MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS), the "primary provider" of civil legal representation to low income families in four western Tennessee counties, has a new location.
On Friday, the company held a ribbon cutting to celebrate their new goal of reaching more people who need representation. Last year the company reached 2,000 of the 4,000 people that reached out for their services. They say the new building will help them serve more people.
"That number for me is unacceptable," Cindy Ettingoff, CEO and General Counsel at MALS, said.
Leaders in the company also said that the new location will help them pay for more attorneys and increasing technology.
"I know in the legal aid world, typically you can serve between a third or a half of the people that come to you, but we can do better," Ettingoff said.
Founded in 1968, MALS aims to assist individuals and families who face critical and life-threatening situations like domestic violence, mortgage foreclosure, eviction, homelessness, wrongful denial of health care, food stamps, unemployment compensation, consumer fraud, predatory lending and special challenges of children or the elderly.
Shelby, Fayette, Tipton and Lauderdale counties are the locations that MALS serves.