Shawn Boehringer, Esq., Executive Director of Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, discussed the programs offered by the non-profit civil legal services agency. Serving Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester Counties, LASP works with mostly low-income individuals seeking non-criminal help. Areas of services include Housing, including landlord/tenant and foreclosure prevention, Family Law, including protection from Domestic Violence, Benefits, including Unemployment Insurance and SSI, ‘Fresh Starts’ clean slate work and bankruptcy help, and programming for special populations – including veterans, older adults.
As housing advocates, LASP will work with individuals and their banks or landlords to prevent foreclosures and evictions; they help with applications and appeals for utilities and services. They help clients apply and receive benefits for military service or for disability, negotiate delinquent tax claims, credit disputes and bankruptcy. For families they address domestic abuse issues and custody and they can represent the child’s interests in child welfare cases.
We discussed the economic benefits of Legal Aid services, a dollar spent on civil representation can save the community at large about $12 in emergency services and other support.
Shawn discussed their efforts to empower people through clinics and events on wills, credit and fraud, veteran services and expungement. He notes there are seven legal aid district offices in PA, plus like agencies in NJ and Delaware. They rely on staff and pro-bono hours and he tells us to call early and before a situation hits a deadline or court date. There is a hotline that he encourages us to use to discuss a possible legal issue. You can also access them online.
LASP is funded through grants administered by Federal, State, County governments, foundations and individual charitable donations. They are seeking volunteers, too, legal, para-legal and others to support their events and special programming.
LASP Hotline: 877-429-5994
To learn more about services, apply for help, volunteer or donate, visit online at LASP.org