The History and Background of CMLS
Foundation
In 1974, Congress created the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a federally funded nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. Its goal was to expand and strengthen access to civil legal aid across the country. As part of that effort, LSC announced plans in Minnesota to broaden the federal funding previously managed by the Office of Economic Opportunity to cover dozens of counties in Central Minnesota. At the time, several independent legal aid offices already served the region, but they weren’t connected under one structure. To bring these efforts together, Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS) was incorporated in 1977 as an umbrella organization over the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis (LASM) and the St. Cloud Area Legal Services Association (SCALS). Two years later, Western Minnesota Legal Services (WMLS) also joined. CMLS was responsible for receiving LSC funding and distributing it to these programs to ensure that low-income individuals across the region could access quality legal services.
In 1981, LASM, SCALS, and WMLS withdrew from CMLS and formed a new corporation, Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance (MMLA), which continued providing direct legal services through staff attorneys and advocates. At the time, LSC rules allowed programs to contract with others to provide legal services using LSC funds, and CMLS entered into agreements with MMLA to provide those LSC-funded services. In 1983, CMLS also launched its own Volunteer Attorney Program to engage private attorneys in offering pro bono representation.
The landscape changed dramatically in 1996, when new federal laws imposed additional restrictions on LSC-funded organizations and extended those limits to any group receiving LSC money, even indirectly. To preserve its ability to serve clients and handle legal matters that would be restricted under the new rules, MMLA ended its contract for services with CMLS on April 26, 1996.
CMLS began providing direct legal services itself, in line with LSC’s new restrictions. On July 1, 1996, it launched a staff attorney and advocate program focused primarily on family law and housing, while continuing the work of the Volunteer Attorney Program. This service model remains the foundation of CMLS’ work today.
Current System
Central Minnesota Legal Services currently has four office locations (Minneapolis, Anoka, St. Cloud, and Willmar), three of which (all but Anoka) are co-located with MMLA. CMLS operates a High-Volume Advice line for family law questions; some of those cases are accepted for full representation. CMLS operates many clinics with partner organizations throughout the service area, including the Housing Court calendar in Anoka County, the Domestic Abuse Service Center in Minneapolis, Hands of Hope in Little Falls, Pearl Crisis Center in Milaca, a Todd County Advice Clinic in partnership with the Todd County Law Library, a Kandiyohi Legal Advice Clinic and Mediation program in partnership with the Kandiyohi County Law Library, the St. Cloud VA Medical Center, and a criminal expungement clinic at the Anoka County Law Library.
CMLS also has Volunteer Attorney Program in 20 of the 21 counties (CMLS has a contractual relationship with the Volunteer Lawyers Network to provide pro bono services in Hennepin County).
Minnesota Legal Services Coalition
Six regional programs—Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS), Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance (MMLA), Anishinabe Legal Services (ALS), Justice North (formerly Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota), Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM), and Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS)—make up the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition (the Coalition). Together, they ensure that low-income Minnesotans in every county have access to a base level of legal services on a wide range of poverty law issues. While each program addresses local needs and operates with some differences, they share common goals, similar eligibility requirements, and comparable board structures. Five of the six programs receive funding through the Legal Services Corporation. The Coalition members work closely together to develop statewide strategies for serving clients, and they collaborate on legal work, volunteer attorney initiatives, community education, evaluation and peer review, professional development, technology, and fundraising. The Coalition funds and supports the following sites:
- LawHelpMN.org, a comprehensive statewide legal education and referral website including live navigational assistance through LiveHelp.
- ProJusticeMN.org, a support website for legal aid and pro bono practitioners, law students, and others including poverty law materials and pro bono attorney volunteer opportunities.
- Legal Kiosk Project, a statewide network of computer kiosks placed at courthouses, local agencies, partners, nonprofit organizations, libraries, and other community locations across the state that allow individuals facing technology access barriers to have a healthy and safe experience interacting with civil legal aid services and court proceedings.