Legal Aid – UMKC Self-Help Law Clinic Wins AALL Award

The American Association of Law Libraries recently announced winners of their 2020 Awards Program, and University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Law, Leon E. Bloch Law Library, and Legal Aid of Western Missouri received the Excellence in Community Engagement Award for our Self-Help Law Clinic.

The Self-Help Law Clinic opened last April, as a partnership between the Leon E. Bloch Law Library and Legal Aid of Western Missouri to provide free legal information and advice, limited scope legal representation, and referral for a range of civil matters.

Law Students are central to the work of the Clinic. They conduct client interviews for the intake process, observe attorney consultations, and research a wide variety of issues. Volunteer clinic attorneys address issues such as helping clients change their names, secure titles to their cars, pursue small-claims actions in consumer matters, understand rights and obligations as tenants, and assist with simple family law matters.

Law Librarians Staci Pratt and Ayyoub Ajmi manage the Law School’s support of Clinic. By educating and supporting law students, while developing innovative technological platforms, the team ensures a successful collaboration with Legal Aid.

This award was made possible by the diligent work of law school students, retired volunteer attorneys from this community, coupled with the administration of Legal Aid of Western Missouri and the Law Library at UMKC.

The Self-Help Law Clinic is located in the Leon E. Bloch Law Library and has helped 712 people with legal issues over the past year.

The Excellence in Community Engagement Award honors outstanding achievement in public relations activities by an AALL member, SIS, chapter, library, or any other group affiliated with the Association.

Please Note: Due to COVID-19, the clinic is closed to the public until further notice.