Neighborhood Legal Services

CONTACT:

37 Friend St.
Lynn, MA 01902
781-599-7730
www.neighborhoodlaw.org

Sheila Casey, Interim Director

DESCRIPTION:

Neighborhood Legal Services provides free legal assistance to the poor, using both traditional and innovative legal venues to improve quality of life in low-income communities. NLS serves clients throughout northeastern Massachusetts with offices in Lynn and Lawrence, benefitting over 7,500 clients annually. Working with individuals, NLS staff help secure repairs in substandard housing; protect victims of domestic abuse in complex divorce, custody, visitation and support cases; help eligible individuals and families identify and secure public assistance benefits to which they are entitled; protect seniors from exploitation and nursing home abuse; and help prevent homelessness by defending clients against unwarranted evictions. Agency attorneys also help create businesses and jobs, prevent the demolition of affordable housing, advocate for its rehabilitation, negotiate agreements to improve health care access for the uninsured and linguistic minorities, and successfully challenge laws and regulations that unfairly and illegally deny needed assistance and services to the poor. NLS is especially dependent on private philanthropy because its necessarily adversarial role does not always please funders. If you care about justice, please help this excellent organization.

(1999: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)