SOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INC
55 EAST FIFTH STREET STE 800, SAINT PAUL, MN 55101 www.smrls.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW INCOME PERSONS AND ELIGIBLE CLIENT GROUPS IN CIVIL MATTERS, IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER WHICH ENABLES CLIENTS TO: 1.) ENFORCE THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS, 2.) OBTAIN EFFECTIVE ACCESS TO THE COURTS, ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES AND FORUMS WHICH CONSTITUTE OUR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE, 3.) MAINTAIN FREEDOM FROM HUNGER, HOMELESSNESS, SICKNESS AND ABUSE, AND 4.) EMPOWER PERSONS AND ASSURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, THUS HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES AND BECOME ECONOMICALLY SELF-RELIANT, TO THE EXTENT THEIR INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT.

"SOUTHERN MINNESOTA REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES, INC. (SMRLS) IS MINNESOTA'S OLDEST LEGAL AID FIRM, FORMED OVER 100 YEARS AGO. IN 1909, A LEGAL AID BUREAU BEGAN IN ST. PAUL AS A BRANCH OF ASSOCIATED CHARITIES TO PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. IN 1977, SMRLS EXPANDED SERVICES TO 32 ADDITIONAL COUNTIES IN THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE, AND TO MIGRANT FARM WORKERS IN MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA. IN 2016, THE DEFINITION OF CLIENTS ELIGIBLE TO BE SERVED THROUGH THE MIGRANT PROGRAM WAS BROADENED TO AGRICULTURAL WORKERS AND THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN RENAMED. A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF SMRLS' OPERATIONS IS FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS FROM THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION (LSC), A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS IN 1974 TO ASSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE UNDER LAW FOR LOW INCOME AMERICANS. LSC HAS A BIPARTISAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND CONFIRMED BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE.DURING 2019, SMRLS SERVED 9,040 CLIENTS (23,757 HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS) WITH MORE THAN 9,200 LEGAL MATTERS. IN ADDITION, SMRLS REACHED APPROXIMATELY 10,300 FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS BENEFIT FROM ITS PREVENTATIVE LAW AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION WORK AND OVER 205,000 PEOPLE ACCESSED MATERIALS ONLINE.SMRLS HAS SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO EMPLOY 66 ATTORNEYS AND 45 NON-ATTORNEY STAFF. SMRLS CURRENTLY MAINTAINS OFFICES IN ST. PAUL, MANKATO, ROCHESTER, WINONA, ALBERT LEA, WORTHINGTON, SHAKOPEE, AND MOORHEAD, AS WELL AS LOCATIONS IN SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIPS AT A HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY CLINICS.SMRLS HAS GAINED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ITS TRADITION OF SOUND MANAGEMENT AND FOR INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. SMRLS NATIONALLY RESPECTED COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS, AND ITS DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WORK, HAVE RESULTED IN AND EFFECTIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED, AND COLLABORATIVE LAW PRACTICE.DURING 2018 SMRLS BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT THE DELIVERABLES OF THE SMRLS' OPERATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN PHASE II, ""2018 AND BEYOND"" (THE STRATEGIC PLAN). CORE ELEMENTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN INCLUDE:1. ENHANCEMENT OF SMRLS CULTURE TO INCLUDE A) DATA COLLECTION AND A MEASUREMENT PROCESS ENABLING DECISION-MAKING BASED ON DATA; B) A DIVERSITY AND DEMOGRAPHIC RESPONSE SYSTEM SUPPORTING APPROPRIATE RESPONSES TO THE ADDITION OF NEW CLIENT COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA; AND C) A NEEDS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM ALLOWING RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF CHANGING CLIENT NEEDS ARISING A BROAD COMMUNITY CONTEXT2. USING HUMAN RESOURCES AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER3. REVAMPING AND ENHANCING THE INTAKE PROCESS FOR NEW CLIENTS4. IMPLEMENTING A TECHNOLOGY VISION, STRATEGY, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTATIONSTRATEGY, TACTICS, AND A TIMELINE WERE IDENTIFIED OR DEVELOPED FOR EACH PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. PROGRESS ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION THROUGH FIRM-WIDE MEETINGS, REGIONAL MEETINGS, AND FREQUENT UPDATES FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2019 INCLUDE:1. INSTITUTIONALIZED INTAKE AND HOTLINE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS AND REGULAR FEEDBACK LOOP2. INCREASED FIRM HIRING DIVERSITY AND ROLLED OUT NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING PROGRAM3. COMPLETED FIRST ROUND OF DATA ANALYTICS FOR INTAKE AND LEGAL PRACTICE GROUPS, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND IMPACT LITIGATION4. IDENTIFIED FIRM TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP AND BEGAN IMPLEMENTATION OF CIS20 SECURITY PROTOCOLS, RFP FOR NEW INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS, AND ACQUIRED NEW TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT TOOLS FOR IT STAFF.ALL CHANGES ARE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE ABILITY OF THE ORGANIZATION TO RESPOND TO THE NEW NEEDS OF THE CHANGING CLIENT POPULATION IN OUR SERVICE AREA. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL CONTINUE INTO 2020.SMRLS HAS STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STATE AND LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATIONS, PRIVATE LAWYERS, A BIPARTISAN LEGISLATURE, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, AND CLIENT GROUPS. THROUGH SMRLS' INNOVATIVE URBAN AND RURAL VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY PROGRAMS, 161 PRIVATE ATTORNEYS DONATED APPROXIMATELY 2,754 HOURS OF CASE REPRESENTATION TIME TO ELIGIBLE CLIENTS IN 2019.

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