New Iowa Legal Aid headquarters: A future full of hope, dignity and justice

This year Iowa Legal Aid celebrates its 45th anniversary, and starting in November, Des Moines staff will be settling into their new headquarters with hope for what the new space will offer – future growth opportunities, a dignified office space and improved access for staff and clients.
Iowa Legal Aid is a nonprofit organization providing critical legal assistance to low-income and vulnerable Iowans who have nowhere else to turn. The organization’s mission is to “make hope, dignity and justice available to Iowans through legal assistance and education that protects fundamental rights.” Iowa Legal Aid helps those who cannot afford legal representation gain access to justice. 
For many years, Iowa Legal Aid headquarters has been located at 1111 9th Street in Des Moines, with nine additional regional offices across the state. The current location is in the United Way Human Services Campus (next to the Des Moines Area Community College urban campus). Executive Director Nick Smithberg stated, “We have been very happy with this location, but as we have grown over the years, we have started to run out of space.” He goes on to say that the current building does not have any additional suites that are large enough to house staff. Their lease was scheduled to expire at the end of this year, but by the end of 2021 they knew they needed to start looking for alternative options. 
“Growth in service requires growth in space,” says Nick. The organization as a whole has grown substantially in the past 10 years, reportedly experiencing a 37% increase in staff statewide for a current total of 124 staff members. The Des Moines headquarters is home to 40% of overall staff, and has experienced similar growth during that same period, expanding from 42 employees to more than 50, plus numerous volunteers who work in the office. 
Early in the relocation planning, it was decided that West Des Moines and other suburban locations would not be a good fit for clients and staff. Preparing for the move, Nick and the Iowa Legal Aid Board worked with a broker to conduct a thorough market analysis on available office space and toured nearly a dozen locations in and around downtown Des Moines. In the end, the board approved an agreement to occupy the entire 25th floor of the Financial Center at 666 Walnut Street.
The lease was signed with LawMark Capital and included multiple economic upsides for the nonprofit. Jesse Bunney, LawMark Capital director of operations, managed a complete renovation of the space and came up with creative ways to keep costs down. Due to a previous tenant leaving office furniture behind, Bunney was able to secure previously-owned furniture in like-new condition to fill the new space, including approximately 40 full office set-ups, multiple cubicles, a conference table and more. Cherry wood doors, door frames and hardware were repurposed from space on a lower floor. Glass side light windows from prior tenants were upcycled as well. “We tried everything we could to cut expenses, be creative and give Iowa Legal Aid a home they deserve at a price that was very affordable,” says Jesse. As Nick and Jesse were formulating a plan, it became clear to Jesse that when renovating the Iowa Legal Aid office, one of the main goals was to offer employees a place where they were enthusiastic to come to work. From collaborative workspaces to offices with a view to a spacious kitchen and break area, the new office is meant to provide people with an environment to get the job done properly and keep employees happy. 
The need to provide a dignified space for clients and staff was a driving vision. “A visit to our offices should be a positive, empowering experience. Our motto is hope, dignity and justice. This new office space brings us one step closer to making that aspiration a reality for clients,” explains Nick. Modern, well-furnished offices will convey to legal aid clients that they have a top-notch law firm in their corner. 
One of the most important aspects of Iowa Legal Aid’s mission involves treating clients with dignity, and that includes a respectable office space. Luana Nelson-Brown is a member of the Iowa Access to Justice Commission and the executive director of the Iowa Coalition for Collective Change, an anti-violence agency that developed a relationship with Iowa Legal Aid in 2018. She believes that the move to downtown Des Moines is a progressive idea, and providing a professional atmosphere is part of the access to justice effort. “Location and aesthetics matter when you are being inclusive and intentionally attempting to maintain the dignity of human beings,” she explains. 
The new location brings improved accessibility to clients with hopes to enhance customer service as well as efficiency. The Financial Center is a much more accessible location for clients, being only a couple of blocks from the downtown Des Moines Area Regional Transportation hub. Free, on-site, indoor parking for clients will also be provided, and the building is fully ADA compliant. 
