Access to Legal Services

The Objective

Increase access to legal services for low-income residents and support the pro-bono capacity of legal services providers.

The Issue

Affordable, quality, legal and advocacy assistance can help individuals gain or maintain economic security, preserve safe housing, prevent domestic violence, and maintain other basic needs. However, there is a justice gap in Marin. 7 out of 10 of Marin County’s poorest residents experiencing a legal problem do not receive individualized legal assistance. This means that there are nearly 14,000 civil legal problems not addressed each year. In addition, shifting federal immigration policies and increased deportation enforcement has resulted in a marked increase in demand for immigration legal services.

Our Approach

We will support critical legal services, in areas such as eviction assistance, immigration, and employment/labor disputes, that prevent low-income people from falling into poverty. Addressing these specific problems through legal aid has the ripple effect of offering significant individual and community benefits, including higher incomes, better access to benefits, increased family stability, and homelessness prevention.

In addition to supporting civil and immigration legal services, the Buck Family Fund has also launched three initiatives focused on expanding local immigration legal services capacity; increasing pro bono engagement; and increasing naturalization.

For more information on our Pro Bono Engagement initiative, visit the Marin Pro Bono Network.
For more information on our Naturalization initiative, visit New Americans Campaign.