The Nature of Poverty Law and the Need for Poverty Law Services

In this chapter we discuss the issue of poverty legal aid services. Included in this chapter will be an analysis of the unique nature of poverty law needs and the context in which those needs are addressed currently. By necessity, much of this chapter analyses the role of community clinics. More specifically, this chapter contains a detailed discussion of the legislative mandate to deliver poverty law services, community governance, clinic accountability, the relationship of the community clinic system to the larger legal aid system, clinics' scope of services, and gaps in poverty law coverage. The final section of this chapter makes recommendations on each of these subjects.

Publication Date: 
2020