Legal Director speaks at the Press Club about his work to promote justice for low-income people

BATON ROUGE – Laura Tuggle, executive director of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, spoke to the Baton Rouge Press Club Monday afternoon. She discussed her agency’s work to achieve justice for low-income people by enforcing and defending their legal rights through legal aid, advocacy and community education.

Tuggle points out that Louisiana is consistently ranked among the states with the highest poverty rates in the country and that Southeast Louisiana Legal Services serves about half of that population.

Belinda Parker Brown, CEO of Louisiana United International, attended the meeting and says the service would be a great tool in areas where it is most needed.

“It would be a refreshing change if we moved into the areas where their services are needed, such as criminal record expungement. So many young people need these services because they can’t afford a lawyer to get something as simple as a misdemeanor expunged from their record,” Brown said.

Brown is convinced that many people want and need this help, but simply cannot afford it.

“They have all the resources, but they don’t have the money and they can’t afford a lawyer,” Brown said.

Laura Tuggle told WBRZ her goal is to change people’s lives through the opportunities the organization provides to low-income people.

“Our goal is to improve the lives of low-income people and other vulnerable populations through civil legal assistance, thereby providing them with a better quality of life and better opportunities,” she said.

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