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. 150 law firms, corporate legal departments and other law-related organizations participated in this year’s Campaign. Thanks to the leadership of 2019 Campaign Chair Linda Coberly, Chicago Managing Partner of Winston & Strawn, the Campaign Leadership Team, countless volunteers, and the thousands of individuals who contributed, the CBF’s 13th Annual Investing in Justice Campaign set a new record in individual contributions. More than 5,200 individual attorneys and legal professionals joined together to contribute more than $1.56 million, the highest amount in the Campaign’s 13-year history and with donations still coming in.

The Investing in Justice Campaign helps some of our community’s most vulnerable residents as they face legal problems that threaten their children, families, homes, livelihoods, financial security, safety, and liberty. I am proud to have led this year’s effort and to be part of a legal community here in Chicago that year over year demonstrates such generosity and leadership.

Linda T. Coberly, 2019 Investing in Justice Campaign Chair

This year’s Campaign will make possible more than $2.3 million in grants and support for the work of more than 30 pro bono and legal aid organizations and related initiatives. Thanks to a number of generous matching contributions from participating firms and companies, the CBF is able to dedicate 100% of individual Campaign contributions toward this support and to leverage more than $700,000 in additional funding from CBF foundation and government partners.

The success of this year’s Campaign will make it possible for tens of thousands of low-income and disadvantaged people to receive often critical legal assistance. The Campaign funds a continuum of legal services for low and middle-income people in need, ranging from web-based resources, help desks, and legal aid hotlines to market-based solutions, extended legal representation, and large-scale impact litigation and advocacy.

Justice People Deserve Not Just What They Can Afford

Over twelve years, our legal community collectively has contributed more than $16 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 people in need.

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.