Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (also known as WLCH or The Legal Clinic) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization providing pro bono legal services to those in the District affected by lack of housing and other housing issues. In 2009, the organization was voted "one of the best small charities in the Washington, DC region" by the Catalogue for Philanthropy.^[1] The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless has been instrumental in preserving city funding for homeless services,^[2] housing, public benefits, domestic violence, individual rights and health.^[3]

Operations

The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless is located in the True Reformer Building at 1200 U Street NW in the heart of Washington, D.C.'s U Street Corridor. At the core of the Legal Clinic's work is the Legal Assistance Project, which provides pro bono representation of individual low and no-income clients through a network of over 200 volunteer attorneys and legal assistants. Volunteers obtain clients on a referral basis or at one of seven intake sites run by the Legal Clinic at meal programs, health clinics and day programs throughout the District.^[4]

Additional programs of the Legal Clinic include:

• Affordable Housing Initiative, which works to prevent homelessness by representing tenants with low and no-income who live in buildings threatened by gentrification, foreclosure, loss of subsidy, poor conditions or illegal sale or conversion to condominiums^[5]
• David M. Booth Disability Rights Initiative, which assures the accessibility of local shelters and housing programs to people with physical and/or mental health disabilities^[6]
• Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative, which works to move the District's local shelter system from one rooted in large emergency shelters to one that instead provides housing and wrap-around services to both individuals and families^[7]
• Veterans Initiative, which helps homeless veterans overcome the multiple barriers in their efforts to secure permanent housing.^[8]

The Clinic hosts and participates in several major fundraisers each year including Lawyers Pitch In,^[9] and Home Court.^[10]

History

The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless began its efforts to fight homelessness in 1985 as an undertaking of the D.C. Bar, and was originally titled "Ad Hoc Committee for the Homeless."^[11] In 1986 the organization became the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.^[12]

Literary connection

The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless is referenced in John Grisham's 1998 legal thriller The Street Lawyer. Grisham research for the book involved spending some time consulting with staff at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.^[13]

Major court cases

Pearson v. Kelly (C.A. No. 92-14030 S.C. Super. Ct.) – Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless worked with the Neighborhood Legal Services Program and the law firm of Covington & Burling to bring this action on behalf of applicants for public housing in the District of Columbia. Judge Steffen Graae ultimately appointed David Gilmore as Receiver of the DC Housing Authority to bring the agency into compliance with federal housing laws and regulations. Significant improvements in agency operations resulted.^[14]

Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless vs. Kelly (107 F.3d 32 (D.C. Cir. 1997) – The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless was represented by the law firm of Howrey & Simon in a suit against the D.C. Government for the government's failure to comply with proper shelter intake procedures and in regards to providing shelter benefits to homeless families. D.C. received federal funding to provide these services and was found not in compliance with the laws governing that funding. Rather than change its practices, the government of D.C. eventually pulled out of the federal program. The case ultimately upheld the Legal Clinic's right to have a presence in the waiting room where families apply for shelter.^[14]

Staff awards

The Legal Clinic staff are accomplished and acclaimed individuals. Awards include:

• Patty Mullahy Fugere, Executive Director: DC Bar's William J. Brennan, Jr. Award (2009), Legal Aid Society of DC's Servant of Justice Award (2000), DC Bar Foundation's Jerrold Scoutt Prize (1998). She was also awarded honorary degrees from Georgetown University Law Center (2001) and Kings College (Wilkes Barre, PA) (1997), Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, Georgetown University Law Center (2001), Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa, Kings College (1997), Women's Legal Defense Fund Volunteer Appreciation Award (1986)
• Marta Beresin, Staff Attorney: Equal Justice Foundation Fellowship Award^[15]
• Julie Broas, Staff Attorney: Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Columbia Law School^[16]
• Amber Harding, Staff Attorney: Jeffrey Crandall Award, International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award, ABA/BNA Award for Excellence in Health Care Law, Equal Justice Works Fellow, 2003–2005, and received the Abramson Foundation Fellowship, 2003–2004. Citizen Advocate award from the DC Center for Independent Living in 2007^[17]
• Kristi Matthews, Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator: DC Jobs With Justice "I'll Be There" award (2010), Star Performance award, Glenhaven Multicultural After-School Tutorial Program (2004, 2005, 2006), Hearts in Hands Community Service Award, Community Senate for commitment to serve the Guilford College (2006), African American Senior Empowerment Award for 3 year commitment to empowering the underclass African American students through African American Heritage work (2006), African American Nettie Coad Commitment to Greensboro award (2004)^[18]
• Scott McNeilly, Staff Attorney: DC Bar Foundation's Jerrold Scoutt Prize in 2004^[19]
• Nassim Moshiree, Staff Attorney: Frederick B. Abramson Fellowship Award for 2008–2009^[20]
• Anne Smetak, Staff Attorney: 2010 Housing Justice Award by the National Housing law Project^[21]
• Misty Thomas, Staff Attorney: 2008 "Defender of Innocence" Award from the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project,^[22] Georgetown's Outstanding Public Service Student Award, 2007–2008^[23]

Mary Ann Luby

• Mary Ann Luby, Outreach Worker: Prior to her 15-year tenure as Outreach Worker at Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, Sister Mary Ann was the first director of the privately run Rachael's Women's Center. She worked for three decades to lift up the voices of people experiencing homelessness as they advocated for their rights. She fought to remove barriers that might prevent people from accessing the city's shelters and, in the 1990s, helped shape the city's strategies for sheltering people who were homeless during the winter months, emphasizing the needs of families in particular. Sadly, Mary Ann died of cancer on Nov. 29, 2010 at the Washington Home hospice. She was 70. She is greatly missed by friends, co-workers and family.^[24]

References

External links

• Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless