2017 NLADA Annual Conference

School-based legal aid clinics are a unique and effective way of delivering legal aid services, extending to hard-to-reach populations such as people without legal status, and supporting children’s educational success by stabilizing their families. For a few years now, Connecticut Legal Services, Legal Aid of West Virginia, and New Haven Legal Assistance Association have run successful school-based legal aid clinics and are well positioned to share lessons learned and assist other legal aid programs in establishing and running their own school-based clinics. This session will cover the nuts and bolts of establishing and running a school-based legal clinic, including project approaches, designs, school collaboration, staffing, and funding. This session will address: (1) community and client engagement and empowerment; (2) realistic, productive, and fair legal representation for immigrant populations; and, (3) resources for civil legal aid and legal aid attorneys.