2018 Newsletters Archives

As our 50th anniversary year and 2018 come to an end, we wanted to thank all of our supporters for joining our ongoing fight for fairness. Your support helped protect domestic violence victims from future abuse, preserved the homes of seniors and low-income families, safeguarded the legal rights of people living with disabilities, and so much more. None of this would’ve been possible if it weren’t for the generous donations from passionate people like you.

Looking toward the next 50 more years, we will continue to protect the livelihoods of thousands more vulnerable people across southeast Louisiana to ensure that everyone has access to equal justice. We hope you will help support our efforts today to join us in our mission of helping people clear life’s legal hurdles. While our capacity to serve is great, the need for these services is even greater. To invest in justice, you can donate online or mail your investment in civil legal aid to: Southeast Louisiana Legal Services; PO Drawer 2867; Hammond, LA 70404. Thank you!

– Laura Tuggle, SLLS Executive Director

Restoring Hope for a Client in Critical Condition

On a cold and stormy night, Mr. Turner sat alone in the dark on a rusty, old wheelchair questioning what he could do to improve his life. His deteriorating home was owned by his family and lacked electricity, running water, and proper insulation to keep him warm at night. Aside from allowing him to live there, his family wanted nothing to do with him. He felt hopeless.

Without a high school diploma, Mr. Turner struggled to make a living for himself. He worked countless hours in a series of manual labor jobs – cutting grass, digging ditches and working in restaurants. He rarely earned more than minimum wage. While he barely managed to make ends meet, Mr. Turner hoped for a better future. To find out how SLLS helped him regain control over his life, click here now.

Expanding Efforts to End Homelessness at the New Orleans Low-Barrier Shelter

Many who are chronically homeless cannot access traditional shelters because they can’t afford the nightly shelter fees, their work schedules prevent them from lining up during check-in times, or because they’ve had experiences that make them feel more safe and welcome on the streets than in some shelters. However, the new “low-barrier shelter” in downtown New Orleans, which does not have these barriers to entry, helps the most vulnerable have a safe place to lay their heads at night. This month, SLLS began offering weekly on-site legal clinics at the shelter to remove legal barriers to escaping life on the streets. We help the residents expunge criminal records, obtain ID documents, clear credit reports, and access healthcare, food stamps, and social security benefits. Thanks to funding for a staff attorney from the Edward Wisner Donation grant and our partnership with Start Corp., each day brings us one step closer to ending homelessness in the city of New Orleans.

Invest In Justice

Your support of SLLS changes lives. Each year, generous supporters like you provide life-changing civil legal help that:

ensures the safety and stability of
domestic violence victims and their children,
safeguards elderly people from consumer scams,
protects the rights of hard-working families against slumlords,
helps veterans and people with disabilities escape homelessness, access healthcare, and obtain safe,
permanent housing,
and much more!

It is not to late to give to this year’s Annual Fund Campaign. And this year, your donation goes even further to advance justice for low-income people. Every donation given to SLLS before December 31, 2018 will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to increasing access to justice. We hope you will join our community of supporters and donate to SLLS today.

Access to Justice (ATJ) Distinguished Pro Bono Fellows

Terrel Broussard

Terrel J. Broussard

Established in 1977, the distinguished fellowship program provides direct support to legal services providers in Louisiana that are involved with the Bar’s Access to Justice Committee. The Committee facilitates the work of all legal services providers, encouraging statewide collaboration and interaction through the programs it sponsors and the projects it implements.

We’re excited to collaborate with Terrel Broussard and expand our efforts in the fight for fairness.

As an ATJ Fellow, Terrel will help SLLS extend its outreach to thousands of senior citizens hoping for justice. To achieve that, he will help SLLS develop relationships with different church related entities that provides pro bono legal workshops for the indigent.

Prior to joining SLLS, Terrel served as a judge pro tempore on the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal. He was also an attorney and mediator at Broussard Dispute Solutions.

Terrel is a highly regarded individual in the legal community, winning numerous awards in his legal career. He’s served on the Board of Regents of Our Lady of Holy Cross College and on the Board of Directors for both Catholic Charities in New Orleans and the New Orleans Business Development District. We’re thrilled to have him on board, defending the rights of every day people struggling to make ends meet.

