2017 NLADA Annual Conference

Legal aid and public defender programs have operated for decades, helping low-income clients to resolve their legal concerns. Despite these efforts, the need for legal assistance has not diminished, while threats to funding continue. We must use our limited resources to improve delivery methods so as to reach a greater number of people with more efficiency and efficacy. This competence can be achieved through stronger partnerships between public defenders, civil legal aid providers, and social service agencies. Panelists from Rhode Island Legal Services and the Rhode Island Public Defender will describe their internal holistic programs as well as their growing collaboration. These services will be contrasted with those offered by Project Legal Link, an organization housed at Bay Area Legal Aid, which focuses on the role that non-legal advocates can play in helping clients to access the civil and criminal legal services needed to achieve overall success.