CLCP Giving Hope To The Hopeless, Lawfully

by Eldon Graham

’Tis the season for hope. It is that time of the year when the spirit of Christmas overwhelms individuals to give back to their community. But one organization gives back all year long. The Christian Legal Clinic of Philadelphia is a legal-aid organization designed to help people who live in struggling neighborhoods with litigation issues.

The mission of the CLCP is a very simple one. As explained by Jaimee L. Moore Esq., the Legal Director of CLCP, “At the very core of what we do is: we seek to do justice with the love of God.”

Jaimee L. Moore

CLCP provides legal services such as, a free legal consultations, referrals, and pro bono work in certain cases but also provides a spiritual aspect in the form prayer as Christians. Both of these services are optional for anyone who wishes to seek counsel at the CLCP.

CLCP is an excellent source of legal aid for people seeking expungements and wills, or coping with immigration, housing issues, family matters and more.

Those seeking consultation do not need to be of Christian faith. All consultations are guaranteed at least one hour and are confidential. Consultations are best scheduled prior to meeting with an attorney.

Moore explains how receiving spiritual services is solely up to the client: “We don’t force clients to receive the spiritual aspects of our work. We don’t force them to sit for prayer. We don’t force them to take the gospel. We offer it to them. If they choose to take it, they do. If they don’t, they don’t. But I can’t remember having a client turning down prayer.”

CLCP has many resources for clients because it is not a one-stop shop. Monopolization of the legal-aid field is not its objective. Their goal is to help out as many people as possible. This does not limit them from referring them to another organization for legal aid of referring them to another clergy that can better serve their needs.

Moore, along with Peter Hileman, Esq., the executive director, are the two lawyers on staff. Hileman is a trial attorney with over 35 years of experience. Originally a Doylestown trial attorney, Hileman in his later years to felt the call to move into Philadelphia and serve in the city. He had never lived in the city before.

Hileman’s call to action comes from his connection to Christianity and his experience as an attorney. “I’m a Christian and I’m a lawyer. So lawyers are encouraged to do Pro bono work. It’s part of our obligation to give back to people who can’t afford legal services because lawyers are expensive. That was one of my motivations; if I can help, I wanted to help” he says.

The Philadelphia area was an obvious choice for him. “As a Christian, I really felt the call to help, particularly in the city because the need is great,” Hileman says. He noticed a difference between helping people who can’t afford the legal services and with those that could afford it.

The overall outreach plan is to reach as many people as possible in the neighborhoods and to allow them to get the legal service they need in comfortable familiar setting. “The beauty of this is that we’re bringing lawyers in who want to help, yes, but we are taking them to places where their help is most needed. So we are not taking them into Center City, they are coming into Hunting Park.” This process allows clients to come into a place they know. A place they will feel natural.

Peter Hileman

Moore’s and Hileman’s mutual respect and admiration for each other is evident. “He is very dedicated to his work. His story is very unique,” Moore says of Hileman.

“She is a very special person,” Hileman says. “She has a special heart.”

Volunteers are always welcome, even those individuals not of the Christian faith. “We thank God for volunteers,” Moore says. There are roughly 80 volunteer attorneys who lend their time to the clinic.

The clinics operate with the idea of giving hope to the hopeless. It’s a job that never runs out. “For us, it’s what we do all year long,” Moore says.

CLCP began in 2002. It was spearheaded by co-founder Dennis Abrams, Esq. Abrams is senior trial partner with the Philadelphia medical-malpractice firm of Lowenthal & Abrams, PC. He also sits as the Board of Directors as president of the CLCP.

The first clinic operated at the Salvation Army. Currently it connects seven clinics located throughout Philadelphia and Chester Counties. The clinics are strategically placed to help more-impoverished areas.

The Ayuda Legal Clinic is located in the Hunting Park area of Philadelphia. The Carroll Park Legal Clinic, Salvation Army Legal Clinic in West Philadelphia, South Philadelphia Legal Clinic, Chester Legal Clinic, Germantown Legal Clinic, and Kensington Legal Clinic all operate on different days of the week.

The CLCP has plans to move up to a total of 10 clinics in 2016. It is best for a potential client to review the CLCP website to find a clinic near them and what time that clinic operates. That website is http://www.clcphila.org/.

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