News Tag: Investing in Justice Campaign
August 21, 2017
Navigating People Through the Maze of Bankruptcy
The Bankruptcy Court Self Help Assistance Desk, run by LAF, does just what you would expect it to do—helps clients file for bankruptcy as they seek relief from suffocating piles of debt. But as with bankruptcy itself, the full reality is much more complicated—and the help much more far-reaching—than that.
The Desk aids unrepresented filers at every point in the bankruptcy process, which can be daunting and complex. In Room 622 of the Dirksen Building, pro bono attorneys and lawyers from LAF answer general questions about bankruptcy, help visitors decide if bankruptcy is their best option, and help prepare forms for people without lawyers in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The Desk eases the burden on the court by helping patrons evaluate their options before unnecessarily filing for bankruptcy. Each year, about 44,000 bankruptcy cases are filed in the Northern District of Illinois, the most in the country, so every bit of paperwork reduction helps the court run more efficiently. Launched in 2007 as a partnership with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, LAF and the CBF, the Desk is one of the many projects you make possible through the Investing in Justice Campaign.
Tags: Court Help Desks | Grants | Investing in Justice Campaign | Pro Se read more ...June 30, 2017
Fund campaign for legal aid sets another record
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
By Emily Donovan | Law Bulletin Staff Writer
The Chicago Bar Foundation’s Investing in Justice Campaign collected more than $1.5 million from donors and $600,000 in grants this year.
The donations will be used for local pro bono and legal aid organizations.
It’s a foundation record, following a pattern since the campaign first launched 10 years ago.
“It keeps growing, and we think it still has room to keep doing that,” said Robert A. Glaves, foundation executive director. Read more…
Tags: CBF in the News | Grants | Investing in Justice Campaign read more ...June 26, 2017
Investing in Justice Campaign Sets New Records, Leverages Hundreds of Thousands More
The 2017 CBF Investing in Justice Campaign set new records in individual donations while raising awareness and critical funding for pro bono and legal aid services in the Chicago area. 153 law firms, corporate legal departments and other law-related organizations participated in this year’s Campaign, which was chaired by Jesse H. Ruiz, partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. 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.
Tags: Grants | Investing in Justice Campaign | Success! read more ...June 26, 2017
Removing Barriers for People with Disabilities
Access Living was founded in 1980 as one of the nation’s first ten Centers for Independent Living (CILs). The organization’s goal is simple: to ensure that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as those without disabilities to conduct lives of dignity and independence. With departments specializing in independent living skills, advocacy, and legal services, Access Living provides a unique combination of assistance in championing the rights and empowerment of people with disabilities. Access Living is the only CIL that has a Legal Services Program, and it is this impactful program that you support through the Investing in Justice Campaign.
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign | Legal Aid Organizations read more ...April 24, 2017
An Evolving Partnership to Advance Civil Rights
“Kayla,” a mother of three holding Housing Choice Vouchers, sought to move her family into a safer neighborhood. Although she was initially welcomed by a landlord to visit the unit, once he discovered that she held federal housing vouchers, he was no longer interested. The Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, one of the many […]
Tags: civil rights | Investing in Justice Campaign | Legal Aid Organizations read more ...March 22, 2017
Improving Financial Stability One Tax Dispute at a Time
“Mark” was awarded a settlement from a wrongful death suit, but his legal problems did not end when he received the money. The IRS processed this money incorrectly, treating it as taxable income. At the point when Mark turned to the Center for Economic Progress (CEP) for assistance, he had an IRS balance exceeding $130,000 and a levy on his wages. A Taxpayer Advocate at CEP’s Tax Clinic was able to help him correct his account with the IRS. Because of CEP’s help, the IRS ended the wage levy, eliminated Mark’s balance, and refunded him over $16,000 for wrongfully levied proceeds. Almost half of this money has gone to cover Mark’s student loan debt.
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign | Legal Aid Organizations read more ...March 21, 2017
March becomes fundraiser time for pro bono aid
A March 21, 2017 article in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin features the CBF’s Investing in Justice Campaign. Now in its 11th year, the annual campaign brings the entire legal community together to help ensure that everyone has access to necessary legal help, not just those who can afford it. The Campaign runs throughout the month of March and is chaired this year by Jesse Ruiz, partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.
Tags: CBF in the News | Investing in Justice Campaign read more ...March 7, 2017
Chicago Legal Community Rallies Around Fundamental and Unifying Principle of Equal Access to Justice
Thousands of individual attorneys and legal professionals at more than 150 area law firms and companies are participating in the 2017 CBF Investing in Justice Campaign, which raises awareness and critical funding for pro bono and legal aid services in the Chicago area. Chaired this year by Jesse Ruiz, partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, the Campaign officially kicked off with an evening reception for Campaign leaders at Drinker Biddle’s Chicago office on March 6th. The Campaign runs throughout the month of March.
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign read more ...January 23, 2017
Jesse Ruiz to Chair 2016 Investing in Justice Campaign
Jesse Ruiz, Partner at Drinker, Biddle & Reath, will lead the CBF’s 11th Annual Investing in Justice Campaign. The Campaign, which kicks off the week of March 6th and runs throughout the month, is an annual initiative where the entire legal community comes together around our common cause as a legal profession—helping to ensure that everyone […]
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign read more ...December 20, 2016
More than a Century of Delivering Justice for People in Need
Whenever there needed to be a legal voice at the table, the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services had a seat. With former U.S. presidents on the board, and handwritten letters from Presidents Nixon and Roosevelt outlining their appreciation for the work the organization does, LAS has a legacy that is unparalleled.
As the second oldest legal aid organization in the nation, LAS, one of the many outstanding organizations you are supporting through the Investing in Justice Campaign, has been a pioneer in defining what “justice for all” really means. Founded in 1886, the organization was one of the first in the country to provide legal services for the poor. Its mission is to protect and strengthen families by providing equal access to justice for the most vulnerable citizens, including low-income people, the elderly and victims of domestic violence.
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign | Legal Aid Organizations read more ...