November 1993

Cover

 
  • Introduction to the Food Stamp Program

    This article provides an introduction to the food stamp program, including its application process, eligibility rules, income and benefit calculations, and overissuance and fraud.

    By Carrie M. Lewis

  • Consumer Law for the New Legal Services Practitioner

    This article describes state and federal consumer protection legislation and offers a guide for analyzing credit transactions.

    By The National Consumer Law Center

  • Child Support Guidelines: A Primer

    This article provides an overview of child support guidelines, including the concerns that led to their promulgation, and the basic theories behind their differing types.

    By Nancy S. Erickson

  • Introduction to Employment Discrimination Law

    Discrimination in the workplace is a complex area of employment law involving a broad range of impermissible practices. This article briefly describes the major federal civil rights statutes.

    By Patricia A. Bailey and Maria Master

  • The Role of Education Law in the Practice of Poverty Law

    Education law can have a meaningful effect on the lives of low-income clients, and expanding the field of legal services clients to include children who are deprived of educational opportunities is necessary. This articles explains how various legal services programs have undertaken education advocacy in the course of their everyday practice.

    By Maura J. Kelly

  • Building Strong, Stable Indian Communities Through the Indian Child Welfare Act

    For centuries, Indian children were removed from their Native American homes by state courts and welfare agencies at a rate overwhelmingly disproportionate to their non-Indian counterparts. This article discusses that historic abuse and the landmark legislation enacted in response, the Indian Child Welfare Act.

    By Patrice Kunesh

  • "Access" Issues in the Supreme Court's 1992 Term

    During its 1992 term, the Supreme Court decided a number of cases that affect low-income people's access to the federal courts, including cases concerning attorney fees, standing, and retroactive application of federal statutes. This article summarizes the decisions and gives a brief overview of the access issues that may arise in the Court's 1993 term.

    By Laurie Davison, Gill Deford, Matthew Diller, Shelley Jackson, and Brian Lawlor

  • Alliances and Coalitions: Building Associations for Mutual Benefit

    If legal services advocates want to participate in broad, meaningful social change, they must be part of broad community coalitions and alliances: this article discusses coalitions with the private bar, state and local government officials, and community organizations.

    By Jane Hardin

  • Serving Clients in New Ways: Community Economic Development

    Legal services program are beginning to look at nontraditional ways to serve their low-income clients. CED on the Job explains community economic development and how it can be worked into your daily legal services practice. The second part of the article, Redefining Success: Beyond the Body Count, describes the CED projects that one legal services practitioner has implemented in her office.

    By The National Economic Development & Law Center

  • How the Clearinghouse Can Help You in Your Legal Services Practice: Guide to Clearinghouse Services

    The National Clearinghouse for Legal Services (NCLS) serves advocates by gathering and disseminating poverty law Information. This article outlines the services NCLS provides, including the Clearinghouse Review, an extensive library of case files and publications, computer-assisted legal research, and library reference services.

    By the Clearinghouse Staff

  • Regional Training Centers: Advocates for Professional Development in Legal Services

    This article describes the Legal Services Corporation-established regional training centers, which provide training and support services to legal services advocates.

    By Judith Rausch

  • State Support: A Self-Portrait

    State support centers act as communication coordinators, legal counsel, information and education brokers, legislative and administrative advocates, and sounding boards for field program staff, pro bono attorneys, and clients in their states. This article illustrates the role of state support in delivering high-quality legal services to low-income people.

    By Jamie Odle Hamon