About Legal Aid
The Legal Aid Corporation of Tippecanoe County is a not-for-profit United Way agency that provides free legal assistance to low-income residents of Tippecanoe County who cannot otherwise obtain an attorney. Legal Aid does not handle criminal matters or those cases involving fee-generating litigation.
Our Mission – Legal Aid fights for compassionate justice by providing high quality legal representation for low income individuals and families in Tippecanoe County.
Our History
The Legal Aid Corporation of Tippecanoe County began serving the community in 1971 with a grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. The idea for Legal Aid originated from local attorneys who found many Tippecanoe County residents were unable to obtain legal representation due to financial constraints. Legal Aid is primarily funded by United Way, Tippecanoe County Bar Association, Indiana Civil Legal Aid Fund, and is the beneficiary of the Warren N. Eggleston Endowment held by the Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette. Fundraisers and other donations account for the remaining 20% of Legal Aid’s annual budget.
Legal Aid found its first home in the Lafayette Life Building, and some years later, the agency moved into an office on Ferry Street. In early 1994, thanks to a generous donation from the Pearlman family, Tippecanoe County Bar Association, and the local trade unions, Legal Aid moved to the Pearlman Building located at 212 N. 5th Street. In 2020, after over 25 years in the Pearlman Building, Legal Aid returned to the Lafayette Life Building once again and is now located at 300 Main Street, Suite 101, Lafayette, IN 47901.
In the early years, Legal Aid went through a transitional phase and was led by several Executive Directors. In 1986, Staff Attorney Kenneth Weller was promoted to Executive Director and continued to lead the agency until ending his term in 2016.In January 2017, the agency welcomed Attorney Amanda McIlwain (Guzmán) to the Executive Director position. Attorney Luisa White serves as the current Executive Director. The Agency is governed by a 15-member volunteer Board of Directors. The Board meets monthly and holds its annual meeting each April.
Legal Aid celebrated 50 years of serving our community in 2021.
Board of Directors
- Abigayle Hensley, President
- BB&C
- Tracey Eberhardt, Secretary
- Eberhardt Law and Mediation Center
- Leilani Lillian, General Member
- Stuart + Branigin Lawyers
- Diana Wetz, General Member
- Centier Bank
- Charlie Shook, General Member
- FC Tucker/Shook
- Bryan Smith, Vice President and Treasurer
- CityBus
- Luisa White, Executive Director
- Luisa White Law, LLC
- Jackie Starbuck, General Member
- Ball Eggleston
- Ellen Phelps, General Member
- Purdue University
- Lisa Schrader, General Member
- Kennedy & Schrader Law Office
- Luke Riley, Assistant Treasurer
- Thieme, Adair & Riley
- Jenny Cahoon, Ad Hoc Executive Member
- Jenny Cahoon Consulting
- Kristen Edmundson, General Member
- Stallard & Schuh
- Patrick Jones, General Member
- Withered Burns, LLP
- Stephen Wien, General Member
- Bison Financial Group/Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC