A RECENT report by a Boston Bar Association task force revealed that more than two-thirds of eligible applicants for legal aid were turned away because of a lack of resources, forcing them to represent themselves in court. This is a major failing, the costs of which are borne ultimately by the taxpayer.

Neglected in today’s headlines, blogs, and talk radio is a silent, shameful crisis that inflicts suffering and costs the nation money, legitimacy, and decency. Our justice system has become inaccessible to millions of poor people and so every day, we violate the “equal justice under law” motto engraved on the front of the grand United States Supreme Court. Americans who cannot afford legal help routinely forfeit basic rights as a result.

CLA advocate Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham participated in a national conference to build partnerships between medical and legal service providers, with the goal of enhancing health outcomes for people in need. Read more here.

Jonathan Mannina, Executive Director of Community Legal Aid, talks about the importance of legal aid services in "Shop Talk" in the Worcester Business Journal (July 2014 edition).