Civil legal services in Minnesota stands to lose funding under both the budgets presented by the Minnesota House and Senate. Under the proposal in the Senate, money for civil legal services would be reduced by about 6.4 percent. The House bill cuts 8 percent in 2012 and 25 percent in 2013. Both bills have less money for civil legal services than the governor’s proposed budget-which amounts to a hold steady budget.
On a federal level, one lawmaker said recently that private lawyers aren’t doing enough to make up the difference between the needs of poor clients and the services available to them.
U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-VA, called out law firms, state bar associations and law schools for not doing enough of, or the right kind of pro bono work. Specifically criticizing the lawyers who are representing the men detained at Guantanamo Bay Cuba and those accused of plotting the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks free of charge.
The Legal Services Corp. is facing a cut of up to $70 million for the current fiscal year.
