Law school dean signs on to letter supporting federal legal aid funding

Tulane Law Dean David Meyer has joined more than 100 other law deans across the country to oppose the proposed elimination of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the largest funder of civil legal aid in our nation. The Deans’ letter, sent to U.S. House and Senate Appropriations' Committee members, asks that funding be maintained to continue to assist with legal services for those who fall at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines with life-altering legal needs. About one in five Americans falls into that category, lacking access to legal representation when they need it most.

The LSC funding has for years received bipartisan support from Congress. It assists military families, domestic violence victims, ensures safe and affordable housing, and protects Americans, including the elderly, from fraud and unfair lending practices. Many law schools operate clinics and externships that collaborate with organizations that rely on LSC funds, and students work alongside experienced attorneys who represent low-income Americans pro bono, the letter said.

The letter ends: "LSC has been a success story because it reflects a bipartisan affirmation of who we are as Americans. As the late Justice Antonin Scalia stated in his remarks celebrating the organization’s 40th anniversary, the LSC 'pursues the most fundamental of American ideals,' for 'without access to quality representation there is no justice.' "

The full text of the letter is aviable here.