Blue Ridge Legal Services created these Standards of Practice in order to set program protocol and ensure that their clients receive a consistently high quality of service from BRLS's first contact with their clients to the closing of the case. BRLS's standards are divided into three sections:
BRLS Case File Organization and Maintenance Standards,
BRLS Case Closing Procedures, and
BRLS Peer Case Review System.
Strongly influenced and inspired by the American Bar Association's Standards for Civil Legal Services to the Poor, these standards establish program protocol for the subject areas mentioned above. Part I outlines how BRLS organizes and maintains files and why file maintenance is important to a well functioning legal aid provider. Part II outlines the importance of sound Case Closing Procedures and how they can prevent erroneous and premature case closings. Part III outlines the importance of a Peer Case Review System and how an effective peer review system can ensure that attorneys are effectively addressing a client's needs in a timely manner. To download the manual as a PDF document, click on the text below.
Contact Information:
John Whitfield Executive Director Blue Ridge Legal Services P.O. Box 551\204 N. High Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-433-1830 jwhitfield@brls.org
LSC:
America's Partner for Equal Justice 
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