Richland County Legal Clinic expanding services for people in need

MANSFIELD - Indigent people in this area have an expanded opportunity to get free legal advice.

Karen Osborne, who has been a paralegal for attorney John Allen for more than 20 years, opened Area Christian Legal Services in late 2018.

First United Methodist Church provided office space at 12 N. Diamond St. 

Recently, the clinic became part of the Christian Legal Aid (CLA) network, a ministry of the Christian Legal Society. Now called the Richland County Legal Clinic, it still operates out of First United Methodist.

More:Free legal clinic offering advice to people on 4th Monday of each month

"Now, we're a ministry of their church," Osborne said.

The Christian Legal Aid program increases access to legal aid for the poor, marginalized and victims of injustice.

Currently, there is only one legal aid attorney for every 10,000 people in poverty in the United States. CLA clinics serve anyone in need in their local communities, regardless of their faith.

As part of the Christian Legal Aid network, the Richland County Legal Clinic will have more direct access to people who need help.

And there are many people in that situation. Ken Liu became director of Christian Legal Aid for the Christian Legal Society in 2014. 

"There is a national crisis of a lack of access to justice for low-income people," he said, adding that number is in the millions.

He said those people affected face "all sorts of crucial life issues," everything from evictions and foreclosures to child support.

"The wealthier spouse, usually the man, can have a very expensive attorney (in a child support case), and the other spouse is fighting with no help at all," Liu said.

The Christian Legal Society is a network of 60 faith-based legal-aid programs serving the poor.

"It can be a huge lifesaver," Liu said. "Clients are typically extremely thankful."

He said the national average for an attorney is $350 per hour.

"Someone making minimum wage would have to work an entire week to afford one hour of an attorney's time," Liu said.

The Richland County Legal Clinic is from 5 to 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month, serving Richland County and surrounding areas. 

Through the Ohio Supreme Court, the clinic has an application to be recognized as an organization that provides pro bono services.

Christian Chan needed those services. She approached the clinic for "overall advice" on family affairs.

"I thought that they were very helpful," Chan said. "I thought the attorney (Robert Goldberger) was on point. He gave us a lot of information that we didn't know was even available.

"We were just thankful and blessed that we had help when we thought there was no help available. We had so many shut doors that it was a relief to find compassionate care."

Chan said she believes God sent her to the clinic.

"This was a huge stepping stone for us," she said. "We thought there would be no justice at all."

Osborne added, "We've never had anybody in the clinic who wasn't extremely grateful."

She is hoping to attract more attorneys to do some of the work. There are only three currently — Allen, Goldberger and Beth Owens.

"A lot of attorneys are afraid to go into pro bono work," Liu said. "Once they do, they feel more blessed having the opportunity to serve than the client might feel for getting the service.

"It's very rewarding."

Allen said he recently helped a woman who had undergone three surgeries and was bombarded by medical bills. He helped her by showing her how to consolidate the bills.

Attorneys need continuing legal education. Osborne hopes the pro bono work could count toward that and possibly attract more lawyers.

There is also a need for "legal navigators," people who are not attorneys, such as paralegals.

"The demand is so big that we're never going to attract enough pro bono attorneys," Liu said. "Paralegals could help a client figure out the right agencies to call or how to reach a clerk in a courthouse."

Osborne recently did just that for a woman who needed to know how to file a civil protection order. Osborne accompanied the woman to court.

Mansfield Municipal Court is helping spread the word about the Richland County Legal Clinic. Information is also available at 2-1-1.

To make an appointment with the clinic, call 419-775-3935 or email richlandcountylegalclinic@gmail.com

Access the website at richlandcountylegal.com.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill