Murchison & Cumming Associate Offers Pro Bono Assistance to Those in Need

April 4, 2019

Crislove A. Igeleke, an Associate in the Las Vegas office of Murchison & Cumming, volunteers her time offering pro bono assistance to those in need. Her efforts were recently highlighted by the Nevada Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission as part of the One Promise Nevada campaign. Through One Promise, Ms. Igeleke assisted with legal education classes, ask a lawyer business workshops, as well as taking on a couple of pro bono cases from legal aid organizations. The Commission and the State Bar of Nevada strongly advocate for all attorneys to utilize their legal skills and resources to participate in pro bono service. “Every attorney should take a case. The rewards are immeasurable,” Ms. Igeleke said.

The “Justice Barrier” is high. The disparity between the number of low-income people needing legal help and the capacity of legal aid to provide it amounted to more than 112,000 unmet legal needs in 2017. This means that three out of four low-income Nevadans seeking to protect their families, their homes, and their livelihoods in a legal crisis must proceed in court without legal help.

Legal aid lifts the economy. The $18 million invested annually in legal aid in Nevada returns $128 million to Nevada’s economy. The economic benefits come through cost savings for law enforcement, government, and health care; direct-dollar income that supports children, veterans, and people with disabilities; and increased revenue for businesses from the spending of those dollars by legal aid clients out in the community.

For more info see Nevada Legal Needs and Economic Impact Study