A dedicated group of lawyers this week became the sixth class of participants in the CBF’s Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP). More than 50 lawyers now are currently participating in or have completed the program and remain part of the JEP network. The new participants, chosen through a competitive selection process, are:
- Steven Cobb
Valparaiso University (2014)
Criminal, Landlord/Tenant - Morgan Cook
Ohio State University (2014)
Small Business, Expungement - Molly Hall
Vanderbilt University (2013)
Housing, Landlord/Tenant - Alyease Jones
Western Michigan University (2013)
Criminal, Community Practice - Jay Kumar
University of Chicago (2014)
Landlord/Tenant, Consumer Protection, Litigation - Kimberly Leung
University of Wisconsin (2014)
Immigration, Criminal Defense - Roya Samarghandi
University of Illinois (2010)
Criminal, Family Law
These lawyers are committed to developing innovative practices providing quality legal services that are affordable and accessible to regular people.
The seven participants kicked off the first week with a “bootcamp” of trainings, including an overview of the legal needs of low and moderate income clients and how to reach and serve those clients. Trainings during the first week, which kick off a structured curriculum that extends throughout the 18-month program, included: ethics and risk management, pricing, a primer on business development and client-centric service, and law practice management basics, and technology.
They received training from CARPLS in the areas of family, housing, and consumer law in preparation for volunteering on the CARPLS hotline as part of the JEP’s structured pro bono program. In addition to work on the hotline, each participant has been placed with a legal aid organization, where they will gain valuable skills, experience, and mentoring through their pro bono work. These organizations are: LAF, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, National Immigrant Justice Center, and Chicago Legal Clinic.
To learn more about the JEP, visit jepchicago.org.