Almost 16 million Americans live in “deep or severe poverty.”
This is defined as ½ of the federal poverty line. For a
family of four with two children, this means an annual income
of less than $9,903. The percentage of severely poor
Americans grew by 26% from 2000 to 2005.
USA Today, Feb 25, 2007
LSNV
News
Tickets
purchased online can be picked up at the door on the
night of the event.
2009
Pro Bono Award Winners Announced
On
June 8, 2009, Legal Services of Northern Virginia and the
foundations of the Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax Bar
Associations announced the winners of the 2009 Chief Justice
Harry L. Carrico Pro Bono Awards. The winners were John C. Cook
(Fairfax), Luis A. Perez(Fairfax/Arlington),
Chauncy Drewry III (Alexandria), Li-Shann Durst
(Loudoun), Tracy C.
Hudson(Prince William), Maria Smith
(Paralegal), and
Christina Black (Law Student). Each of these
individuals made vital contributions to the local community
through their tireless pro bono efforts. The awards were
presented at the annual Northern Virginia Pro Bono Reception
which was held this year at the Fairfax County General
District Court. The highlight of the evening was a
thought-provoking keynote address by the Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee,
judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Virginia.
LSNV is offering a new program,
The Foreclosure Legal Assistance Project (FLAP), that is
designed to provide holistic legal assistance for those who
are facing foreclosure on their homes. Northern Virginia has
experienced some of the highest rates of foreclosure in the
nation. Fairfax County’s foreclosures for 2008 already far
exceed the total number of foreclosures for 2007. In 2007, the
County saw its foreclosure numbers increase by 8 times the
total number of 2006 foreclosures. In response to this
growing crisis, LSNV’s FLAP will provide legal advice and
housing counseling to low-income homeowners facing
foreclosure. Traditional housing counseling programs
typically do not provide legal advice to clients, and legal
services organizations generally focus on the legal aspects of
foreclosure. By contrast, LSNV, with 18 Virginia Housing
Development Authority-certified housing counselors, as well as
more than 30 staff attorneys and paralegals, will offer
services that address the full range of a client’s needs. In
addition to assistance with the foreclosure itself, LSNV
offers clients services addressing related issues such as
public benefits and employment disputes.
Potential
clients seeking to make an appointment with FLAP should call LSNV at 703-368-5711. At the appointments,
clients can meet with both an experienced attorney and a
housing counselor. The attorney and counselor will review the
homeowners’ financial information for legal remedies and
propose workout options the lender may accept in order to
prevent the loss of the home.
Economists,
politicians, and pundits refer to "toxic assets" as if they
are some unspeakable stew bubbling in a barrel behind an old
warehouse. But "toxic assets" are actually mortgages and, by
extension, houses and the people who live in them. Sandra
Berrios is one of millions facing the prospect of ballooning
loan payments forcing her and her family from their home.
The bank that lent her the money is getting hundreds of
millions in TARP money, but the federal dollars flowing to
the bank show no sign of trickling down to Sandra's level.
LSNV
Adopts Three-Year Strategic Plan
The Board of Directors of LSNV has formally adopted, Reaching
Out for Justice and Empowerment: A Strategic Plan for Legal
Services of Northern Virginia, Inc., 2008-2010.
This exciting three-year blueprint is designed to make the
organization more responsive to the growing and unmet needs of
our clients. Read it here.
Helping Domestic Violence Survivors
Serving domestic violence survivors is
one of LSNV’s highest priorities. The organization is
sponsoring an innovative and ambitious new project designed to
provide increased legal representation to survivors of
domestic violence in Fairfax County. The goal of the program
is to have 100 local lawyers donate up to 2 days of their time
each year to representing domestic violence survivors in
protective order hearings. By signing up for particular days
well in advance, volunteer attorneys will have a
predictable schedule and a very limited time
commitment. To introduce the project and to provide
comprehensive training for attorneys, LSNV can schedule a free
viewing of a videotape of a recent CLE that includes a
presentation on the procedure and evidence in protective order
cases, tips and pointers from the bench, and a mock trial.
LSNV’s experienced staff will also provide ongoing mentoring
to any interested attorneys. A law degree is a powerful tool
with which you can help make our community safer. Please
join us in this effort. For more information, please call
(703) 246-4379.ublic Bentopefitstotototop:
Our Mission
Legal Services of Northern Virginia
(LSNV) is a non-profit public interest law firm
that provides free legal assistance to low-income
residents of Northern Virginia. Our mission is to help
promote a more just community by providing high-quality
legal assistance and advocacy for families and individuals
who face the loss or deprivation of a critical human need,
such as food, shelter, income, medical care, education,
family stability, or personal safety.
Our Clients
LSNV assisted me in obtaining a protective order against
additional domestic violence. LSNV was also
successful in securing a court order awarding my custody
of my daughter, child and spousal support, and an
equitable division of marital property. I was able
to live in a secure and stable home environment free of
abuse...Sandra...Fairfax
County Resident
