Acadiana Legal Service Corporation:: About Us

In 1974, President Richard M. Nixon signed the law creating the Legal Services Corporation, a private, non-profit corporation established to assure equal access to justice under the law for all Americans. It is headed by a bipartisan Board of Directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Each year, under a competitive grant system, it enters into agreements with law firms throughout the nation to deliver high-quality legal assistance in civil cases without charge.

Incorporated in 1978, Acadiana Legal Service Corporation was formed to meet the legal needs of the poor of Acadiana. Expanding from an initial six parishes, then to eight, then sixteen, we now serve the residents of twenty-one parishes. Acadiana Legal Service Corporation is governed by a board of directors made up of attorneys, civic and social service agency representatives and eligible clients. Each year since its formation, it has successfully obtained funding from the Legal Services Corporation. We receive no grant funding from state or local governments and charge no fee to our clients for our work. This program is financially assisted by the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts Program of the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

The 1974 preamble to the law creating the Legal Service Corporation states, "The Congress finds and declares that--

(1) there is a need to provide equal access to the system of justice in our Nation for individuals who seek redress of grievances.

(2) there is a need to provide high quality legal assistance to those who would be otherwise unable to afford adequate legal counsel and to continue the present vital legal services program..."

Our staff members work in different practice groups based on their area of expertise. Daily, they dedicate themselves to this vision and to the concept of "justice for all."