Mission Statement

• To promote older Nevadans' financial, social and economic self reliance and independent decision making through efficient, effective, high quality legal assistance and through general advocacy for their unmet needs and rights.
• The Senior Law Project's mission provides the direction for prioritizing the legal services that it provides. Since the SLP receives many more requests for legal representation than it can provide, prioritization is the primary tool that makes our work manageable. The SLP emphasizes legal areas that most affect:
               Low-income seniors
               Low-income minority seniors 
               Frail seniors

The SLP develops its priorities to be consistent with these population groups and the values of its mission. Thus the SLP emphasizes cases which support persons to live independently. Other factors that the SLP considers in developing the following priorities are:
             The degree the matter will affect the individual's life
             The degree the successful resolution of the matter will assist others
             The degree other resources for the resolution of the matter are unavailable

History
Prior to 1980, Washoe Legal Services operated the Senior Law Project. Between 1980 and 1990, the Nevada Division for Aging Services Funded its legal service dollars in Washoe County through a private attorney. Since 1991, services have been provided as a full legal service program for seniors within the County administrative structure (Washoe County Department of Senior Services).

In late 1995, a job share agreement increased the attorney portion of the project to 1.5 full-time equivalent positions. (Each attorney worked 60% or 24 hours per week). This added a degree of specialization that allowed more comprehensive service.

Since 1999, one of the attorney positions has been expanded to full time. The County recognized the need for additional legal services for the elderly and low-income by the increase in quantity and diversity, so they were determined to increase its pursuit of funding to augment what was simply too little of a resource.

The Project receives funds from the following sources:
Older American Act through Nevada's Division for Aging Services
Dedicated court filing fees pursuant to NRS 19.031
Proceeds from a special property tax fund dedicated to Washoe County senior programs
Donations; including Corporate and Foundation contributors
Access To Justice
Funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

The SLP has received donations from the following corporations and foundations:
IGT
Nevada Law Foundation