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What is LSSP?
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont (LSSP) is a non-profit law firm providing legal services in civil matters to low-income people in the Charlotte area and in west-central North Carolina. Services are provided by staff attorneys and paralegals and by hundreds of volunteer attorneys.
Who Does LSSP Help?
LSSP provides assistance to individuals and families in the Charlotte area and in west-central North Carolina that meet income and assets eligibility requirements based on 200% of the federal poverty level. In order to meet this requirement, a household with a single person must have gross household income under $19,140; with two persons under $25,660; with three persons under $32,180; and with four persons under $38,700. The gross household income takes into account several deductions such as medical expenses, child care expenses, etc. Contact us for an accurate assessment of eligibility.
Does LSSP Charge for its Services?
LSSP charges a nominal fee for some services based on the client's ability to pay. In addition, clients may be asked to pay for costs associated with representation that cannot be waived or avoided, such as court fees to file and serve court documents, and litigation costs related to discovery, medical examinations, and expert witnesses. Any fees or costs associated with representation will be discussed as part of our Representation Agreement. No client will ever be turned away based on solely on an inability to pay a fee.
What Kinds of Cases Does LSSP Handle?
In Mecklenburg County, LSSP provides assistance to many clients in public benefits, health care, and consumer law cases.
In Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, and Union Counties, LSSP provides assistance to immigrants in a wide variety of civil matters.
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In West-Central North Carolina, including Mecklenburg County LSSP provides assistance in tax and immigration law cases, and in public benefits, health care and consumer cases by referral from Legal Aid of North Carolina.
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Click here to see a complete list of case types in which LSSP can help.
What Kinds of Cases Will LSSP Not Handle?
LSSP does not provide legal assistance with traffic tickets, criminal matters, car accidents, cases that private attorneys will handle on a contingency fee basis, or other cases not within our priorities.
Does LSSP Help With Every Case?
LSSP does not have sufficient resources to provide legal assistance to every eligible person who has a problem within LSSP case priorities. Financial eligibility is only one criterion for case acceptance. In addition to financial eligibility, LSSP staff selects those cases from among the cases presented by applicants for assistance according to the following case selection criteria:
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The priority level assigned to the substantive case category in the client services plan;
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The severity of impact on the applicant;
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The severity of impact on other members of the client community;
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The likelihood of success; and
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The availability of program resources at the time the request for assistance is made.
Where Does LSSP’s Funding Come From?
LSSP receives funding from many sources including:
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Contributions from law firms, private lawyers and other individuals
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North Carolina State Bar Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Plan
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Mecklenburg County
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United States Internal Revenue Service
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United Way of Central Carolinas
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Regional HIV Consortium
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Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation
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Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
LSSP receives no funding from the federal Legal Services Corporation.
Who Is in Charge of LSSP?
A volunteer community Board of Directors governs LSSP. Click here to see a list of Board members.
Does LSSP work with Legal Aid of North Carolina?
LSSP is a “Partner in Justice” with Legal Aid of North Carolina, operating in close collaboration to serve clients in this area on a day-to-day and long-term basis. Legal Aid refers many clients to LSSP and works with LSSP on some cases. If you have a case that LSSP cannot help you with but Legal Aid may be able to help, LSSP will refer you to Legal Aid.
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