About Virginia Poverty Law Center

Virginia Poverty Law Center
700 East Franklin Street
Suite 14T1
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 782-9430
Fax: (804) 649-0974

Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) is a not-for-profit organization concentrating in the areas of law that affect low-income families. Established in 1978 to advocate on behalf of low-income Virginians on poverty issues of statewide importance, VPLC is the only state-wide organization providing training to local legal aid program staff, private bar attorneys, and low-income clients, relating exclusively to the legal rights of Virginia's poor.

VPLC also assists low-income Virginians and Legal Aid Programs with legislative and administrative proposals affecting the poor in Virginia as well as providing technical assistance, training and publications to Virginia's Legal Aid Programs in the following substantive areas: Consumer, Elder Rights, Family, Health Care, Housing & Public Benefits.

From the beginning, VPLC has been a clearinghouse of information on issues of poverty law. VPLC's annual statewide legal aid conference, new lawyer training, regular task force meetings, listservs and newsletter continue to provide a foundation for the delivery of quality legal services in Virginia. With expertise not found elsewhere, VPLC staff provide leadership on advocacy efforts in the courts, legislative and administrative agencies, often coordinating and collaborating with other groups and organizations across the Commonwealth.

A few of the things VPLC has accomplished:

  • Filed litigation and supported legislation to ensure sufficient child support for Virginia's low-income families.
  • Engaged in statewide legislative and administrative advocacy to ensure accessible health care for low-income children and their families.
  • Filed litigation and supported legislation to ensure that welfare reform does not adversely affect recipients and children.
  • Filed litigation and supported legislation to help end home equity loan abuses targeted at Virginia's poor and limit excessive charges by small loan providers in Virginia.
  • Supported legislation to provide new protections to tenants, helping to prevent landlord abuses by ensuring that appropriate legal procedures are followed.

Funding for Virginia Poverty Law Center comes from IOLTA, government and private foundation grants, and individual donations.