News Tag: Resources
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 ...December 11, 2018
Sharing the JEP’s (Not So) Secret Keys to Success
The goal of the CBF Justice Entrepreneurs Project has always been twofold. First and most obviously, we want to increase access to affordable legal services for low and middle-income people and businesses in the Chicago area through the direct efforts of the lawyers in the JEP network.
The second aim of the JEP has always been to […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary | JEP | Legal Innovation | Resources read more ...November 8, 2018
Looking at the Court System through the Eyes of the People
To the say that the legal system looks daunting to someone who is not trained in the law and is often facing a serious legal issue when they arrive at the courthouse would be a vast understatement. And that is even more true at the Daley Center, perhaps the largest and busiest single courthouse in […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary | Courts | Pro Se | Resources read more ...November 5, 2018
Pricing for Access to Justice
The billable hour is dead! You’ve likely seen this headline a time or two over the past couple of years, and for good reason. As CBF Executive Director Bob Glaves pointed out in his 2016 blog post on pricing, we’ve largely priced the proverbial regular guy, and even ourselves sometimes, out of the market for […]
Tags: Billable hour | CBF 70th Anniversary | Future of the Profession | JEP | Resources read more ...October 16, 2018
Top of the Class: The CBF Legal Aid Academy
Chicago’s pro bono and legal aid organizations are top notch, teeming with some of the best lawyers in their respective fields. Even the most dedicated legal aid lawyers in these organizations, however, can face daunting challenges to making long-term commitments to these vital careers.
Financial challenges which can be very real for lawyers making relatively modest […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary | Legal Aid Academy | Resources | Training read more ...October 16, 2018
Stand by Someone Who Needs You, In a Way Only You Can
This year’s Pro Bono Week theme, Celebrating the Power of Pro Bono, invites us to think about what that power looks like in real life to someone who is facing a serious legal issue but unable to afford the legal help they need. As I often do, I am turning to music for my inspiration, echoing the choice of theme song for our Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon earlier this year.
Tags: Pro Bono | Resources read more ...October 12, 2018
Investing in Illinois’ Legal Aid Attorneys: The 2006 Recruitment & Retention Report
At the turn of the 21st century, a problem that had been simmering for many years exploded law student debt had become a serious burden to lawyers pursuing legal aid or other public service jobs. Law school tuitions had skyrocketed, and legal aid salaries had not kept pace with this rising law school debt or […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary | Legal Aid Organizations | Resources read more ...October 4, 2018
From Zero to Two Million and Counting
Back in 1999, when the initial conversations that led to what is now Illinois Legal Aid Online began, the idea that people would have access to and use the Internet to get legal information and resources particularly low-income and disadvantaged people was considered questionable at best. While it is hard to imagine now when virtually […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary | Online Resources & Info | Pro Se | Resources | Technology read more ...September 20, 2018
Legal Aid Yields a Strong Return on Investment
A well-funded legal aid system helps to ensure that our justice system is fair and efficient for all, regardless of income. Like us, you’re probably thinking that’s all the reason anyone would need. But then there’s the icing on the cake. Studies from more than 25 states, including Illinois, have repeatedly shown that it is […]
Tags: CBF 70th Anniversary | Legal Aid | Legal Aid Funding | Resources read more ...August 30, 2018
Expanding Practices and Access through Limited Scope
Across the country, the civil justice system is undergoing a transformation. More and more litigants are appearing in court without lawyers, making up well over half of the civil litigants in Illinois and closer to 75% nationally. Self-representation is no longer limited to the poorest users of the court system; growing numbers of middle-class people […]
Tags: Access to Justice Commission | CBF 70th Anniversary | JEP | Legal Innovation | Limited Scope | Resources read more ...