Civil Legal Services Delivery in the District of Columbia
A Report by the District of Columbia Bar Foundation
September 2003

Today, as the D.C. Bar Foundation celebrates a quarter century of accomplishments, we recognize that the goal of equal justice for everyone in our community is far from being realized. In fact, although some have estimated that only 10% of the need for civil legal assistance is being met, the actual number is likely even smaller. The local organizations that provide legal services struggle daily to serve too many clients with far too few resources. Furthermore, there are numerous areas of law in which it is still exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for clients to obtain representation if they cannot afford an attorney at market rates.

The D.C. Bar Foundation believes that serving such a small proportion of the community’s legal needs is unacceptable. For this reason, the foundation has marked its 25th anniversary by commissioning a report on the state of the legal services delivery system in the District of Columbia.

We recommend in this report that the legal community in the District of Columbia, including the judiciary, the private bar, and the legal services providers, join with community leaders in a concerted effort to enhance dramatically the ability of our neediest citizens to gain access to justice. It is clear that small, discrete initiatives will not produce the kind of change that is needed. Rather, the legal community must develop a bold and comprehensive plan to ensure that all people in our city have access to a full range of legal services and expertise. It is vital that there be a commitment to implementing and sustaining this effort, so that the promise of equal access to justice becomes a reality for all of our residents.

Click here to download the report.

The report is a PDF file. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it free. To request that a copy of the report be mailed to you, please call 202-467-3750 ext. *855 or email info@dcbarfoundation.org.