Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

by Bethany Lucking

November 2005

Who among us have never heard a lawyer joke?...or told a lawyer joke? Recently, Jay Leno told a joke on the Tonight Show in which he compared attorneys to terrorists. Nowadays, the public perception of the legal profession is quite derogatory. Lawyers are often viewed as money hungry, ambulance chasers or crooked criminal attorneys who use every trick to help guilty defendants "get away with it".

And how can society not have negative impressions of what was once a noble, respected profession when their only exposure is usually limited to television shows that depict attorneys immorally or to television commercials with the attorney sounding like a carnival barker? And even though there are a few lawyers who contribute to the unfavorable perception, the majority of attorneys are ethical, responsible members of the legal profession who strive to foster the public's trust and respect in the legal system.

Contrary to general consensus, not all lawyers are solely in practice for a huge paycheck. In fact, there are many licensed attorneys who work in the "service" realm making considerably less than their colleagues in private practice. Besides County Attorneys, Judges, Public Defenders, many attorneys are employed by legal service organizations that provide legal representation to indigent individuals in civil matters.

Unlike criminal law where an attorney is appointed to the accused if they cannot afford one, there is no such protection on the civil law side. Therefore, legal services attorneys are sometimes the only way someone who falls below the federal poverty level can have access to the justice system. Legal service clients are provided an attorney at no charge to represent them in civil proceedings including family law matters, housing matters, consumer protection matters, public benefit assistance, elder law, estates, contracts, and more.

Additionally, many attorneys who are in private practice work in conjunction with legal service organizations. Just like in many public benefit programs, the demand for legal services far surpasses the supply. Therefore, most legal service providers have a pro bono department in which private practice attorneys agreed to donate their services free of charge or at a reduced rate which is paid by the legal service provider, not the client. The cooperative relationship with private attorneys is vital to maximizing the access to the legal system by people who otherwise would not be able to afford it.

Many people are not aware of the existence of legal services providers unless they have applied for assistance or have known someone who has. As a result, the good work performed by legal service attorneys has little effect on changing the negative public perception. Likewise, the pro bono work done by the lawyers in private practice also goes unrecognized by society, and therefore, has minimal impact on fostering positive societal attitudes.

Frequently, attorneys who make a career working for legal service organizations sacrifice monetary gain for a sense of contribution, pride and public service. In fact, some attorneys have even left their lucrative private practice and subsequently, become employed with legal services, taking substantial pay cuts in the process. Why? They do so because of a desire to give back to the community, to help those who otherwise would not get help because of financial limitations, to attempt to balance the scales of justice between the have and the have-nots-- all noble concepts which are worthy of society's respect. Maybe, with more and more public awareness of the good works performed by lawyers, we will again return to the times when the legal profession was viewed as a noble career instead of being the subject of derogatory jokes comparing attorneys to terrorists.

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Wichita Falls' office can be reached at (940) 723-5542. The office sponsors free legal clinics for the public. For noncustodial parents who are being denied their visitation, a clinic is held at The Place every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Additionally, a general clinic is held in Vernon every first Tuesday of every month from 1:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m. at the Vernon Housing Authority. A clinic is held at the Olney Housing Authority every third Wednesday of the month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. An evening clinic is also held at the Martin Luther King Center in Wichita Falls on the third Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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