WV Non-Profit Law Firm Expands Assistance For State Predatory Mortgage Victims In Foreclosure By Launching New Office

In Charles Town, West Virginia, The Journal reports:

• Mountain State Justice Inc., a Charleston-based agency, has opened a new office in Clarksburg in an attempt to better serve clients in the state's eastern and northern counties. The nonprofit group opened its first office in 1996, to help provide legal assistance to low-income individuals facing problems related to consumer issues, health care and other matters, said attorney Nathan Fetty. Recently though, the focus has changed, as calls flooded in from people hoping to keep their home out of foreclosure.

• "The foreclosure work has really picked up since all the economic troubles have broken loose," Fetty said. "The vast bulk of our work right now is foreclosure work. It's 95 percent of what we do right now."

• Potential clients, especially those who believe they have fallen prey to predatory lending practices, phone in to Mountain Justice. If the agency representatives think they might be able to provide assistance, Fetty said the individuals are asked to come in for an in-person meeting. Until now, he said that meant a five- to six-hour drive to Charleston for clients living in the eastern and northern portions of the state.

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• That is why Mountain State Justice decided to open a second office. Using grant funding from the Institute for Foreclosure Legal Assistance, the agency was able to open a new office earlier this month.

For more, see Nonprofit law firm expands state’s service (Mountain State Justice says bulk of caseload foreclosure assistance).