Faith leaders asked to help members get legal help
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A group in Tennessee is using faith leaders to connect people in need of legal help with attorneys willing to provide free services.
The faith-based initiative of Tennessee’s Access to Justice Commission aims to reach people at a place they already go for help: their churches, mosques and synagogues. Faith leaders then put needy members in touch with participating attorneys.
The Legal Services Corp. estimates that fewer than one in ?ve low-income people in the U.S. get the legal assistance they need.
Various programs exist to bridge this gap, but experts say there’s nothing quite like the Tennessee initiative. In part, that’s because it recognizes that many people who could use an attorney’s help won’t seek legal aid because they don’t see their problem as a legal one.
