1972, March, Pg. 35. The Jefferson County Approach to Legal Aid.

• Author: by Frederick J. Pattridge

1 Colo.Law. 35

Colorado Lawyer

1972.

1972, March, Pg. 35.

The Jefferson County Approach to Legal Aid

351972, March, Pg. 35The Jefferson County Approach to Legal Aidby Frederick J. PattridgeFrederick J. Pattridge, Golden, is a partner in the firm of Fleming, Pattridge, Hacking and Gardner. He has been actively involved in the Jefferson County Legal Aid program, is chairman of the CBA Legal Fee Review Committee, and is Supervisory Vice-President of Division 3 of the Colorado Bar Association.The purpose of this article is to explain the operations of Jefferson County Legal Aid, Inc., a Colorado non-profit corporation operating a legal aid clinic in Jefferson County. Emphasis is placed upon certain aspects of the clinic which differ from other legal aid operations.

ApproachesAttorneys in Jefferson County have been concerned with providing adequate legal services for the poor and the near-poor for a number of years. When the First Judicial District Bar Association as an entity first accepted its responsibility in this area, several different approaches were attempted. First, referrals were made to individual practicing attorneys on a case-by-case basis. Next, a monthly retainer funded by a contribution from Mile Hi United Fund through Metropolitan Denver Legal Aid was paid to a practicing attorney with that attorney handling the major part of the work from his office and referring some cases to other attorneys. In addition, with Bar Association approval, the attorney was allowed to accept certain low fee cases. Neither of these approaches proved satisfactory.

Present ProgramIncorporation. Early in 1970 the existing program was thoroughly evaluated. It was then decided that a different approach must be taken, and a study was made of the Arapahoe County Bar Association's non-profit legal aid corporation and other efforts. The result was the filing on April 22, 1970, of Articles of Incorporation for Jefferson County Legal Aid, Inc., a Colorado non-profit corporation.

The Articles of Incorporation and the by-laws provide that the basic purpose of the corporation is to maintain an organization for the assistance of worthy poor and distressed persons needing legal assistance. The Board of Directors includes the president of the First Judicial District Bar Association and five other members of that bar association appointed by the...