The Homeless Legal Assistance Project
Arizona Attorney, Vol. 31, p. 24, 1994
2 Pages Posted: 9 Sep 2009
Date Written: 1994
Abstract
When people with otherwise manageable lives encounter a legal problem, they often do not know where to turn for help. Financial barriers to dispute resolutions can seem insurmountable and the whole process of resolving a legal controversy can be bewildering and overwhelming. Now imagine the difficulties a homeless person must face if confronted with a legal problem. Fortunately, the Arizona State University College of Law Homeless Legal Assistance Project (the “Homeless Project”) operates a legal clinic every Thursday night at a Phoenix shelter. In the true spirit of professionalism, the Homeless Project's volunteer law students and attorneys are committed to providing legal counsel to the poor. The legal services that the Homeless Project provides range from straightforward legal research to representation in litigation. Volunteer attorneys are given a chance to use their talents to help those who could not otherwise afford legal aid. For volunteer students, the Homeless Project is a training ground that helps students develop the fundamental counseling and problem-solving skills that lie at the heart of a legal practice. From its onset, the Homeless Project has been administered by students at Arizona State University College of Law. The law students have made the Homeless Project the largest service of its kind in the nation.
Keywords: Legal services, homeless, legal clinic
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