CBA Record October 2017

PRO BONOWEEK 2017– FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY

However, Chicago’s relative small- ness doesn’t mean much when we are confronted with the daily challenges of urban living, both the problems of wealth and the problems of poverty. Those who work directly on issues of poverty, such as pro bono attorneys, understand poverty not only by the numbers, but by the way it affects a human life, or a family, or a neighborhood. They exemplify the power of pro bono legal work in the city: It takes complex, systemic problems and concentrates them in the interaction of a lawyer and a client. As a pro bono attorney, you are the front line between a person who needs more than our city has given them, and a system, or a set of systems, designed to bring our col- lective resources to their aid. You are the hand that can tip the scales of justice in someone’s favor. This is probably not the way most lawyers are trained to think about their profession. The woman who holds the scales wears a blindfold to keep justice pure and human error at bay, and the law is her instrument. But most people who choose to do pro bono work realize that the city doesn’t afford the same opportu- nities to everyone. The scales are tipped, and justice is a goal, not a starting point. If that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t need pro bono attorneys, or a nonprofit sector, or advocates for the poor in every system from housing to transportation to labor. And this is, in part, because cities are great magnifiers of human error. The errors of the future are a mystery, but there is hope in learning from the past, in advocacy, and in the visibility of your work as pro bono attorneys. Community Development Through Entrepreneurship Today, the battle for justice continues in fair housing, voter access, education equity, economic development, and other aspects of public life. With entrenched segregation and deepening poverty in parts of our city and state, organizations such as the Chi- cago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights

operate with an even sharper focus on racial equity and community empowerment and development. Chicago is ground zero in the fight to make America fulfill its promise of democracy, equal justice and economic opportunity for all. Pro bono lawyers have the unique opportunity to work alongside legal aid attorneys to create a new narra- tive for Chicago so that residents in all neighborhoods can thrive. While pro bono lawyers who represent community organizations and individuals may have clients who come from all Chi- cago neighborhoods, most pro bono clients are based in, or working in, low-income neighborhoods such as Austin, Garfield Park, Auburn Gresham, Woodlawn, Washington Park, Englewood, Lawndale, Kenwood-Oakland, and Humboldt Park. Of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods, these are some of the most economically burdened areas in this city and face dramatically reduced employment and educational opportunities. Housing stock is old and has often experienced considerable dilapi- dation. Simply put, these south and west side communities have been ravaged by decades of residential flight and commer- cial disinvestment. Pro bono volunteer attorneys provide much needed legal assistance by providing free, brief legal consultations and ongoing representa- tion to clients on issues such as corporate structuring, lease provisions, trademark protection, business expansion, employ- ment, and contracts. Pro bono clients who are starting or have existing businesses and nonprofits bring innovative ideas and critically needed services to the communities they serve. And these clients often cannot afford quality legal advice and representation. Without legal assistance, entrepreneurs and people working to build community development nonprofit organizations are likely to encounter problems that hurt their business efforts. Pro bono legal assistance helps low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs grow and strengthen their businesses, thereby supporting their com- munities with new jobs and services. Pro

bono legal assistance provides nonprofit leaders with the knowledge to sustain the quality of their programs, improve out- comes, and spur economic development. Pro bono legal assistance brings the power of the law to level the playing field. And pro bono volunteer attorneys use their skills to help clients to achieve their long-term goals and obtain financial security. Pro bono attorneys provide services that uplift, sus- tain, and give hope to those entrepreneurs and nonprofit organization founders who might otherwise not be able to bring their business and economic dreams to life. It is important for lawyers to work to root out and dismantle deeply entrenched systems of discrimination, racism, and economic oppression. Through these types of transactional pro bono opportunities, lawyers assist in resolving the many compounding issues that accompany poverty. The greatest issues facing clients from Chicago’s toughest communities are: (1) lack of information on starting, maintaining, and growing a business or nonprofit organization in com- pliance with city, state, and federal rules and regulations; (2) lack of investment capital for start-up expenses and growth and (3) lack of legal advice and represen- tation. With pro bono legal assistance, entrepreneurs and social visionaries are more likely to become self-sufficient, suc- cessful business owners (both for profit and nonprofit) who are creating jobs, increasing tax revenues and delivering resources to underserved neighborhoods. Community Development Through the Arts A folk music school has a vision to expand by taking over a former City library build- ing in Lincoln Square. A Juilliard graduate has a vison of opening a school offering free music instruction in the financially troubled, but ethnically rich, Uptown area of Chicago. A silk screen artist finds that a contract he signed with an agent years before is now being used to stifle his burgeoning career. The artists and arts organizations who seek pro bono legal help all have a common

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