Legal Services of Northern Virginia is a full service, nonprofit law firm that serves clients throughout Northern Virginia. It was established in 1980 by consolidating several existing local legal aid organizations into a regional service program. LSNV is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, federally funded by Legal Services Corporation, local governments in Northern Virginia, foundations, the private bar, and other donors.
MISSION STATEMENT: To provide access to justice for disadvantaged individuals and communities.
LSNV also provides limited legal services, including advice and counsel and referrals to individuals residing in the following Virginia counties and cities: Caroline, Culpeper, Essex, Fauquier, King & Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Madison, Northumberland, Orange, Rappahannock, Richmond County, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland and City of Fredericksburg.
LSNV opens the door to justice by providing services in a variety of substantive civil legal areas, including: family law, housing law, elder law, public benefits claims, access to health care, child advocacy, consumer law and AIDS/HIV issues. Staff and volunteers provide legal advice, brief service, and representation in administrative hearings and in court, as well as community legal education, and advocacy before local and state governmental entities, all without charge to our clients.
RACIAL JUSTICE VALUES STATEMENT:
We value promoting and enhancing the careers of our staff and advocating for equal justice by recognizing the pervasive inequities that are often barriers to advancement. In the face of historic and systemic inequities, we must speak out and lead in order to ensure change.
1. Equity: We commit to leveraging our professional time and abilities to provide high-quality services in support of our clients, community partners, and colleagues. We acknowledge our country’s shameful and wrongful history, including white supremacy, and its effect on present-day institutions, specifically within the judicial system. We commit to addressing and correcting bias, prejudice, and racism wherever we may find them, even within our own organization. We stand together to improve our delivery of legal services for everyone, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expressions, genetics, sexual orientation, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital status, familial status, disability, age, or veteran status.
2. Inclusion: We create a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcomed and valued equally. We own our individual power and privileges and make sure these are not a barrier to inclusion, equity, and respect. We trust each other’s experiences of exclusion and address our conscious and unconscious biases.
3. Integrity: We pledge to do the right thing even when no one is looking. We are honest, open, ethical, and fair. People trust us to adhere to these principles in the organization and community. We will restore trust between the legal community and the population we serve by highlighting and opposing judicial bias to improve confidence in the legal system.
4. Quality: We strive for excellence through continuous improvement as individuals and as an organization. We take pride in our supportive work environment while making an impact on our community and promoting access to justice.
5. Client Care: We believe our clients deserve respect. As such, we strive to always treat each client equitably and fairly, free from any type of bias during interactions with us on the phone, in person, or in writing. We commit to interacting with all our current and prospective clients in a manner consistent with the spirit and letter of this Values Statement.