Lied grant will help county’s Pro Bono Project

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001 | 10:06 a.m.

The Clark County Legal Services building downtown has a new name and will collect over three years a $1.3 million grant to pay off the mortgage, freeing up funds to provide free legal representation to the working poor.

The building at 800 S. Eighth St. has been renamed the Lied Legal Services Center. The grant to the agency is from the Lied Foundation, created from the estate of Ernst and Ida Lied. Clark County Legal Services received $500,000 Monday, and a promise for $500,000 next year and $300,000 in 2003.

"This is a challenge grant, so we will have to raise a matching $500,000 this year in money or donated time from area attorneys for the Pro Bono Project," said Clark County Legal Services Administrator Terry Bratton, noting that eventually the entire grant will have to be matched with private donations.

"Eventually, when the mortgage is paid off, we will see a savings of the entire $13,000-a-month mortgage payment. But initially this grant will enable us to free up $5,000 to $6,000 a month to better help the working poor."

Clark County Legal Services, a nonprofit, public interest law firm that provides free legal advice and counsel for low-income Nevada residents, took over the Pro Bono Project last June.

The Pro Bono Project currently averages 30 to 40 cases a month, but "could easily double that" with the funds that have been freed up, Bratton said.

About 500 area attorneys donate time or give a $500 gift to the Pro Bono Project, with the vast majority, Bratton said, donating their time to help poor people with cases that include divorces and other family law matters.

As part of the agreement, the Lied Foundation recognizes that one hour of legal work has a value of $200. The average case takes about 15 to 20 hours to resolve, Bratton said.