’Til Death Do Us Part? Can You Get a Divorce in Philadelphia if You Can’t Afford a Lawyer?

Why is it so hard to get divorced without an attorney in Philadelphia?

The average total cost of a divorce attorney is $12,900, but over a quarter of Philadelphians live in poverty, with half of those living in deep poverty. A study by Professor Jim Greiner of Harvard University Law School’s Access to Justice Lab concluded that it is all but impossible to obtain a divorce in Philadelphia without an attorney.

Professor Greiner studied Philadelphia VIP’s efforts to match divorce clients with volunteers and learned that volunteers make an enormous difference: “Philadelphia VIP’s program was effective, spectacularly so. There is little more to say.”

Join VIP on July 13 to hear more from Professor Greiner about why it is so hard to get divorced without an attorney in Philadelphia, and what policy interventions might benefit those divorce-seekers who cannot afford a lawyer.

This event will take place over Zoom, a free video-conferencing platform. Please RSVP below for the Zoom meeting information.