Attorneys needed for eviction help program

Since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Montana Legal Services Association has partnered with the Montana Department of Commerce to provide eviction defense through the Montana Eviction Intervention Program (MEIP).
For many Montanans, the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are still disrupting daily life. Perhaps nothing has been more impactful than the economic strain placed on families due to loss of jobs, child care, and a higher cost of living. The effects of these pressures on MLSA’s clients is evident in the calls MLSA has received in the last year. Since April of 2021, over 17,000 Montanans have contacted MLSA for legal issues related to the pandemic. 
One of the ways that MLSA is able to respond to this need for services is through MEIP. MEIP aims to provide representation to tenants involved in an eviction. In order to provide representation to as many tenants as possible, MLSA partners with attorneys statewide to offer services to qualifying Montanans who are facing eviction. Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act funding through the U.S. Department of Commerce, MLSA is able to pay attorneys at a rate of $75 per hour to provide advice and direct representation for individuals and families who are in the midst of an action for possession that puts their family’s housing at risk. MLSA can further assist clients, and the attorneys who take these cases, by providing housing navigation services and providing direct rental assistance payment through the Montana Emergency Rental Assistance program. 
At a time when there is an abundance of uncertainty and fear, housing is a baseline necessity that requires the attention of those with the means to help. As the demand for eviction assistance increases, MLSA is looking to expand the network of attorneys taking these cases throughout the state. Please apply to be a Montana Eviction Intervention Attorney today. Your hours and expenses are reimbursable and MLSA provides malpractice insurance. Your time and talent are essential and priceless to a family, a veteran, or a person with a disability, who is at risk of homelessness.
Contact Rachel at MLSA for more information, or to apply to be a part of MEIP: Rfox@mtlsa.org