Ms. Laura Wilmot Page Two 4. December 1, 1977 Cross classification of Corporation employees by age, race, and sex These figures are the most current we have available, though they are changing daily as our staff is rapidly expanding. Corporation employees include the staff of the nine regional offices as well as the headquarters in Washington, D.C. Of 131 Corporation employees, 64 (48.8%) are White, 57 (43.5%) are Black, 3 are Asian, 1 is Native American, 6 are Hispanic. Of these 131 employees, 47 (35.9%) are male, and 84 (64.1%) are female. Age information was available for 137 There are currently 190 employees of the Legal Services Corporation. 5. Cross classification by age, race and sex of field program employees The best information we have available at this point is based on a sample questionnaire which was sent to non-clerical field program staff in August, 1977. Of the 651 respondents, 71% were attorneys, 23% were paralegals and 6% were employed in non-attorney administrative or management positions. The race, sex and age breakdown of these field staff follow. A complete breakdown of race, sex and age groupings for all employees of field programs will be available in several months. Of the survey respondents, 69.9% were White, 13.7% were Black, 9.3% were Hispanic, 3.4% were Native American, 1.4% were Asian, and 2.3% did not indicate racial or ethnic group. 65% of the respondents were men, and 35% were women. The age distribution of the respondents was as follows: Ms. Laura Wilmot Page Three December 1, 1977 6. Cross classification by race and sex for clients - The best information we have at this point is based on a survey conducted in March and April, 1977 to which 274 field programs responded. The statistics given by some programs were based on hard case intake data. In many other cases, the programs were offering their educated judgments about the race and sex breakdowns of their clients. The programs indicated that 52% of their clients were White, 29% were Black, 9% were Hispanic, .3% were Native American, .8% were Asian American, and 8.9% were other minorities. 55% of the clients were men, and 45% were women. to. As my assistant mentioned to you on the telephone, I am unclear what kind of administration project on the elderly you may be referring If you can clarify further for us what information it is you wish, we will be happy to try to provide it. There are no studies or reports available to our knowledge that illustrate the difference in learning capacities, if any, among older persons. We hope this information is satisfactory. Sincerely, Barbara Sard t Barbara Sard Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President BS: ts Exhibit No. 20 STATEMENT OF EDWARD C. KING, DIRECTING ATTORNEY OF THE WASHINGTON, D. C. OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZENS LAW CENTER BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS AGE DISCRIMINATION STUDY SEPTEMBER 27, 1977 WASHINGTON, D.C. My name is Edward King and I am directing attorney of the Washington, D.C. office of the National Senior Citizens Law Center ("NSCLC"), on whose behalf I am pleased to accept the Commission's invitation to testify on age discrimination and legal services. NSCLC is currently funded under two grants. The first grant, from the National Legal Services Corporation, of which Mr. Ehrlich is President, allows us to give substantive assistance to advocates in legal services programs funded by the Legal Services Corporation so that they can better serve the elderly poor. The second grant is from the Administration on Aging and is to assist State and Area Agencies on Aging in 29 states to develop and expand legal services delivery to the nation's elderly. NSCLC's main office is in Los Angeles, California but we also maintain a substantial office here in Washington, D.C. In our statement here today, we propose to review the nature of the activities of legal services programs with respect to the elderly and to consider characteristics of the elderly poor. We will also suggest why special action is needed to address their needs, make recommendations and address the Commission's enumerated issues point by point. Nature Of Activities Of Legal Services Legal services must be recognized as extraordinary among federally funded programs. programs across the nation, consistently underfunded and staffed by persons working at a financial sacrifice in crowded, low rent offices with minimal equipment, have aggressively and effectively worked to recognize and represent the interests of those who could not afford to pay for their legal representation. It cannot be seriously contended that there is significant, if any, affirmative discrimination against the elderly in legal services programs. Without notable exception, legal services programs have dedicated themselves to serving all financially eligible persons who have requested legal assistance, and many thousands of the elderly poor are among those who have received representation by legal services programs during the past decade. There can also be no doubt that the elderly poor have received considerable benefits from legal services efforts beyond direct representation. As President Ehrlich has aptly pointed out, the interests of the poor and the powerless are typically linked so that development of a point of law for one poor client may well benefit all, or at least many Ehrlich Statement, p. 14. other poor persons. In addition to those more general factors, the Corporation has undertaken several measures for the direct benefit |