Posted December 21, 20213:12 pm
Did you know that Legal Aid represents community groups in addition to individuals? Community groups include tenants and neighbors, nonprofits, collectives, and more.
Legal Aid helps groups with various legal issues. For example, Legal Aid helps groups understand what type of organization is best for their purpose - a nonprofit, LLC, cooperative, or something else. Legal Aid also helps draft and revise bylaws and other governing documents. Legal Aid can help groups apply for tax exemption, review contracts, comply with grant requirements, negotiate with other parties, and more.
Groups must be financially eligible for Legal Aid’s services. Legal Aid represents groups that cannot afford to hire an attorney. Groups must also be made up mostly of people with low income or exist to support people with low income.
Clients and community members know the most about the challenges facing their communities and how to solve them. Legal Aid support groups as one strategy to build equity and democracy in Northeast Ohio.
Also, Legal Aid represents entrepreneurs through the Legal Center for Low-Income Entrepreneurs. Low-income entrepreneurs often lack financial and social capital. Legal Aid provides legal assistance and referrals so that entrepreneurs can effectively grow their business.
Contact Legal Aid to apply for group or entrepreneur representation. You can apply by phone at 1.888.817.3777 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9am – 4pm or on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am – 2pm. Interpreters will be provided for callers who speak languages other than English. If you would like more information about our group representation and community economic development work before starting an application for legal assistance, please reach out to Natalie Ziegler, paralegal for Community Engagement, by email at Natalie.Ziegler@lasclev.org or by phone at 216.861.5019.
This article was published in Legal Aid's newsletter, "The Alert" Volume 37, Issue 2, in Winter 2021. See full issue at this link: “The Alert” – Volume 37, Issue 2 – Legal Aid Society of Cleveland (lasclev.org).