CBA Record February_March 2016

The Campaign has called attention to access to justice issues that weren’t previ- ously on many attorneys’ radars, including unsustainably low salaries for legal aid attor- neys and the growing number of people who cannot access critical legal assistance. As a result, many more lawyers in the Chi- cago area have embraced the importance of making justice accessible for everyone. This increased awareness has influenced donors’ giving priorities even beyond the Campaign—individual contributions directly to Chicago’s pro bono and legal aid organizations have more than doubled since the launch of the Campaign. What is access to justice? Simply, it’s ensuring that everyone has access to a fair shake in the legal system. The reality is that many people enter this complicated system unrepresented, vastly reducing their chance for success compared to when they are represented. They become victims of injus- tices in areas like housing, employment, or family law. Losing unfairly because of a power imbalance makes people lose faith in the system. Chicago is home to a great network of pro bono and legal aid organizations. Its attorneys fight everyday injustices, and also fight on behalf of large, vulner- able populations. Their work restores our citizens, communities, social services, and institutions to healthier functioning. Campaign grants support more than 30 pro bono and legal aid organizations to continue providing legal services to tens of thousands of low-income Chicagoans. From legal aid hotlines and advice desks to large impact litigation and advocacy work, these organizations provide a continuum of legal services to people who most need help but can’t afford it. The CBF and the Campaign help pull the various pro bono and legal aid provid- ers together as a system, so they work as an interconnected network of legal help. This allows them to collaborate, iden- tify resources, and advance their unique strengths. This interconnectedness in turn is good for their clients, both in finding the appropriate resource and having a broader range of help available when they have dif- ferent kinds of legal issues.

in Justice Campaign, the Foundation is helping to transform the delivery of legal service to low income families in and around Chicago,” said Al Schwartz, executive director of CARPLS, one of the supported organizations. “Funding from the campaign has enabled CARPLS to build out our infra- structure giving us the capacity to expand our exceptional services to an ever-growing number of clients in need.” In addition to supporting well-estab- lished organizations, the Campaign has

A Campaign grant is more than just a check for keeping the lights on. The CBF adds value to its grants by including free professional development training for legal aid attorneys, pro bono assistance for organizations, and advocacy support. The CBF’s extensive grantmaking process ensures accountability and promotes best practices, and the CBF’s close working rela- tionship with the organizations encourages innovation and growth in a variety of ways, including emphasizing pro bono more and incorporating technology in their operations. “Through initiatives like the Investing

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