Laura Halfmann-Morris, co-manger of the Family Law department at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.
Our featured community partner this month is Laura Halfmann-Morris, co-manager of the family law department at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. Incorporated in 1956, Legal Services provides free legal representation to low-income individuals facing civil issues such as eviction, loss of public benefits, consumer cases, immigration, and special education. The Lasting Solutions Family Law team provides representation to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in divorce, custody, paternity, and orders of protection cases.
Laura explains that Legal Services is a Legal Services Corporation grantee serving 21 Missouri counties. Interesting fact: every county in the entire country is covered by an LSC-funded organization offering civic legal assistance! The Sixth Amendment only guarantees legal representation for criminal matters. The LSC, established by Congress in 1974, financially supports legal aid organizations which assist with civil matters. In addition to LSC funding, Legal Services’ work is supported by federal and state grants, charitable foundations, donations, and other funding sources.
Just as it is for many agencies serving those in need, capacity is a significant challenge at Legal Services. The need for legal assistance is great; to wit, the family law department received 5500 requests for help in 2022. Laura says the agency offers full legal representation to as many people as possible. If Legal Services is unable to provide full representation, staff offers legal guidance and make referrals to other organizations.
Laura, who has worked for Legal Services for more than 10 years, is one of many social workers on staff at the organization. Approximately 20 social workers provide therapeutic case management services to Legal Services clients. These social workers meet clients’ needs in a variety of important ways. For example, among other duties, they assist families in finding housing, develop safety plans for domestic violence survivors, and link clients to available services in their communities.
In addition to direct work with clients, Legal Services’ social workers develop and maintain partnerships with local service agencies. Legal Services’ relationship with Project CONTACT is one such partnership…and a successful one! Laura shares that their staff has referred at least two families to CONTACT. One family has already completed the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention. Per Laura, the family is “grateful for the experience.” The Legal Services team is grateful that the referral process was fast and easy. “[Project Contact] is an incredible way to help families who have experienced trauma,” says Laura. “It’s such a gift!”
Know someone who needs legal assistance for a civil matter? Laura reports that prospective clients can click on the “Get Help Now” tab on the Legal Services’ website and submit an online application. Those seeking assistance may also call Legal Services’ main intake line at 800-444-0514 or 314-534-4200. Callers should follow the voice menu prompts and leave a detailed message (including information about any upcoming court dates). After submitting an online application or leaving a message on the intake line, a Legal Services’ staff member will follow-up within a couple of days to obtain more information.