Our Blog
The CBF is Hiring a New Associate Director for Grants & COO
A Wellness Action Plan to (Re)Start 2021
2021 Resolution: Don’t Let the Hard-Earned Lessons of 2020 Go to Waste
Upcoming CBF Student Debt Briefing
CBF Joins Cook County, Circuit Court, and Other Partners to Launch Groundbreaking Program for Eviction and Consumer Debt Cases
May 20, 2019
JEP Reaches Its Teens, Welcomes 13th Cohort
This month, the CBF Justice Entrepreneurs Project brought seven motivated attorneys into the program, starting them on a path towards establishing and operating innovative and affordable law firms. The new JEPers join a network of over 50 alumni and current participants who are still on that path. For the thirteenth time, CBF Executive Director Bob […]
Tags: JEP read more ...April 26, 2019
What Do Courts Have to Do with the Affordability of Legal Services?
Quite a lot, as a matter of fact. The fundamental mission of the courts is to deliver justice for all by protecting rights and liberties, upholding the rule of law, and serving as fair and neutral arbiters to resolve disputes. Promoting affordable legal representation is a central part of fulfilling that mission, yet some of the key steps to doing so are too often overlooked by courts today.
Tags: Courts | Future of the Profession | Limited Scope | Technology read more ...April 25, 2019
Cherry Blossoms and Access to Justice: Your Foundation in D.C.
The CBF was proud to once again join the Illinois State Bar Association in leading a group of dedicated volunteers from Illinois who traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in the American Bar Association’s annual ABA Day in Washington.
Each year, Congress considers legislation and budget issues
that impact access to justice, the court system, and the legal profession.
That’s why it is vital that leaders in our legal community in Chicago, and across Illinois, engage with our members of Congress on important issues impacting access to justice for Illinois residents.
April 24, 2019
Illinois JusticeCorps Seeking Fellowship Applications
Illinois JusticeCorps is looking for applicants for full-time fellowship positions for the upcoming program year, August 2019 through August 2020.
Illinois JusticeCorps is an innovative AmeriCorps program through which college students and recent graduates provide procedural and other neutral assistance in the courts. Illinois JusticeCorps recruits, trains and provides the necessary support for these guides to make courts across Illinois more welcoming and less intimidating for people without lawyers.
Tags: Apply or Nominate | Courts | Fellowships & Scholarships read more ...March 27, 2019
Uber, Taxis and the Legal Market
Take a trip down bad memory lane to about ten years ago when you needed to get a cab but were not in a place where taxis tend to be plentiful on the street. Remember what that was like?
Hold that thought for a moment, and now think of what it is like today for someone who is looking for a lawyer and doesn’t know where to turn. While it is sure to get most lawyers upset to be compared to the taxi industry, the similarities in these two market failures are striking. We can write a different script for what happens in the legal market but need to start now.
Tags: Future of the Profession | Legal Innovation read more ...February 27, 2019
What Are We Selling?
It seems a simple question to ask, but one we do not think enough about in law and too often answer incorrectly. Getting that answer right is the first essential step towards carrying out my New
Year’s Resolution for 2019 for the legal profession to tackle our affordability problem for everyday people.
Two recent commentaries in the New York Times and the Atlantic challenge us to re-examine our profession’s longstanding assumptions on this question, and offer a good jumping off point for discussion.
Tags: Billable hour | Future of the Profession | JEP | Legal Innovation | Limited Scope read more ...February 27, 2019
Leading the Way to a Justice System that Works for Everyone
Justice is a simple concept. Even very young children understand the basic concept of fairness. But getting to justice can be anything but simple. Ensuring that everyone has equal access to the justice system is a fight that happens on many fronts—from the courts to the pro bono and legal aid organizations, law firms and […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary read more ...February 26, 2019
Limited Scope. (Almost Boundless Opportunity)
The American Bar Association recently featured an article touting the potential “win-win” benefits of limited scope representation in the January/February 2019 issue of its GPSolo magazine. The article was penned by CBF Director of Innovation & Training Jessica Bednarz and CBF Director of Pro Bono & Court Advocacy Samira Nazem. They highlight that the […]
Tags: ABA | CBF in the News | Limited Scope | Resources read more ...February 7, 2019
Gaining Hope and Healing Thanks to Legal Aid
Each year, Domestic Violence Legal Clinic (DVLC) helps hundreds of domestic violence survivors break the cycle of domestic violence, helping survivors escape the isolation of abuse and regain control of their lives. Edith is one of the many survivors who show up at DVLC’s office every day seeking to keep themselves and their children safe.
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign | Legal Aid Organizations read more ...February 1, 2019
A Heartfelt Thanks to Lisa Madigan and Her Team at the Office of the Attorney General
Public officials at all levels of government play a critical role in the fight to ensure access to justice for all, and we have been fortunate in Illinois to have a number of exemplary elected officials from both sides of the aisle as partners.
Some officials really stand out for their leadership in the cause, […]
Tags: Advocacy read more ...