Investing in Justice Campaign

The collective effort and generosity of Chicago’s legal community made this year’s Investing in Justice Campaign another resounding success. 153 law firms, corporate legal departments and other law-related organizations participated in this year’s Campaign. Thanks to the leadership of 2017 Campaign Chair Jesse Ruiz, Partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, the Campaign Leadership Team, countless volunteers, and the thousands of individuals who contributed, the CBF’s 11th Annual Investing in Justice Campaign set new in individual donations. Nearly 5,100 individual attorneys and legal professionals contributed more than $1.51 million, both the highest amounts in the Campaign’s 11-year history.

I’m proud to be part of a legal community that shows such exemplary leadership on an issue that’s uniquely important to us as a profession. With so many divisive issues in our country today, this is one where we come together strongly to say, ‘yes, everyone deserves equal access to justice, regardless of who they are or how much money they have.’ That’s a promise our country has made and one that we work to protect.

Jesse Ruiz, 2017 Investing in Justice Campaign Chair

This year’s Campaign will yield more than $2.1 million in grants to more than 30 pro bono and legal aid organizations. Thanks to a number of generous matching contributions from participating firms and companies, the CBF is able to dedicate 100% of the individual contributions to the Campaign towards these grants and to leverage more than $600,000 in additional funding from CBF foundation and government partners through the Campaign grants process. See more details are in the official press release.

• Leadership Team
• Press Release
• Campaign Grants

The success of this year’s Campaign will make it possible for these organizations to provide critical legal assistance to tens of thousands of low-income and disadvantaged people who rely upon them. The Campaign grants fund a continuum of services, ranging from web-based information and resources to legal aid hotlines, advice desks and clinics, to extended legal representation and larger impact litigation and advocacy.

Justice People Deserve Not Just What They Can Afford

Over eleven years, our legal community collectively has contributed nearly $15 million through the Campaign. Those receiving services made possible by the Campaign include the elderly, disabled individuals, veterans, children, domestic violence victims, people at risk of losing their homes, immigrants fleeing persecution and abuse, and many other low-income and disadvantaged people in the Chicago area in need of legal assistance.

Thanks to the legal community’s generosity and the ongoing success of the Campaign, tens of thousands of low-income and disadvantaged people have been able to get necessary legal assistance, and the justice system continues to work better for everyone. Together, we are making our community a fairer and better place for all of us.

While the 2017 Campaign is coming to a close, it’s never too late to contribute.

• Donate