Steven Schulman Quoted in Law360 on Letter to Congress Calling for Legal Services Corporation Funding

May 23, 2017

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Law360 has quoted Akin Gump pro bono partner Steven Schulman in the article “BigLaw Urges Congress To Keep Funding Legal Aid Org.,” regarding efforts by more than 165 law firms across the United States to push for continued funding of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the largest source of funding for civil legal services for low-income Americans. The leaders of those firms signed a letter to all 535 members of Congress this week, asking that $450 million be appropriated for fiscal year 2018.

The letter came on the same day that the Trump administration released its budget proposal, which instead calls for funding of only $33 million in order to wind down the organization. Schulman said the letter unintentionally coincided with the budget proposal, and that based on conversations with lawmakers, funding for the LSC is not in danger of being eliminated.

“The budget proposed $33 million to wrap up LSC, which nobody takes seriously — or at least nobody with significant power to make budget decisions takes seriously,” Schulman said. “But that doesn't mean this isn’t a serious issue.”

The same group of law firms sent a similar letter in March to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney. To read more about that, please click here.

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