AUGUSTA — An advocacy group’s new report says that free legal services created an economic impact of $105 million in 2015.

University of Maine economics professor Todd Gabe analyzed the economic impact of services provided by six legal aid providers in Maine.

The Maine Justice Foundation helped fund the report, which found that civil legal aid led to $37 million in recoveries in individual cases.

The impact was even greater for systemic cases at $68 million.

The report says 750 Mainers with hearing impairments received hearing aids they had been unable to obtain while health care coverage was preserved for 33,000 Maine seniors and people with disabilities.

Maine Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Andrew Mead said that providing free legal services puts money back into the economy and changes people’s lives.


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