Why Civil Legal Aid Is Essential for Economic Recovery

By DarKenya W. Waller,

Executive director, Legal Aid Society

COVID-19 has sent Middle Tennesseans into a tailspin. It is becoming evident that the long-term effects will be serious, and in some respects, permanent.

Many of us are facing health and economic hardships. Many newly poor residents are navigating benefits and charitable systems for the very first time. As new and unanticipated civil legal challenges begin to arise, so will the need for continuing unemployment benefits, safeguards against being evicted or foreclosed upon, domestic abuse protections, shelter from debt collectors (espe...