At the beginning of summer in 2013, ten attorneys signed on to a program that offered them the training, resources, and connections they’d need to launch innovative and socially conscious solo and small law firms that serve low and middle income clients. The CBF had done its research; we knew the need for affordable services was out there, and we were confident that the right blend of support could ensure those attorneys’ success. Now, with a dozen attorney cohorts welcomed into the Justice Entrepreneurs Project a new cohort every May and November since 2013 the JEP Network boasts over 50 attorneys offering affordable access to quality legal services.
JEP attorneys are as diverse as the communities they serve, with roots in and practices that focus on all corners of Chicagoland. Even with their differences, all of the network attorneys fill a common gap in the market for legal services. They’re all working to help the folks in the middle, and the experiences the JEPers pick up over the course of 18 months in the JEP from the mentoring, to the curriculum, to the 500 hours pro bono residencies create a common bond across the network.
Clients of the JEP network attorneys can also expect a common experience. They’re met with consistently high standards of practice set forth in the JEP Service Standards, which every JEP attorney commits to provide. Along with affirming the Principles of the JEP, JEPers embody the best practices of our profession to meet the needs of their middle market clients.
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