Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee Receives Grant

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest non-profit law firm, has received a two-year grant from the Tennessee Bar Foundation to increase foreclosure prevention and community redevelopment legal assistance.
The Tennessee Bar Foundation, the administrator of funds generated through Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (“IOLTA”) in Tennessee, received part of a nationwide donation to IOLTA programs from Bank of America, as part of a settlement of claims with the Justice Department arising from the home mortgage crisis. They have awarded Legal Aid Society $259,640 to give legal assistance to low-income people and seniors in their Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge and Tullahoma offices.
“Hundreds of individuals in their 48 county service area were adversely affected by actions of Bank of America (and other banks) related to the bank’s conduct during the recent housing/financial crisis,” said Gary Housepian, Legal Aid Society’s executive director. “Many have been at risk of losing their homes through foreclosure because of the actions of the lender. This grant will allow us to expand legal assistance in matters that could affect the financial stability of the household. Foreclosures of homes have an adverse impact on property values, hurt a community and uproot families. We are grateful to this funding to enable our staff to save people’s homes, stabilize households and strengthen a community.”
With these funds, Legal Aid Society is hiring a new attorney and a new paralegal to provide legal assistance in its Murfreesboro and Tullahoma service areas and expand its foreclosure and consumer work in its Oak Ridge, Gallatin and Nashville service areas.