NYSBA President Calls on Members To Help Save the Legal Services Corporation
7.3.2025
New York State Bar Association President Kathleen Sweet this week launched a campaign to stave off cuts to the Legal Services Corporation by mobilizing the association’s members.
At the end of May, the White House proposed to eliminate the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), jeopardizing essential legal protections for children, families, veterans, and seniors. According to the LSC, the White House has proposed that LSC receive just $21 million for close-out costs in 2026. In 2025, LSC received a Congressional appropriation of $560 million through the Continuing Resolution signed by President Trump. This was flat funding based on the 2024 appropriation for the federal government.
In her note to members, Sweet said:
“For decades, our association has supported the work of the Legal Services Corporation and has steadfastly advocated for its funding. The value of civil legal aid extends beyond the individual, reaching deep into the economic fabric of our communities. When someone escapes domestic violence, avoids foreclosure, is not saddled with debt they do not owe or receives wages they have earned, the positive economic impact ripples outward. Civil legal aid stabilizes families, homes and incomes, allowing adults to work and children to meet their full potential at school. It puts more money in low-income Americans’ pockets. It also helps resolve issues before they require government intervention, saving taxpayers money. According to a 2017 study, for every one dollar spent on legal aid, New York State receives $10 in return.”
Members who would like to make their voices heard and oppose this action can click here.
