Brief Services Unit
By: Source: AARP Foundation Date Posted: 2007-03-06
In 2001, the Brief Services Unit (BSU) was created to increase the efficiency and decrease the cost of delivering legal services to the low income older residents of the District of Columbia. Under the supervision of an attorney, an associate attorney, legal associate, and non-attorney volunteers the BSU handles matters that cannot be resolved by the legal advice line. Additionally, the BSU develops cases that require extended representation for referral to the LCE Pro Bono Project for placement with a pro bono attorney. The BSU also identifies systemic cases. The BSU interviews clients four days per week. The unit handles a wide array of issues: grandparent subsidy and custody work; debt collection defense; identity theft; procurement of benefits (food stamps, Medicaid, TANF, SSI/Social Security, Veterans pension, rental and utility assistance); security deposits; repair issues for tenants; deed transfer and probate matters; traffic ticket and license revocation defense; and contracts and warranties cases.
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