Regarding access to justice, Iowa Legal Aid’s new office in the downtown metro is anticipated to have a positive impact. According to Luana, it continues with the theme of eliminating barriers by being fully accessible to all Iowans who find themselves in need of legal assistance. She goes on to say, “Seeking services from an attorney is a situation people typically really don’t want to find themselves in. The new location is familiar, spacious and easy to get to which makes that visit you may not be looking forward to much more comfortable.” 
“On the worst day of their lives, clients need to meet us,” says Cara Rotschafer, a staff attorney with Iowa Legal Aid. Convenient, in-person access is critical for many of Iowa Legal Aid’s clients, particularly those with disabilities or limited English proficiency. 
The downtown space is also easily accessible by Iowa Legal Aid staff who are thrilled to be near the Justice Center, Polk County Courthouse and other partner organizations, all within only blocks and many being accessible via the skywalk. 
Cara has been on staff at Iowa Legal Aid for two years, and she is still getting used to her new work life after working from home during the pandemic. She predicts that efficiency as well as collaboration among staff will improve. For example, she is excited about getting to know her colleagues and having more in-person interaction. Another example is that if the nearby Eviction Diversion Project, located in the Polk County Justice Center, needs to be staffed on short notice, it is only a short walk from the new office. Cara also shares that an improved experience is expected for new lawyers with more hands-on learning being available for young attorneys. 
“I am very excited by the benefit to our staff. They work incredibly hard, at a very stressful job,” says Nick. Simple amenities like nice views and newly furnished offices can make a big impact on morale. Building on that point, he states, “I believe a happy staff is a more productive staff. In this sense, our new offices will help us to better fulfill our mission.” 
Moving an organization’s headquarters after decades at one location is a massive undertaking in terms of logistics. A basement full of files and other items had accumulated, many of which are now obsolete. In preparation for the move, staff members have not only been packing up boxes to be moved to the new office, but also undertaking a massive purge of unneeded items. This labor-intensive and time-consuming project was carried out by legal aid staff, and the task was primarily tackled by Kelli Hellberg and Maria Head. They described the meticulous process of making sure confidential files were shredded, while also reorganizing other documents that were still legally required to be maintained. 
The vision for the future of Iowa Legal Aid is continued growth. The organization closed more than 14,000 cases last year and in doing so, helped nearly 32,000 Iowans, half of which were children. Yet the need for legal aid services exceeds Iowa Legal Aid’s current capacity. Thousands of potential clients are turned away every year because there are not enough resources to take their cases. 
And those are only the people who realize they have a legal problem and contact Iowa Legal Aid. Nick illustrates that according to the most recent studies, more than 71% of Americans living in poverty have one or more civil legal problems every year. Iowa has a poverty population of nearly half a million people. According to Nick, the only meaningful way to approach this problem is by adding additional staff which remains his number one priority. 
Growth is anticipated in regional offices throughout the state as well. Earlier this year, the Dubuque office moved to accommodate an increase in staff. A new suite was added to the Sioux City office a couple of years ago. As the organization continues to grow, there are considerations for moving several other locations, including Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs. 
Nick shares that in the next five years, there are hopes to continue expansion to serve more clients. There are obvious costs associated with increased office space, but the single greatest expense is human capital. It takes money to hire more people, and he says the development team is hard at work helping to make that a reality. 
Reflecting on progress in the past 45 years, Nick describes how it’s been said that one way to measure well-being is when your future is bigger than your past. “Iowa Legal Aid has done some pretty incredible things over the past 45 years, including helping generations of people in need and pursuing impact litigation that has shaped the law in this state,” he stated. 
“I am unbelievably proud of the work we are doing today,” Nick exclaims. The pandemic represented an unprecedented challenge, and he considers the projects that Iowa Legal Aid has launched in the past couple of years as some of the greatest accomplishments as an organization. 
Nick concludes, “The new headquarters will be the launching pad for the next chapter in Iowa Legal Aid’s journey.”