Our Services

 

 

Legal Clinic

Bread for the City operates two legal clinics, one out of each of our centers in Northwest and Southeast Washington. We have eight attorneys and one loaned associate from Covington & Burling who represent and advise clients.

Volunteer and Staff attorneys represent clients in landlord-tenant disputes, represent claimants who have been denied Social Security disability benefits, advocate in fair hearings for other public benefits and represent clients in family law matters including child custody, civil protection orders, child support and divorce.

Our legal clinic has three special projects: the Community Lawyering Project, the Court-Based Legal Services Program, and the Child Support Community Legal Services Project.

The Community Lawyering Project is an initiative targeting underserved residents in Wards 7 and 8.  The project is engaged in direct representation, advocacy, community education and community building on issues of affordable housing, public benefits, and economic development.

Our attorneys also work in partnership with the Legal Aid Society to operate the Court-Based Legal Services Program, which allows attorneys to appear immediately in court with clients whom they meet that same day, often resulting in them taking the cases on for full representation.  Bread for the City also represents tenant associations and other individuals as we work toward preserving low-income housing, assuring that people live in safe environments, and preventing or delaying evictions.

And the Child Support Community Legal Services Project (modeled after the Court Based Legal Services Program) also partners with Legal Aid to staff an office right at the Paternity & Support Branch of the Court.  Modeled after the successful Community-Based Legal Service program that our legal clinic and Legal Aid maintain at Landlord and Tenant Court, this community legal office provides same-day representation and, in many cases, extended representation to low-income District residents who need assistance with child support matters.

Did You Know…

  • Last year we opened more than 200 legal cases.
  • The legal clinic utilizes more than 100 volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and law students to help meet the needs of our clients.
  • Covington & Burling LLP, a private firm in D.C., loans one of their associates to Bread for the City on a half-time basis to represent Bread for the City clients.
  • The D.C. Employment Justice Center holds walk-in legal clinics at our Northwest and Southeast Centers on Wednesday evenings.