‘Retiree' helps poor with legal services

He retired five years ago as head of the Missouri Catholic Conference.

But “retirement” didn't last long for Lou DeFeo.

“I did take off for about a year,” he said in a recent interview. “But I've never been a person who would just sit idle about anything.”

He added more volunteer hours at the Samaritan Center, where his wife of 49 years, Marilyn, is the long-time volunteer director.

And he began creating a special Legal Care program for the poor people who use the center's services.

“The people come to the Samaritan Center because they're hungry,” he explained. “And it is after their hunger is satisfied by the food and clothing and other stuff that we have, here, that they become aware that we also do other services - medical, dental and legal.”

It's a “pro bono” program - meaning the attorneys don't charge the client for the legal work or advice.

DeFeo coordinates the program with local attorneys willing to donate their services.

He said the Samaritan Center's program is unique because it works to match the client's need with an attorney who specializes in that area of the law.

“It is only after they're pre-screened that we will refer them out to an attorney in the community,” he said.

The program also helps people in “pro-se” cases, where representing themselves, without a lawyer, is allowed.

DeFeo added: “Access to justice is meaningless if you can't afford it. And if the only way to get justice is to be able to afford an attorney, there are many people in our community who simply will not have (that) access.”

The program handles civil cases, not criminal ones, since the state public defender system specializes in those.

Nor does the program deal with traffic offenses.

“We've done everything from adoptions and guardianships and name changes and disability claims and Social Security claims,” DeFeo said, “from soup to nuts, there's just been a large variety of needs come before us.”

Lawmakers in 2004 passed a bill he wrote providing free malpractice insurance coverage to lawyers providing pro bono services through public or tax-exempt charitable organizations.

Last fall, the Missouri Bar gave DeFeo its “Pro Bono” award for the Samaritan Center work, and he's working with a joint commission of the Bar and state Supreme Court which is looking for ways to establish similar programs statewide.

A Kansas City native, DeFeo graduated in 1960 from the law school at the University of Kansas City (now the University of Missouri-Kansas City).

DeFeo was hired in 1963 as an assistant attorney general for Tom Eagleton.

“When we came to Jefferson City, I expected to stay through the end of Eagleton's term, then go back to Kansas City to practice law,” he said.

Instead, DeFeo stayed on as an assistant to then-Attorney General John Danforth, then was hired to be the Missouri Catholic Conference's general counsel. He stayed with the conference 31 years and, in 1981, was named its executive director.

His work included helping write Missouri's durable power of attorney, determination of death, school children's health and several abortion-restriction laws.

“I never anticipated handling public law kinds of things,” DeFeo said. “I never expected to have a role in it. (It was) very satisfying.”

Lou DeFeo

Age: 71

Profession: Lawyer, retired Catholic Conference director

Education: Graduated Hogan High School; Rockhurst College (now University) in 1957; University of Kansas City (now UMKC) Law School in 1960.

In Mid-Missouri: 43 years

Family: Married 49 1/2 years to Marilyn DeFeo; 7 children, 24 grandchildren.

Lou DeFeo in his office at the Samaritan Center. (Julie Smith/News Tribune photo)