Legal Services Alabama (LSA), in partnership with the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), will host a free Veterans Legal Clinic and Community Resource Education Event on Thursday, August 20, at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf in Mobile. The event will provide veterans with access to free civil legal assistance, information about available benefits and services, and connections to local community resources.

“With 300,000+ veterans in Alabama, it is imperative that LSA have resources available to provide civil legal assistance to this important segment of our population,” said LSA Executive Director, Guy Lescault. “Current House Congressional Appropriation recommendation to reduce LSC funding by 50% will adversely impact LSA’s ability to help our veterans who have earned the right to free civil legal assistance.”

The event marks the release of LSC’s new Veterans Services Toolkit, a national resource designed to help legal aid organizations, volunteer attorneys and community partners expand veterans’ access to civil legal assistance through effective legal clinics and coordinated community partnerships.

“Veterans should never have to face potentially life-changing legal challenges alone,” said LSC President Ron Flagg. “LSC is committed to partnering with our grantees and other service providers to make sure those who served our country have access to the assistance and resources they need when it matters most.”

Civil legal issues remain among the greatest barriers to stability for many veterans. According to the latest CHALENG survey conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, seven of the 10 most commonly identified unmet needs among homeless and at-risk veterans involve legal issues.

The new Veterans Outreach Toolkit provides practical guidance for planning and operating successful veterans’ legal clinics, including step-by-step instructions, templates and resources.

At the August 20 event, veterans will have the opportunity to:

• Meet one-on-one with LSA attorneys and legal staff
• Learn about their civil legal rights and available legal solutions
• Connect with local veterans’ service organizations and resource providers

The clinic reflects LSA’s ongoing commitment to removing barriers to justice for Alabama veterans and strengthening partnerships that improve access to essential legal services across the state.