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Legal Aid Society of Story County reports increased caseload, staffing stabilizing
Summary
Legal Aid Society of Story County told the board it now has three stable attorneys, served over 300 applicants in the period, and increased accepted cases by 49 (24%) over the prior period; the nonprofit highlighted funding sources and outreach plans.
Josh Opperman, senior staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Story County, briefed supervisors on April 8 about the nonprofit’s services, staffing and finances.
Opperman said the organization, serving Story County for more than 50 years, recently stabilized its staff and now has three experienced attorneys. He reported the office receives over 300 applicants per year and that, in the most recent period, the society accepted 49 additional cases compared with the prior period — a 24% increase — despite a stretch when the third attorney seat was vacant. Total direct client service hours for the period were 3,874, which Opperman said equates to an average cost per case of $1,989.68.
He outlined services the society provides: child custody and support (with or without domestic violence), civil protective orders, elder‑abuse protections, dissolution of marriage, debt and creditor matters, unemployment appeals, guardianships/conservatorships, and landlord‑tenant cases. The society is distinct from Iowa Legal Aid in that it serves only Story County and is not federally funded; Opperman said being free from federal funding preserves flexibility in case types.
Funding sources cited included IOLTA distributions (interest on lawyer trust accounts), individual donations, a yearly Jazz for Justice fundraiser (in coordination with the Center for Creative Justice), sliding‑scale intake fees ($20–$60 with waivers available), and limited asset‑based funding. The society uses Clio case‑management software (nonprofit discount) and undergoes an independent audit by Houston & Seaman (Boone).
Opperman said the organization is increasing community outreach — farmer’s market presence and library presentations — and expects service capacity to grow now that staffing is stable. He invited questions; none were raised by supervisors at the close of the presentation.
All program and funding details above are reported as presented to the board on April 8.
