About Us

Who We Are

More than 50 years ago, a group of idealistic young attorneys and community leaders did something brand new for Southwest Virginia: Taking advantage of federal funds available through the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), they started the first rural legal aid program in Virginia.

Much has changed in the decades since. From two attorneys serving Bland and Smyth Counties, Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society (SVLAS) has grown to match its name. The program now serves the region’s 17 counties and four small cities, an area roughly the size of the state of New Jersey!

But while much has changed, much has also remained the same, including the agency’s commitment to its clients and a steadfast belief that equal access to justice should not depend on how much money you make.

Legal Aid provides free civil legal assistance to low-income families in Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe Counties, and the cities of Bristol, Galax, Radford and Norton.

We serve clients from three field offices, in Castlewood, Christiansburg and Marion. A Centralized Intake Unit and Administrative Unit serve program-wide.

About Legal Aid

If you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided for you…

While most of us are familiar with those words from television, right to counsel applies only in criminal cases. No such guarantee exists for those facing civil issues, which can be equally devastating. Loss of a home or livelihood, denial of healthcare or public benefits…

This “access gap” persists despite the fact that studies consistently show a direct correlation between representation and outcomes, particularly in the very cases often faced by the poor, including eviction, landlord-tenant disputes, domestic violence, and custody cases, as well as unemployment claims and social security appeals.

Because Legal Aid is underfunded and can meet only 20% of the civil legal needs of the poor, caseloads are prioritized to focus on clents’ most critical legal needs. These include: access to shelter; access to affordable healthcare; protecting their income and resources; securing financial support and public benefits; and attacking oppressive or exploitative practices.

Services range from advice and counseling to brief service to representation in court proceedings or administrative hearings.Civil legal aid provides no unfair advantage, it simply levels the playing field in a complex and confusing justice system that is based upon two-party representation.

Legal Aid attorneys and staff are caring, compassionate professionals who work to achieve the best possible outcomes for their clients.

Who We Are

More than 50 years ago, a group of idealistic young attorneys and community leaders did something brand new for Southwest Virginia: Taking advantage of federal funds available through the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), they started the first rural legal aid program in Virginia.

Much has changed in the decades since. From two attorneys serving Bland and Smyth Counties, Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society (SVLAS) has grown to match its name. The program now serves the region’s 17 counties and four small cities, an area roughly the size of the state of New Jersey!

But while much has changed, much has also remained the same, including the agency’s commitment to its clients and a steadfast belief that equal access to justice should not depend on how much money you make.

Legal Aid provides free civil legal assistance to low-income families in Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe Counties, and the cities of Bristol, Galax, Radford and Norton.

We serve clients from three field offices, in Castlewood, Christiansburg and Marion. A Centralized Intake Unit and Administrative Unit serve program-wide.