by Sam Milkes, Executive Director

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts issued the following release regarding a letter Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille is directing toward Pennsylvania attorneys concerning the current funding crisis in legal aid in Pennsylvania and the need for an additional commitment toward pro bono service to help fill the gap for Pennsylvanians in need of legal assistance.

On Wednesday, November 09, 2011, American Bar Association President Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III visited the Harrisburg office of MidPenn Legal Services, the legal aid program providing vital legal services in the 18 county area of central Pennsylvania.

Judge John E. Jones III, Federal Judge of the Middle District of Pennsylvania also attended the meeting, with representatives of MidPenn, including its Executive Director, Rhodia Thomas, the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Executive Director, Samuel Milkes, and the Executive Director of the Supreme Court’s Pa. IOLTA program, Al Azen. Jim DeAngelo participated as a member of the board of MidPenn and PLAN, Inc. as Chair of the Dauphin County Pro Bono Program, and as a Past President of the Dauphin County Bar Association. David Trevaskis, pro bono staff and the Pa. Bar Association, and Sandy Ballard, pro bono staff person for the Dauphin County Bar Association also attended. Representatives of the Administrative office of the Pennsylvania Courts, including, Tom Darr, Deputy Court Administrator of Pennsylvania, also attended.

Click title to read full blog post.

On August 23 the New York Times published an editorial entitled, Addressing the Justice Gap on its website.

This editorial discusses the current situation in America where experts estimate that four-fifths of low-income people have no access to a lawyer when they need one. This coupled with research showing that litigants representing themselves often fare less well than those with lawyers, creates a "justice gap" that falls heavily on the poor.

Below is the article that was published in the February 2011 Attorney E-Newsletter of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania:

Civil Legal Aid In Pennsylvania

By Sam Milkes, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc., and Alfred Azen, Executive Director, Pennsylvania IOLTA Board

From Sam Milkes on the PLAN Blog:

I thought I would share the contents of my letter to the editor which was submitted to the Harrisburg Patriot-News and that was published on February 11, 2011.

Click below to view full letter.

From Sam Milkes on the PLAN Blog:

We are very pleased and thankful that the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, Ronald Castille, has recognized the major challenges legal aid programs face, trying to meet the increased legal needs of low income Pennsylvanians, at a time when unemployment remains high and many are at risk of losing their home or health care, or they face major legal challenges, such as the need for protection against domestic violence, denial of basic benefits, or disputes over custody, for example.

While Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network programs represented over 100,000 clients last year, they also turn away at least as many clients, eligible for services and asking for help. Legal aid is there to help for many who have nowhere else to turn. It is gratifying that the Chief Justice calls for adequate funding to support legal services and for pro bono attorneys to assist some of those we cannot help.

Chief Justice Castille's Letter