Linda Perle, National Advocate for Civil Legal Aid, Announces Retirement
Legal Services E-lert
Bibliographic Info:
Source: NLADA Legal Aid News, “Linda Perle Announces Retirement”
Date: October 18, 2011
The National Legal Aid and Defender Association’s Legal Aid News announces:
“Linda Perle, long-time national advocate for legal aid for people living in poverty, has announced her plans to retire at the beginning of 2012. Since 1988, Linda has served as director of legal services at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and has worked under contract with NLADA as civil counsel, primarily handling matters related to the delivery of civil legal assistance to the poor.
Linda's work is known throughout the community of civil legal aid providers and supporters, particularly among programs funded by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). Using her extensive background in matters related to legal aid delivery, she has provided essential advocacy and technical assistance on countless matters related to LSC regulations, authorization legislation and counsel and advice to NLADA members in the field. She has served as the critical clearinghouse for almost a quarter century on information related to the LSC monitoring and investigative processes, through political climates both friendly and antagonistic toward ensuring the legal rights of the disadvantaged. Linda has been a steady and stalwart force in opposition to numerous efforts to undermine LSC programs in the Congress and before LSC.
‘It is impossible to categorize the many contributions Linda has made to ensuring equal justice in the United States,’ said Don Saunders, NLADA's vice president for Civil Legal Services. ‘All of us at NLADA/CLASP have marveled over the years at her tremendous commitment, talent and energy on a wide array of critical issues. Her advocacy work before LSC on the regulations implementing the restrictions in 1996-1997 and the representation she provided California Rural Legal Assistance on its litigation with the LSC Office of Inspector General jump immediately to mind. The area that clearly stands out most, though, is Linda's problem solving with programs and with the many other stakeholders in legal aid who grew to depend upon her legal analysis and outstanding writing ability. Every legal aid program in this country, and their client communities, have benefitted tremendously from the career of Linda Perle. I know all of NLADA's members join my colleagues in wishing her only the best as she moves on to the next phase of her life.’”