Our vision is a just, equitable and inclusive society where people receive help to solve their legal problems and have a stronger voice in how laws and legal processes affect them. At VLA, providing and improving access to legal services for our clients is at the heart of everything we do: access gives people the opportunity to change the power imbalance and stand up to those who want to deny them their rights and compromise their quality of life. We are committed to minimizing barriers and obstacles faced by anyone seeking help from VLA. Poverty will not be an obstacle to justice. Legal barriers that perpetuate poverty and inequality are being removed. Laws and legal systems will be open and equally effective for all those in need of their protection, especially those who are treated unfairly and disproportionately because of personal or collective characteristics that place them on the margins of society. Efficient use of limited resources We will coordinate our efforts to maximize the impact of the limited resources entrusted to us and to provide the most effective and cost-effective civil legal aid services, in accordance with our common mission and core values. Our staff and lawyers ensure justice in each county and work tirelessly to defend our clients and remove hidden systemic barriers that can prevent them from succeeding. As a passionate advocate for individuals and families, Legal Services is an indispensable part of the legal, social and economic fabric of our city. The characteristics of the Access to Justice Council for an Effective National System of Civil Justice Services define the vision, values, and core capabilities that are at the heart of Washington`s civil legal aid system. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all people, regardless of income, have the right to quality civil representation. We are committed to ensuring that poverty is not an obstacle to justice by removing the legal barriers that perpetuate inequality.
Legal Aid Chicago employees live our mission through our core values of justice, excellence, inclusion, kindness and respect. Our lawyers are experts in their fields of expertise and eager to represent clients who have the knowledge, skill, rigour and preparation to effectively advocate for the timely resolution of our clients` interests. Legal Aid WA`s vision is to create equal access to justice to support a just and safe community. Our mission is to support the community by providing quality and timely legal assistance to those who need our help. Access to our services Our national civil legal aid system is accessible to all who need our services, regardless of their legal status or other defining characteristics. We will explicitly reach out to those who encounter obstacles in getting our help and tailor our delivery systems to their needs. Duty to identify and remove barriers We will use our legal capabilities to identify and eliminate systems – within our own community, the justice system, and society at large – that target low-income members of racial, national, ethnic and social minorities and other low-income individuals who are affected by explicit or implicit bias and other marginalizing dynamics. encounter obstacles to denial of justice. We value the cultural, linguistic and other differences between our customers, our customer communities and ourselves. We will take positive steps to develop and implement personal and organizational skills and systems to bridge these differences without placing additional burdens on our clients. Meaningful and authentic customer engagement Meaningful and authentic interaction with the communities and customers we serve is essential to our work. We will learn from our customers and be guided.
If necessary, we will serve as their legal voice. As much as possible, we help and support them to defend their own rights and to affirm/defend them. We approach our work with strength and confidence. We are guided by our values and what is most important to our customers and society.