FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 12, 2000
CONTACT: Dan Rene, 703-847-3088 or drene@nlpc.org
WASHINGTON, DC -- The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) filed a formal complaint with the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) regarding alleged violations of federal appropriations law and LSC regulations by California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA).
This Complaint raises serious questions as to the involvement of CRLA in a fee-generating case. LSC regulations and federal appropriations law forbid a LSC grantee to take a fee-generating case when other counsel is available to take it.
Furthermore, the complaint details CRLA's apparent violations
of federal appropriations law and LSC regulations that prohibit class action
lawsuits, the initiation of litigation in which each plaintiff has not
been identified by name and the seeking of attorney's fees.
"There they go again" said NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm. "This is
yet another example of legal services grantees trying to subvert Congressional
reforms. It comes as no surprise that CRLA is trying to evade these
rules."
In a complaint filed on Feb. 7, 2000, in Ventura County Superior Court, CRLA filed a lawsuit seeking attorneys' fees for their co-counsel and compensation for a class of individuals that were not identified by name in the complaint -- an apparent violation of federal law.
Boehm continued "LSC is legally bound by the LSC Act to ensure that its grantees obey the LSC Act, regulations and federal appropriations law. LSC has repeatedly claimed to Congress, as recently as earlier this year that it 'vigorously' enforces all restrictions. This case represents yet another opportunity for LSC to do its duty or turn a blind eye to abuses that have become the hallmark of the legal services program."
This is the most recent action from the Legal Services Accountability Project of NLPC. The ethics group has filed several complaints with the LSC. A 1999 complaint with Farmworkers Legal Services of North Carolina resulted in the defunding of the program and a $17,000 fine for their illegal activities.
NLPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation promoting ethics and accountability in government through research, education and legal action. In 1993, NLPC successfully sued Hillary Rodham Clinton's Health Care Task Force. NLPC currently sponsors the Organized Labor Accountability Project and the Legal Services Accountability Project.
For a copy of the complaint, please visit www.nlpc.org or call Dan Rene at (703) 847-3088