Your Foundation at Work in 2021

December 17, 2021

Building a Fairer and Better Justice System, Together

You continue to make a tremendous impact through your partnership with the CBF by coming together with your peers throughout our legal community to strengthen the pro bono and legal aid system and develop innovative new solutions to advance access to justice. Following are just a few examples of how you are making a real difference in our community right now while building a fairer and better justice system for the future.

The Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt Program

  • Cook County is providing more than $3.5 million per year for the program for legal aid, case management, and mediation services through the CBF.
  • The program has helped tens of thousands of people since its launch last November, and it already has been recognized as a national model by the White House and other national organizations.

2021 Investing in Justice Campaign Another Big Success

  • More than 4,000 lawyers and legal professionals came together to contribute $1.4 million in the 2021 Investing in Justice Campaign.  
  • With the exemplary leadership of Gil Soffer, Chicago managing partner of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, 130 law firms, corporate legal departments, and other law-related organizations participated in this year’s Campaign to help raise awareness and much-needed funding for pro bono and legal aid services in the Chicago area.
  • This year’s Campaign will make possible more than $2 million in grants and support for the work of more than 30 pro bono and legal aid organizations and related initiatives. 

Modernizing the Court System for a More Effective and Accessible New Normal

  • The CBF played a lead role in the transition to remote access to the courts during the pandemic and now is leading the push for the courts to evolve into a more effective and accessible hybrid system for the future through a variety of local, statewide, and national partnerships and advocacy efforts.

Advocating for Sustainable Solutions to the Student Debt Crisis

  • The CBF collaborated with a stellar pro bono team to develop and craft a comprehensive, long-term, and fiscally responsible legislative solution to the student debt crisis, which is a growing problem for people throughout the country and negatively impacts access to justice by making it more difficult for lawyers to pursue careers providing free and affordable services.

You can learn more about the great work you are continuing to make possible through the CBF on the CBF blog.