Every year, Virginia Poverty Law Center hosts the only statewide conference dedicated to poverty law and justice. Designed for attorneys, advocates, and service providers, this two-and-a-half-day event offers dynamic sessions on civil legal aid, policy change, racial equity, and community impact. Whether you’re joining us in person or virtually, you’ll connect with leaders working to advance fairness and opportunity across Virginia. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits are available for qualifying sessions.
Sponsor the 2026 Conference
Interested in supporting Virginia's premier conference on poverty law and justice? Conference sponsorships are available anytime.
2026 Theme: Making Waves, Going Beneath the Surface
Join us in Norfolk – where the Elizabeth River meets the Chesapeake Bay – for a shimmering, underwater-inspired celebration of Virginia’s legal aid community! Drawing from Norfolk’s iconic mermaids and rich waterfront history, the evening will honor those whose work creates currents of change and helps communities stay steady through every tide.
Immerse yourself in an atmosphere of maritime elegance and deep-blue wonder as we celebrate the legal aid champions whose dedication makes a lasting impact.
Attend In Person in Norfolk
Join us at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside for two and a half days of workshops, networking, and community. In-person registration includes access to all sessions, meals, and conference materials. CLE credits are available for many sessions.
- Stay tuned – registration will open in the summer.
Can't make it in-person?
Can’t make it to Norfolk? All conference sessions will be recorded and made available afterwards. Additionally, those that are CLE-eligible will be submitted to the Virginia State Bar for on-demand credits.
The networking at ASC is invaluable. I met colleagues from across the state who are facing the same housing challenges I see every day, and we’ve built a network to share strategies and resources year-round. The practical workshops gave me tools I could bring right back to my clients, and the conversations outside of sessions were just as meaningful. ASC makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger than my own office.
– 2024 Conference Attendee
Conference FAQs
Everything you need to know before attending the 2026 VPLC Annual Statewide Legal Aid Conference. Find answers to common questions about registration, accessibility, CLE credits, accommodations, and more. Still need help? Contact us. We’re happy to assist!
I’m new to the Virginia legal aid community! What is ASC?
First and foremost, welcome to the community! ASC – the acronym we use for our Annual Statewide Legal Aid Conference – is a multi-day event hosted by Virginia Poverty Law Center that provides comprehensive training on poverty law issues to the legal community. Since the very first conference in November 1979, ASC also gives attendees the opportunity to discuss the most recent case developments and collaborate on creative ways to address the civil legal needs of low-income Virginians.
Below is a quick breakdown of timing on the four days of ASC:
- Monday and Tuesday (new this year!): Designed for attendees who are unable to join us in-person, these two, fully virtual days will feature a selection of conference sessions, including CLE-eligible ones! Think of this as a mini-conference before the conference.
- Wednesday: First official day of the conference, occurring in-person only. Registration begins at 8:30am, and the first conference sessions – including CLE-eligible sessions – begin at 10:00am and end at 5:00pm.
- Thursday: Sessions begin at 9:00am and end at 4:00pm.
- Friday: Sessions begin at 9:00am and end at 12:30pm, marking the end of the conference. Our Ethics CLE session will be 10:30am-12:30pm this day and will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in-person.
I can’t join in-person. Can I attend virtually instead?
While the conference won’t have a virtual join option this year*, we will be recording all sessions and will make them available to all conference attendees and the legal aid offices in November. Additionally, those that are CLE-eligible will be submitted to the Virginia State Bar for on-demand credits.
*Minus the Ethics session on the final day, which will be livestreamed to virtual attendees.
What is Swoogo, and why do I need to use it?
Swoogo is an event management website and app that we will be using to hold all conference information, including the schedule, access to handouts from the presenters, livestreaming and recording access, and much, much more. Attendees will be able to directly chat and network with other attendees, share resources with your colleagues, and organize in-person or virtual social events, no matter how attendees choose to attend. Even if someone attends the conference in-person only, they will need a Swoogo account to fully participate and gain access to all conference material.
I need CLEs by the October 31st deadline. Are all sessions CLE-eligible?
While not every session is CLE-eligible, many are and will be marked as such. The CLE forms will be made available to all registrants via email.
Important CLE note: The Virginia State Bar’s Annual MCLE Requirement has a deadline of October 31st. All of our conference’s live CLEs can be used for the current year’s deadline. The recorded, on-demand CLEs of conference sessions will be available after this date and will therefore be approved for the following MCLE year that begins November 1st.
What if I need accessibility accommodations?
We are committed to making ASC as accessible as possible for all those interested and eligible to attend, whether that is in-person or virtually. Please let us know your accessibility needs on the registration page when it is released so that we can make sure you have a great experience.
I registered as an in-person attendee but now need to cancel (or, I registered as a virtual attendee but now need to cancel). What do I do?
First, you can view or modify your existing registration any time before 10/2. If after this point, you must email Jordan Vallerga ASAP at jvallerga@eisenmanassociates.com.
All cancellation or attendance location change requests received by 11:59pm on Friday, October 2nd will be honored for a full refund if applicable, minus a $20 administrative fee. After this date, a $500 administrative fee will be assessed for all requests, unless you are able to provide official documentation of the reason you are cancelling (e.g., a doctor’s note indicating an active COVID-19 diagnosis). You can submit this documentation and any other supplemental information to edoutreach@vplc.org.
