Berkshire Center for Justice brings the law to those in need
The Berkshire Center for Justice is providing accessible and affordable legal services to Berkshire County with 24 attorneys who provide direct legal services on a sliding scale, along with pro-bono legal representation in civil matters.
Great Barrington — Since 2006, Eve Schatz has been leading the nonprofit Berkshire Center for Justice, Inc. The organization provides legal services to residents who cannot afford or access them.
Through the organization, founder and Executive Director Schatz provides free legal clinics weekly at The Guthrie Center during its community lunch program on Wednesdays from 12 to 1 p.m. The organization includes 24 attorneys who provide direct legal services on a sliding scale, along with pro-bono legal representation in civil matters.
In an interview with The Berkshire Edge, Schatz said that the need for the services provided by the organization has increased over the past two years since the COVID pandemic started. “We have had an increased need for legal services due to the fallout from COVID, combined with the lack of affordable and low-income housing in the Berkshire area,” Schatz said. “It has created a kind of emergency when it comes to landlord and tenant law. I’m also seeing an increase in elderly clients who have lost their spouses or life partners in the last few years, and they’ve ended up having one income instead of two. If they are a homeowner, they find out that they can’t make it on one Social Security check. These are the people who are now defaulting on their real estate property taxes, which is a precursor to foreclosure. It’s very scary for an elderly resident.”
Schatz said that the organization also helps tenants understand their rights. “Recently, I handled an emergency case where a family of seven was being evicted,” she said. “I was able to determine that the eviction was improper, and I was able to rescind the eviction. It was a family of three generations that would have been homeless. If they were going to represent themselves in the case, they would not have known what is legal and what is illegal. It’s very important to parse that out.”
Schatz said that the organization has seen a rise in divorce cases since the pandemic started. “There seems to be an increase in the number of marriages that are dissolving,” Schatz said. “This brings up a lot of questions when it comes to child custody and support. But how do you get divorced if you are a resident with a low income? It’s not just a question of how expensive it is to hire a lawyer, but about how to factor in many of the elements of a divorce. Recently, I worked on a heartbreaking divorce case for a mother of a child. The father of the child was indicted on two counts of indecent assault on his daughter.”
The organization has also seen a rise in cases relating to the influx of immigrants moving into the community. “We have helped immigrants deal with their questions about immigration, but also we have helped them deal with some scams and fraud issues,” she said. Schatz said that the organization has helped elderly residents deal with these types of situations and has helped them understand what their legal rights are.
She said that the organization also aims to cut down the barriers for residents who are seeking legal help. “Finances, or the lack thereof, is the number one barrier for people in seeking proper legal help,” she said. “A number of our clients usually call three other lawyers before they find out about us. People get priced out of legal services. While someone can probably afford to pay $150 to $350 for a few hours of legal services. But when it becomes a long and ongoing affair, they’re priced out of getting legal services.”
Schatz explained that another barrier for residents in seeking legal services is technology. “I have several clients who are in their 80s,” she said. “Some of them don’t have a phone, a computer, or even the internet. They can’t use the technology.”
Schatz said that the organization recently received a $50,000 grant from American Rescue Plan Act funds to serve Pittsfield residents, and has started to collaborate with the Pittsfield South Congregational Church’s food bank for legal clinics. The organization offers its legal clinic at the church on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 a.m. “These are all very interesting kinds of difficult times where we are seeing an increased demand for our services,” Schatz said. “It’s smart to talk to a lawyer to find out what your rights are when it comes to any legal decision.”
For more information about The Berkshire Center for Justice, call 413-854-1955 or visit the organization’s website.
Please note: During the height of the COVID pandemic, in order to respect the health of seniors, the Berkshire Center for Justice stopped conducting in-person free legal clinics at the Claire Teague Senior Center. Now, with restrictions lifted, BCJ plans to engage with the administration of the senior center for future collaborations. The information referred to by the senior center on the BCJ website was archival and pre-COVID. For immediate legal assistance, contact BCJ at 413-854-1955.
From The Berkshire Edge