De Novo Staff “Walk to the Hill” for Increased Civil Legal Aid Funding

On January 25, 2024, De Novo staff and volunteers joined over 600 attorneys, advocates, and law students from across the state for the annual “Walk to the Hill” Event, urging Massachusetts lawmakers to protect and increase funding for civil legal aid. Now in its 25th year, the day marked the return of an in-person “Walk to the Hill,” after the COVID-19 pandemic led to three years of virtual events.

Walk to the Hill is an annual lobby day organized by the Equal Justice Coalition (EJC). The EJC is a partnership of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association, and the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC). Its mission is to advocate for civil legal aid funding at the state level through the budget line item for MLAC, which is the largest funder of civil legal aid organizations in the Commonwealth.

For Fiscal Year 2025, MLAC is asking the state legislature for $55 million to support 16 civil legal aid organizations across the Commonwealth. Governor Maura Healey released her FY25 budget proposal on January 24. It included $50.5 million for MLAC’s line item.

Notably, increased investments in civil legal aid over the past few years have resulted in a sizable decrease in the number of eligible residents being turned away, but still only about 50% of qualified applicants are able to access help for their civil legal problems. Households with incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty level ($39,000 per year for a family of four and $18,825 for an individual) qualify for civil legal aid. While progress is admirable, it is clear that significant need for legal services remains.

“Ensuring justice is accessible to all will take sustained and significant investment,” said MLAC’s Lynne Parker. “With continued support from the state legislature, our legal aid organizations will expand and enhance their programs to serve more people in need.”