(FORT MYERS, Fla.) — Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) invites community members, legal professionals, and service providers to participate in its 2025 Civil Legal Needs Assessment Survey, which launches Thursday, May 22, and remains open through Friday, June 20.
FRLS is conducting this survey to further understand the civil legal needs of individuals and communities across its service areas. The results will help shape how FRLS prioritizes services, outreach, and advocacy efforts in the years ahead.
Surveys are available for three distinct groups:
- Clients and Community Members
- Service Providers and Partner Organizations
- Members of the Legal Community
“It's vital to our work to get input from different the constituents in our communities” said Leticia Medina-Richman, Executive Director of FRLS. “They hear and see things from other perspectives that will give us a better sense of where our help is most needed.”
For more than 56 years, FRLS has provided high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income individuals, families, seniors, and vulnerable populations across 13 Florida counties: Lee, Polk, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee, Indian River, Highlands, Hardee, Hendry, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Glades. FRLS also provides legal aid statewide to farmworkers.
From disaster recovery to domestic violence protection, housing rights, healthcare navigation, and elder justice, civil legal aid is a lifeline for many.
Civil legal aid empowers low-income Floridians by helping them protect their rights and resolve serious legal issues. In the wake of natural disasters, legal aid helps survivors access benefits and rebuild. It ensures that survivors of domestic violence can seek protection and achieve safety. Families rely on legal assistance to address housing instability, access education, and manage healthcare disputes. Seniors benefit from legal guidance on financial protection and end-of-life planning. In rural and remote areas, organizations like FRLS bridge the justice gap and ensure access to crucial legal services.
FRLS encourages all eligible participants to take the short survey and help advance access to justice in Florida’s rural and underserved communities.
To participate in the survey or to learn more, visit https://www.frls.org/2025-needs-assessment
About Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc.
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide. Since 1966, FRLS has pursued justice by providing legal services in housing law, family law, consumer protection, public benefits, elder law, disaster relief, education law, tax advocacy, and more, all at no cost to our clients. FRLS collaborates with community organizations and Pro Bono attorneys to deliver quality advocacy, outreach, and education designed to protect the rights of those in need. For over 50 years, FRLS has been a steadfast advocate for justice.