American College of Bankruptcy Foundation Project

This spring, SLLS will collaborate with the United Way of Southeast Louisiana’s J. Wayne Leonard Prosperity Center on an innovative initiative to benefit everyday people struggling to make ends meet. Thanks to a grant from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation, the project will expand holistic services to vulnerable people striving for financial freedom. SLLS will also team up with pro bono volunteers to help address consumer bankruptcy and consumer debt issues through legal clinic and community legal education workshops at the Center. The project will provide:

Refining consumer debt legal screening tools
Educational information on consumer debt issues
Training workshops on identifying consumer legal needs and creating a referral process for Prosperity Center and STRIVE case managers
Four “Know Your Rights” workshops during group orientation
Regular onsite Legal Clinics

Justice demands innovation. With these efforts, we’ll ensure that the most vulnerable populations in southeast Louisiana get the help they need for a more successful future. If you are interested in volunteering, email us at volunteer@slls.org.

Ready to take the fight for fairness to the next level?

SLLS honors veterans and their families by working every day to ensure they receive equal access to civil justice. More than 21 million veterans across the U.S. experience serious challenges, including unemployment, health problems, and homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),“on a single night in January 2017, about 40,020 veterans were experiencing homelessness.” We are dedicated to helping ensure those who bravely served our country have access to job opportunities, health services, and income when returning to civilian life. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

November Newsletter

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we join advocates around the country to bring attention to the harm done by domestic violence and to remember the many people who lost their lives at the hands of those who they loved and trusted most. We are dedicated to stopping the cycle of violence by defending the rights of domestic violence survivors and supporting them in their time of need. Thankfully, our attorneys work relentlessly every day to ensure that the survivors have the resources they need to safely escape their abusers. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

October Newsletter

This September during National Preparedness Month, we want to encourage families, the legal community, and community stakeholders in southeast Louisiana to be sure you are ready for the next disaster. SLLS helps vulnerable people be more resilient, year-round, by tackling legal barriers to economic opportunity, stabilizing homes and families, and handling successions to remove barriers to disaster recovery. Before disaster strikes, SLLS works in partnership with other justice community partners, bar associations, and pro bono volunteers to ensure that the “suits on the ground” are as ready to respond as the “boots on the ground.” Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

September Newsletter

Thanks to everyone who attended and supported our 5th Annual “Bar Exam” fundraiser on July 18, 2018. Your help is essential to our mission of increasing access to justice and strengthening our community. The event was another great success, attended by over 125 attorneys, judges, law students, public officials, and social justice leaders. Special thanks to Walter Leger, Jr. for serving as our Quiz Master. And congratulations to all the night’s winners. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

August Newsletter

In June, we join advocates around the country in honor of National Homeownership Month. For generations of Americans, owning a home has been synonymous with achieving the American Dream. Homeownership is the foundation of economic opportunity. This asset leads to higher generational stability for families. Many people use their home equity as capital to start small businesses, help their children attend college, and ensure that future generations of their family will have a safe place to call home. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

June Newsletter

Every May, we join advocates around the country in honoring seniors during Older Americans Month. Currently, in Louisiana, 19% of seniors live in poverty. With few resources, they struggle to afford basic needs like shelter, food, and healthcare. Many are vulnerable to financial exploitation and elder abuse. SLLS is dedicated to using civil legal aid to improve the lives, health, and homes of our elderly clients. This newsletter highlights some of our work with older Americans. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

May Newsletter

Though April is Fair Housing Month, everyday SLLS fights for the rights of tenants and homeowners when they face discrimination in housing. We recognize the strides our country has made, but there is much more hard work to do to ensure that all people have an equal right to housing regardless of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, or ability. In commemoration of Fair Housing Month, we are featuring a recent housing success story. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

April Newsletter

On March 14, 2018, SULC joined SLLS in commemorating our 50^th anniversary of providing civil legal aid for low-income people. We marked the milestone with a free Professionalism CLE featuring a panel of distinguished speakers discussing how civil legal aid, pro bono attorneys, and law students help close the justice gap for vulnerable people. We highlighted our Flood Proof project, a partnership between SULC, SLLS, and a number of other organizations, launched after the Great Flood of 2016 to help families recover from the disaster. Click the button below to view the full newsletter.

March Newsletter

Starting off the new year, we’re talking all things TECH! Through our online platforms, SLLS is available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, increasing access to justice for all. In 2017, over 134,000 people visited LouisianaLawHelp.org, our statewide free legal information site where people can learn about their legal rights and connect with self-help resources and legal information. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

January Newsletter

On February 19, 2018, Tulane University Law School joined us to commemorate 50 years of SLLS providing civil legal aid for low-income people. We also celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Tulane Law School’s Pro Bono program. The event included a panel of distinguished speakers discussing how civil legal aid, pro bono attorneys, and law students help close the justice gap for vulnerable people. Click on the button below to view the full newsletter.

February newsletter