge.
"We have to prioritize the type of cases we take because the demand is so high," Spiegel said. "That's where the Legal Advice Conference Center comes in, because we're turning people away. We're the only free legal service provider in the county so when we turn people away, they have no other options in terms of getting legal help if they're unable to afford an attorney."
Contact reporter Ramona C. Sanders at 618-344-0264, ext. 136
