Utah Bar Foundation
| Publication year | 1989 |
| Pages | 38 |
| Citation | Vol. 2 No. 8 Pg. 38 |
Legal Aid Services Extended Through IOLTA
Arnold G. Gardner Jr., Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake.
The Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake (LAS) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. It was created in 1922 to provide legal representation to low-income individuals who are unable to obtain representation through the private bar. LAS provides representation for qualified individuals whose legal problems are centered in Salt Lake County. Offices are located at 225 S. 200 E., Suite 230, Salt Lake City, Utah. The existence of LAS in the Salt Lake County community is due in no small part to the generous support of the Utah Bar Foundation through its funding of LAS from IOLTA monies. The IOLTA grant is one of only a few large grants which LAS utilizes to pay general operational costs of the organization. Without funding from IOLTA, due to the idiosyncracies of various funding sources' fiscal years, LAS could not stay in operation during the summer months.
Because most requests for LAS' representation occurred in the area of domestic law, the Board directed LAS to emphasize representation in this area. Through this emphasis, LAS has been able to provide representation to a larger number of low-income clients. Presently, LAS routinely provides representation in divorce/annulment cases, custody petitions, paternity matters, divorce modifications and stepparent/ relative adoptions. LAS also provides representation in immigration matters involving family, students and laypersons. Without the interns and volunteers, LAS would not be able to serve the number of clients now represented.
There are presently over 380 persons on the waiting list to receive an appointment at LAS. Weekly appointments are scheduled four weeks in advance of the appointment by taking names from the top of the waiting list. The number of appointments made is in direct relation to the number of cases which have been closed by the office during the prior month. It is estimated that it will be six to eight months before all persons presently on the list will be able to receive appointments. Cases other than domestic and cases involving conflicts are referred to Utah Legal Services. Clients over the federal poverty guidelines are referred to the Lawyer Referral Service of the Utah State Bar or the Tuesday Night Bar.
Individuals with emergency cases or...
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