The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) has kicked off its 14th Annual Investing in Justice Campaign. The campaign rallies the Chicago legal community to help ensure that everyone has access to necessary legal help.
Every year, thousands of lawyers and legal professionals from Chicago-area law firms, corporate legal departments, companies, and other law-related organizations donate to Investing in Justice. Contributions help strengthen Chicago’s pro bono and legal aid organizations, supporting attorneys and making the courts more user-friendly and accessible for people in need.
“Fewer than half of the 600,000 low-income Cook County people who need legal help this year will be able to get it due to a shortage of resources. That number is big and faceless, but each person behind that number has a real story and need of their own,” wrote Sean M. Berkowitz, the 2020 campaign chair, in the campaign brochure. “Together, over the past 13 years, we have raised more than $17.5 million through the Investing in Justice Campaign to help many thousands in our community get the legal help they need. In the process, we have leveraged millions more in foundation and government support for these efforts.”
One-hundred percent of contributions directly support the work of 30-plus pro bono and legal aid organizations and related initiatives across Chicago. Recipients include organizations like Ascend Justice, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Equip for Equality, Illinois Legal Aid Online, James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, and the National Immigrant Justice Center, among others.
Individual donations can be made on the CBF’s website. If you are interested in running the campaign at your organization, contact Elena Dennis at edennis@chicagobar.org or (312) 554-8303. The campaign runs through the end of March.