CBA Record July-August 2023

the JEP community. “The JEP is our sup port system. It is our sounding board. It is our source of information about all types of things.” Rodriguez specifically noted that the JEP is a pioneer in the legal community when it comes to providing opportunities for attorneys from diverse backgrounds to create thriving careers. The network is more than 50% non-White, and boasts lawyers from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, socioeco nomic statuses, and geographic locations. The JEP also sets itself apart by focus ing on offering accessible legal services to the middle market. The JEP is a leader in cultivating a legal community that does not charge by the hour. Rodriguez offers flat fees and payment plans to make her services more acces sible. Clients involved in the criminal jus tice system often do not have the money or credit to get the representation they deserve. Thomas prides himself on being trans parent, including with his fees. Thomas charges flat fees by phase of the case,

allowing his clients to plan and budget ahead of time. He also focuses on set ting realistic expectations for clients from the outset. “It’s like when you go to the doctor,” Thomas said. “The doctor may be brilliant, but you may still walk away feel ing like you didn’t have a good experience. The same is true in this context. People want you to be a human being first and their lawyer second. If you can do that, and still get a positive outcome for them, then that is something they will always remember.” Like her fellow JEPers, Rao also offers creative and predictable fee arrangements. She also relies on technology to reduce clients’ legal spending while creating additional bandwidth to serve more cli ents. She has further prioritized making legal information accessible to under served communities by creating content and materials to empower and inform legal consumers. Thomas has likewise leveraged technol ogy and the support of the broader JEP community to create a law practice that allows him to fully serve his clients while

also traveling the world. From Costa Rica to Thailand, he continues to be accessible and available to his clients, even conduct ing virtual trials from abroad. As the JEP celebrates its 10-year anni versary, we regularly evaluate how best to meet the needs of both legal consumers and the lawyers who are invested in serv ing everyday people through innovative means. Over the past decade, the JEP has established itself as a national leader in this work, helping other programs rep licate its practice models and spreading innovations throughout the broader legal market. “When the JEP was originally con ceived, it was an agent of change in a community that followed a traditional legal model. Today, there are more firms following this model. It has successfully cemented its position as a mainstream alternative to the traditional legal model,” Rao said. For Thomas, the JEP “helps to bridge a gap that really nothing else has been able to do in terms of getting more people represented who otherwise might not be able to have a lawyer.”

Actuarial Pension Valuations • All Illinois Public Retirement Plans • Private Plans • Military and Federal (CSRS/FERS) • Non-Qualified Plans • Survivor Benefits • QILDRO Income Stream Estimates

John C. Madden (925) 258-7100

www.msmqdros.com info@msmqdros.com

CBA RECORD 15