What is Northwest Legal Services?
Northwest Legal Services has been serving the Pennsylvania legal community since its incorporation back in 1966. Founded with the mission to provide and promote quality civil legal services for economically disadvantaged individuals, families, and groups of all ages, the agency has since grown to include assistance in family, housing, consumer, and elder law, and has operated as an IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) program . Ultimately, this means that all interest income generated from these special trust accounts is used to fund these legal assistance programs and activities. In Erie, PA, Northwest Legal Services has provided high-quality counsel for decades, covering a wide range of practice areas. The nonprofit organization is well known in the community for its advocacy, outreach, and training, which benefit professionals and low-income residents throughout the region.
Services Available
Northwest Legal Services provides a wide array of services to meet the legal needs of our clients. We focus on areas of the law that most affect low income individuals and families. While we cannot assist with every case, we have programs in place to direct clients to alternate resources. Northwest Legal Services offers the following types of legal services:
Family Law
Our attorneys and paralegals field an extensive volume of calls for assistance with problems in family law, including divorce, custody, support, paternity, domestic violence and protection from abuse, guardianships, and adoption. In many cases, client’s legal problems may be solved with advice and information. However, some require more involvement by an NLS attorney. We assist those most in need of help to protect their rights and ensure their voices are heard. In the local counties, the NLS Family Law Unit provides advice and confidentiality. NLS has staffs with experience in child protection cases to meet the challenges of these complex matters. Family law advocacy in our Erie office is accomplished through the use of volunteer attorneys and a paid staff of two attorneys and four paralegals. Local representation is provided by three full-time staff members and volunteers.
Housing Law
Housing is closely related to one’s ability to obtain stable employment, thereby strengthening our community’s workforce. NLS will not turn away a caller for lack of availability of a service provided. Although we may not be able to provide an attorney for representation in court, we can provide any assistance necessary, along with the use of pro bono attorneys. Housing services are provided to clients who live in Erie, Lawrence, Lincoln, Meeting Place, and Venango Housing Authoritys and the Janet Wattles Boys and Girls Club. Rental housing advocacy is provided by a staff of two attorneys and four paralegals.
Consumer Rights
Rising costs of living often force people into financial situations that require NLS assistance. Many households are now in danger of losing their homes or being denied other essential services because of delinquent accounts. Because the demand for consumer rights advocacy has increased, NLS established county-wide Consumer Rights teams to meet this need. Consumer law advocacy is provided by a staff of three attorneys and four paralegals. The Erie staff includes one attorney and one paralegal.
Program Eligibility
To qualify for legal assistance through Northwest Legal Services, Erie candidates must meet certain eligibility requirements. Primarily, all clients are subject to an income limitation based upon the size of their household. One factor in this is the Federal Poverty Guidelines. These guidelines are published every year by the Department of Health and Human Services and measure the minimum income exclusive of essential living expenses, such as housing, clothing and food needed in order to pay for legal services or representation. To receive legal assistance from Northwest Legal Services, you must earn less than 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines adjusted for your family size. The Federal Poverty Guide as of 2016 is below.
The second factor in determining eligibility is a legal matter. Northwest Legal Services handles several areas of the law, including housing and landlord-tenant disputes, bankruptcy, public benefits and access to unemployment compensation. Additionally, clients must reside in the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Crawford, Clearfield, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Monroe, Potter, Washington, Westmoreland and Wyoming.
Process for Intake
The first step in receiving legal assistance from Northwest Legal Services is completing an application to receive services. The application can be completed online, downloaded and mailed in, or submitted in person at one of the Legal Aid locations. Completed intake applications will be reviewed by a member of the legal aid intake staff. An intake worker will contact applicants via phone to complete a preliminary document review and confirm that the applicant meets the program’s eligibility requirements. If the applicant is eligible for the program and the intake worker determines that there is a potential legal issue, a case will be opened and assigned to an attorney or paralegal. The staff paneled to provide legal aid services to low-income families includes 13 paralegals, 10 attorneys, 8 advocates and 14 support staff. New clients to legal aid should expect to receive a letter from the attorney or paralegal assigned to their case within two weeks of opening.
Client Testimonials and Success Stories
To truly appreciate the value of Northwest Legal Services in Erie, PA, it is essential to hear from those who have directly benefited from their assistance. The stories of real people seeking legal support demonstrate the organization’s profound impact on the community. One single mother, a domestic violence survivor, states, "Without the guidance and support of the attorneys at Northwest Legal Services, I don’t know where my children and I would be today. They empowered me to start anew and provided us with the legal protection we desperately needed." This sentiment is echoed by many clients who have been granted representation through the Erie Lawyers for Justice program . Another client stated, "The lawyers at Northwest Legal Services were a godsend. They took the time to listen to my problems, and they worked hard to make sure I had the representation I deserved." A retired military veteran and a long-time Erie resident recounted their experience stating, "The work that Northwest Legal Services does for low-income families in Erie County is amazing. When we needed help, they opened doors we never knew existed. We are forever grateful for all that they do for the community." These stories highlight the transformative role that Northwest Legal Services plays in ensuring that everyone—regardless of income—has access to legal representation and important legal services.
Impact and Community Initiatives
Beyond their support for the Legal Clinic for the Deaf, Northwest Legal Services is committed to a broad range of community betterment efforts, primarily through work with several partner organizations. These partners include the Allegheny District of the United Methodist Church in Erie, where staff members conduct seminars on law relevant for churches and other non-profit organizations. Legal services are also offered from the Church’s Richmond Street location. Likewise, Northwest Legal Services has partnered with the YWCA of Westmoreland and the Erie County Law Library to provide free legal services to support the needs of women and children.
In addition, Northwest Legal Services works in collaboration with community organizations in both Allegheny and Erie Counties that support impoverished persons of any age. Examples include the Allegheny Community Organization’s Help Line that assists low-income people who need legal services; the Coordinated Entry System (CES) in Erie for the homeless and those at risk for homelessness; the Homeless Outreach Program, in partnership with the Housing Consortium and Family Service of Westmoreland County; and an Eviction Court Program in Erie designed to help tenants and landlords effectively resolve disputes without litigation or evictions.
While participants may not realize it, all of these initiatives foster relationships that are important for the operational and financial sustainability of the programs.
Contacting Northwest Legal Services
Potential clients and other interested parties can contact Northwest Legal Services by calling the administration office number at (800) 665-6957 in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Parent Help Line at (800) 986-4550 is staffed by trained paralegals at all of the offices to provide assistance to parents in dealing with family court issues. The Erie location is 1001 State Street in Suite 700 , the Allegheny Building 700. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Free legal advice and a brief consultation are offered by appointment only. All Northwest Legal Services offices are ADA compliant. The alternative hearing office locations are 1220 Liberty Boulevard in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and 215 Shady Avenue in Suite 101, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.