Alaska attorneys to provide free legal help on MLK Day holiday

Attorneys will be available at events in Anchorage, Bethel, Fairbanks and Juneau to provide free, confidential legal assistance

An empty courtroom in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. (Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

By Corrine Smith

Alaska Beacon

Alaskans in need of legal services can connect with attorneys for free in locations in Anchorage, Bethel, Fairbanks and Juneau on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Monday, Jan. 19.

The Alaska Court System is offering waivers for court filing fees for eligible Alaskans on that day. Juneau locations are K̠unéix̠ Hídi Northern Light United Church at 400 W. 11th St. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and St. Paul’s Catholic Church at 9055 Atlin Drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Alaska Bar Association, in coordination with the Alaska Court System, Alaska Legal Services Corporation, the ACLU of Alaska and local bar associations are offering free legal services, as well as free transportation to the Anchorage event. 

“By offering free legal assistance on this day, Alaska attorneys honor Dr. King’s legacy by helping remove barriers to justice and supporting Alaskans who need it most,” said Lea McKenna, pro bono director of the Alaska Bar Association in a news release. 

Volunteer attorneys will be available for free, confidential legal assistance for Alaskans for civil  — that is, non-criminal — legal matters, including divorce and family law, landlord-tenant issues, probate, consumer or debt issues, or public benefits including disaster relief applications. 

Every year, an estimated 75% of low-income Alaskans experience at least one civil legal issue, according to data compiled by the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, a nonprofit that offers free civil legal services, said McKenna in a phone interview on Tuesday. 

“A lot of people, they don’t seek help because they don’t know where to find it, or they don’t know that the problem they have is actually a legal problem, or they just decide to deal with the problem themselves,” she said. “And this can lead to a lot of instability in people being evicted from their homes, losing employment, or losing custody of a child. So providing these resources to help close that access to justice gap is absolutely critical.” 

McKenna said there is also a high demand for attorneys in Alaska. The Alaska Legal Services Corporation reports each year they have to turn away about 50% of eligible individuals due to limited capacity and resources. 

“Here in Alaska, there’s what we refer to as legal deserts, which are communities where there’s no, or a very low percentage of attorneys per person available,” she said. “And so one of the goals of these clinics is to kind of help close that access to justice gap, by providing brief legal services in the form of advice, consultations and advice for people on a drop-in basis.” 

This year on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, residents impacted by ex-Typhoon Halong who need disaster-related legal help can consult with attorneys on their application for state and federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, in person in Anchorage and Bethel. 

Attorneys can help with disaster assistance applications, proof of damages, appealing denials, or help apply for more aid if needed for storm damage and recovery, McKenna noted.

Residents must apply to both state and federal assistance programs to qualify for disaster relief. The application deadline for disaster assistance has been extended to Feb. 20. 

The events will also offer language interpretation services. In Anchorage, a free shuttle service will be provided from the Brother Francis Shelter and the 56th Ave. Cold Weather Shelter.

Ongoing legal resources

For legal assistance beyond Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Alaskans can access ongoing legal information and assistance for civil issues online with Alaska Free Legal Answers at Alaska.FreeLegalAnswers.org. Attorneys with the Alaska Bar Association are available to provide free, confidential support and answer questions via email. The association also offers legal resources and information on upcoming events on their website. 

The Alaska Court System offers legal resources and services for navigating the courts through their Access to Justice office, which includes the Family Law Self-Help Center.

Additional legal resources can be found at AlaskaLawHelp.org, provided by the Alaska Legal Services Corporation.

• Corinne Smith started reporting in Alaska in 2020, serving as a radio reporter for several local stations across the state including in Petersburg, Haines, Homer and Dillingham. She spent two summers covering the Bristol Bay fishing season. Originally from Oakland, California, she got her start as a reporter, then morning show producer, at KPFA Radio in Berkeley. Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.