About the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense
The Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense, which consists of not more than eleven members, shall have jurisdiction over matters related to the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of effective civil legal aid and criminal indigent defense delivery systems and services, including by: (a) advocating for meaningful access to the justice system for all; (b) supporting viable and effective plans to increase funding for legal aid and indigent defense delivery systems and services; and (c) developing standards and policy, disseminating best practices, and providing training and technical assistance.
In 2020, the Standing Committee celebrated its 100th anniversary as the ABA’s oldest standing committee. Learn more about SCLAID’s history and work here. The current SCLAID Strategic Plan is available here.
Contact Us
Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense
American Bar Association
321 N. Clark Street, 17th Floor
Chicago, IL 60654-7598
Staff
Jason T. Vail
Chief Counsel
Shubhangi Deoras
Counsel/Director, Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives
Mark Pickett
Counsel/Indigent Defense Initiatives
Members (2024-2025)
Robert N. Weiner (Chair)
Washington, DC
Kathleen Casey-Gamez
Fort Wayne, IN
Jayme Cassidy
Harrisburg, PA
Hon. Anita Earls
Durham, NC
Rebecca Kiley
Boston, MA
Paul Lee
Washington, DC
Ainat Margalit
Chicago, IL
Nikole M. Nelson
Anchorage, AK
Mark I. Schickman
Berkeley, CA
Sherry Levin Wallach
White Plains, NY
Matthew Wechter
San Diego, CA
Special Advisors
Colleen Maria Cotter
Cleveland, OH
Joanna Elizabeth Landau
Salt Lake City, UT