Legal assistance is a right that everyone deserves, but before the existence of lawyers and a democratic government, people didn’t have much access to understanding the law and didn’t have much say in it either.
Legal Assistance Day aims to help people understand the importance of what lawyers do for their communities everywhere while also giving people a special opportunity to handle and resolve their legal needs.
History of Legal Assistance Day
Legal assistance has made essential steps towards assuring the rights of people everywhere, but where did legal assistance really begin to spring up in society? Legal aid can be traced back to the 1870s when the first legal assistance program was founded in New York.
However, it would only take a century later for the federal government in the United States to incorporate that system into their structure. The creation of the Office of Economic Opportunity’s Legal Services first developed in 1965, helping establish the independent Legal Service Corporation.
Following that development, over 260 legal services were established in all 50 states, aiding in legal matters for over 10,000 poor people. During the 1980s, the time of legal services experienced huge growth in popularity, but it wasn’t until the 2000s that the structure has to consolidate for the economic crash, which developed community legal aid in its stead.
The purpose of Legal Assistance Day is to help new graduates in the legal department have job -readiness training, help people resolve their legal issues, and help people throughout their community resolve matters that they couldn’t handle themselves.
Throughout this day, volunteers throughout the community come to their legal offices and help host events for their lawyers so they can continue to aid their communities in legal disputes.
It is also a time to appreciate those who work hours on end towards resolving legal matters by taking the time to understand the law and use it to help those in need.
How to celebrate Legal Assistance Day
Celebrate Legal Assistance Day by volunteering at your local lawyer’s office. See if they’re hosting an event for Legal Assistance Day and help organize the event.
If you’re in need of legal assistance yourself, then head on into your local office today and get started with working on resolving your legal matters. Maybe even take the time to thank a lawyer by giving them a gift, or if you know them personally, take them out to a nice brunch.
Share this holiday with your friends and family on social media using the hashtag #legalassistanceday and let them know this day is all about appreciating the legal services that everyone deserves no matter their income.
