In the United States today, an estimated 80 percent of the legal needs of those near or below the federal poverty level go unmet. The Supreme Court has repeatedly identified access to the courts as a fundamental constitutional right, but a lack of affordable legal counsel has shattered the promise of this right for low-income individuals. While litigants of means can afford competent counsel to shepherd them through complex legal proceedings, litigants without such resources must typically navigate the court system alone. There is widespread consensus that this “justice gap” between those with the financial resources to secure counsel and the poor who cannot, and it is this gap that often threatens the credibility of the justice system and undermines the public confidence in the law.
In 2023 we…
Assisted more than 2,000 low-income people with their legal matters
Provided 1,340 volunteer hours to families in need across the Lowcountry
Furnished free legal services with a value of nearly $2.75 million
Conducted 17 Community Clinics in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton
Helped over 250 people with their housing protection matters