Our July 2019 Advocate of the Month is Faye Suggs, Staff Attorney in the Birmingham office. Faye graduated from Cumberland School of Law in 2015 and joined Legal Services Alabama in June of 2018. Faye’s practice focuses primarily on serving the elderly, but covers all of LSA’s core service areas for those clients. In her first year, Faye has proven to be a great advocate for LSA clients, and July was no exception.

Among the people Faye helped last month, was a home-bound senior who needed her name changed for legal reasons. After Faye completed all of the necessary paperwork, the fact that client could not leave her home became a major hurdle to resolving the client’s problem. With some leniency from the court system, Faye arranged to have the client’s hearing held in her home so that client’s name could finally be changed and she could move on with her life.

Last month, Faye assisted a senior who was stuck with a large bill when his roommate suddenly moved out and left the client with an unaffordable amount to pay.

Faye helped a woman whose husband continually promised to sign uncontested divorce papers but failed to do so. With Faye’s help, the client filed a contested divorce, got the client the needed divorce, and helped her receive a fresh start!

In another case, Faye helped a client being evicted from public housing for failing to pay his gas bill. The client did not understand why he was being evicted because he believed he had arranged with a charity to help pay for the bill. After speaking with the charity on multiple occasions, Faye was able to work it out. The bill was paid and the client was able to remain in his home.

Faye also helped a woman pursued by a former landlord for money the landlord claimed was owed after the client allegedly moved out without proper notice. With Faye’s help, the debt collector pursuing the debt agreed that nothing was owed.

Finally, Faye helped an elderly client who was disqualified from SSI because of the client’s housing situation. With Faye’s help, the client was able to move on and begin receiving benefits again.

So thanks Faye for all you did in July and your great work throughout the year. Keep up the good work!

By: Michael Forton, Director of Advocacy