Attorneys General from Four States and D.C. Join “Talk Justice” Podcast to Discuss Access-to-Justice Initiatives

WASHINGTON — Five attorneys general joined Legal Services Corporation (LSC) President Ronald S. Flagg on the latest episode of LSC’s “Talk Justice” podcast released today. The guests are Joshua Kaul of Wisconsin; Doug Peterson of Nebraska; Karl Racine of Washington, D.C.; Ellen Rosenblum of Oregon and Herbert Slatery III of Tennessee. 

All five signed a letter to Congress in support of LSC’s annual appropriation. Flagg began the conversation by thanking them for their support. "When it comes to federal funding for civil legal aid, the voices of so many bipartisan attorneys general carry enormous credibility and weight,” he said. “We are profoundly grateful for your support and, again, for being here with us today.” 

The attorneys general discussed civil justice efforts in their jurisdictions and how their offices have partnered effectively with legal aid organizations. They shared examples of initiatives focused on particular areas of of legal need or on specific vulnerable populations, including domestic violence survivors and seniors at risk from elder abuse.  

“We can't be the city's landlord and tenant lawyer,” Racine noted. “We simply don't have, unfortunately, the resources. But what we can do is go to landlord-tenant court, as our team does, and we can get to know the lawyers who are pro bono or legal services and other organizations who are doing the individual work, so that we're aware of broader trends that may be taking place. And so our housing conditions work has been a mainstay of our office.” 

The conversation also focused on the different approaches states have taken to meet the immediate and long-term challenges the pandemic has caused.  

Peterson took a moment to thank legal aid staff and supporters for their work and stressed the importance of outreach efforts to low-income Americans facing legal problems. "If we don't, within our systems, make all the citizens of our country and of our states know that they have the ability to be represented and to have legal counsel, we have failed. We've failed as lawyers, we've failed as citizens.”  

Talk Justice episodes are available on LSC's website and on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple and other popular podcast apps. The podcast is sponsored by LSC’s Leaders Council.  

Future episodes of Talk Justice will explore ways to shift the narrative on access-to-justice advocacy and new data on civil legal needs.