Velimir is a senior staff attorney in our Individual Safety Unit. He has worked for Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston for 16 years.
“What I value most about working at Lone Star Legal Aid is being a part of such a collaborative and supportive team. We have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in our clients’ lives while continually growing as professionals.” – Velimir Rasic
Q: You’ve been with Lone Star Legal Aid for 16 years. What has kept you connected to LSLA’s mission throughout your career?
A: What has kept me here is the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives alongside colleagues who genuinely care about our clients and one another. Every day reminds me that the law can be a powerful tool for helping people overcome difficult circumstances and that their lives can be improved by accessing the legal system.
Q: What makes working in the Medical Legal Partnership meaningful to you?
A: The Medical Legal Partnership is unique because it allows us to address clients’ problems that medicine alone cannot solve. Working in this unit showed me how intertwined medicine and law can be and that providing services in a holistic manner can go far beyond physical exams and prescriptions. Legal services assist patients in regaining control over their lives and reduce stressors that in turn improve health outcomes.
Q: What makes you proud to work at Lone Star Legal Aid?
A: I am proud to work for an organization that is committed to ensuring everyone has access to justice, regardless of their financial circumstances. Just as importantly, I am proud to work with colleagues who support one another and are always willing to share their knowledge so we can better serve our clients. Lone Star Legal Aid has made a difference to the most vulnerable members of society for decades, and I am privileged to be a part of this great organization.
Q: Looking back on your 16 years at LSLA, how have you grown as an attorney and advocate?
A: I have become a more confident attorney, but also a better listener. Over the years I have learned that effective advocacy is not just knowing the law but also about understanding each client’s individual story, working as part of a team and continuing to learn from every case. Of equal importance, I learned to appreciate the diversity in backgrounds and personal experiences and to communicate effectively with people whose personal experiences are vastly different from mine.
Q: What motivates you to come to work each day?
A: I regularly see how my work makes a difference in clients’ lives. People who otherwise would not be able to access the legal system enjoy better outcomes and can enforce their rights because of us. That is incredibly motivating and rewarding. We are proof that “and justice for all” has real meaning and is not merely an empty phrase. On a daily basis, we make a difference to those most in need of legal assistance. That is one of the invisible rewards of working for legal aid and one of the most enjoyable aspects of our work.