(LAKELAND, Fla.) — Legal aid leaders from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, for Justice After the Storm: Disasters & Access to Justice Across the South, a legal aid forum hosted in collaboration with U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla. (15th District). In addition to legal aid leaders, the event brought together congressional staff, agency officials and nonprofit partners to spotlight the urgent legal needs that arise before and after natural disasters across the Southern United States.
The forum featured five panelists representing legal aid organizations from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas. Speakers shared firsthand experiences supporting survivors in disaster-impacted communities and offered insights into building resilient recovery systems, along with tactics for ongoing outreach and support of disaster-prone and vulnerable populations.
“In Florida, we know all too well the devastation that hurricanes leave behind. Long after the winds die down and the floodwaters recede, many families are still facing complicated legal challenges that can stall their recovery,” said Rep. Laurel Lee.
“Legal aid organizations are a vital resource in helping Floridians navigate these challenges and get back on their feet. By partnering with them we can strengthen our disaster response and help our neighbors navigate the long road to recovery. I’m proud to support efforts that ensure our communities have access to the resources and support they need to recover fully and prepare for the future.”
Panelists addressed a wide range of legal challenges including displacement, housing disputes, FEMA appeals, lost documents, fraud, insurance, probate and heirs’ property, and access to public benefits. Many emphasized how post-disaster legal needs extend long after emergency services have left.
“Sharing the important work of grant recipients is a critical way to show where federal dollars are going, and ‘they're going directly into communities,’” said Ron Flagg, president of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). LSC funds civil legal aid organizations like Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) in every congressional district in the United States.
“Civil legal aid isn’t about Washington — it’s about helping people back home. Every day, legal aid providers in communities across the country help Americans navigate serious legal challenges that affect their families, health, housing and livelihoods. Whether it’s a veteran struggling to access benefits or a disaster survivor trying to rebuild, legal aid is a vital local service that strengthens communities across the country,” Flagg added.
According to data from LSC, only 8 percent of the civil legal problems facing Florida’s low-income residents receive any legal help.
The forum also explored how legal aid organizations incorporate lessons learned from major disasters to improve outreach and service delivery, especially in rural and underserved communities. In doing so, they help individuals not only recover but also prepare for future disaster impacts.
“Florida Rural Legal Services is among many LSC-funded programs that help communities prepare before a disaster strikes and recover after it ends,” said FRLS Executive Director Leticia Medina-Richman. “By teaching people the ways they can best prepare to address the myriad legal issues that arise after a disaster, like securing personal documents and keeping insurance information readily available and assisting them through processes like insurance and contractor fraud cases, legal services organizations help their communities to become more resilient and responsive, rather than reactive.”
Participating organizations included:
Community Legal Services • Bay Area Legal Services • Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida • Florida Rural Legal Services • Legal Services of Greater Miami • Legal Services of North Florida • Three Rivers Legal Services • Georgia Legal Services Program • Southeast Louisiana Legal Services • Legal Aid of North Carolina • Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid
About Florida Rural Legal Services:
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. Learn more at www.FRLS.org
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974. For more than 50 years, LSC has provided financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation currently provides funding to 130 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. For more information on LSC, please visit https://www.lsc.gov/.