Start the new year right - donate
By Holly Fujie
President, State Bar of California
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Fujie |
My 12-year-old son’s video game magazine proclaimed 2008 “the
best year ever!” — apparently based on the release of a number
of “awesome” new games. For most of the country, and indeed the
world, however, 2008 has been what The Economist magazine calls a financial “annus
horribilis” — a year of shocking economic news and staggering fiscal
setbacks. For lawyers, the events of 2008 have resulted in some dislocations
and uncertainty for the new year. But the now-official recession means much
more for the poor of the State of California. It has resulted in a substantial
reduction in the funds available to the legal aid organizations that provide
them with their sole means for access to justice in this state.
These organizations, which help give so much hope to so many for so little,
depend in large part upon voluntary donations, and in these difficult financial
times, they are finding themselves in the heartbreaking situation of having
to turn away more and more worthy and needy potential clients because of lack
of funding. It is the terrible irony of these organizations that when the need
is greatest, they often find that contributions are at their lowest. Nationally,
50 percent of all potential legal aid clients are turned away by these organizations
due to lack of funds. California, which is one of the country’s richest
states in terms of income and resources, lags shamefully behind other states
(in fact, it is 22nd in the nation) in legal services funding for the poor.
There are more than 8,000 eligible clients per legal aid lawyer in California,
and the “justice gap” between the rich and the poor continues to
widen.
As California lawyers, you have a unique opportunity to do something meaningful
to reduce this “justice gap” in a simple and relatively painless
way. On your State Bar annual dues statement, you have two ways to narrow the
justice gap by contributing to State Bar affiliated programs that are focused
on providing access to justice for the poor of this state: the Justice Gap
Fund and the California Bar Foundation. Your dues statement suggests a $100
contribution to The Justice Gap Fund and a $50 contribution to the California
Bar Foundation, although you can, of course, contribute any amount you choose.
I hope that you will contribute at least these amounts to these extremely worthy
organizations.
The Justice Gap Fund gives to more than 100 admirable organizations throughout
California each year, providing assistance, advice and representation to thousands
of low income Californians who face serious legal problems and cannot afford
legal help. The Justice Gap Fund takes advantage of the existing network of
local legal aid programs to provide services efficiently and effectively. It
provides legal assistance to the most vulnerable Californians and supports
important services that will profoundly impact hundreds of lives.
The other organization I mentioned, the California Bar Foundation, is dedicated
to promoting, improving and building public trust and confidence in the rule
of law — a goal which I know we all as lawyers share. The foundation
seeks, secures and provides funding to programs and projects designed to: 1)
educate the public, especially young people, about their rights and responsibilities
under the law; 2) champion full and equal access to our system of justice by
all people; 3) foster confidence in the rule of law, the role of lawyers and
the function of the judiciary; and 4) encourage philanthropic and charitable
activity among members of the legal profession and the general public. To this
end, the foundation provides scholarships to deserving law students committed
to public service and grants to nonprofit organizations, courts and bar associations
for law-related projects, and supports a large number of other education and
outreach programs.
Both the Justice Gap Fund and the California Bar Foundation work hard to eliminate
the problem of the growing justice gap in California. You can be part of the
solution to this critical problem by donating as much as you can to them, either
through your dues statement or through their Web sites: for the Justice Gap
Fund, by going to https://secure.calbar.ca.gov/contribute/precont.aspx and
clicking on the “donate” button under “The Justice Gap Fund;
and for the California Bar Foundation by going to calbarfoundation.org/ contribute.
These contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed under the law.
California lawyers have given generously to provide access to justice in the
past, and I am confident that even in these difficult economic times we will
continue to support these worthy organizations.
For those who absolutely cannot provide financial support to these or other
legal aid organizations, I urge you to use your skills to provide legal assistance
to those in need by providing pro bono legal services yourselves. We as lawyers
have the unique ability to provide much-needed legal services to the poor using
only our spare time and our skills. Young lawyers in particular can gain valuable
experience while helping others. Where else can a young associate in a large
firm have the opportunity to try a case or negotiate a deal with a landlord
on behalf of a large group of tenants? If you don’t already know of a
legal services organization that needs your pro bono services, you can find
one by going to www.californiaprobono.net, a joint project of the California
Public Interest Clearinghouse and Probono.net, together with pro bono providers
throughout California. It can help you find a worthwhile pro bono activity
that fits your skills, goals and time availability.
The justice gap affects us all — not just the poor. Legal aid is a critical
part of the justice system because it has the direct effect of improving trust
and confidence in the court system in the public at large. And unless the public
has trust and confidence in the system of justice, we as lawyers cannot do
our jobs effectively. As Chief Justice George noted in his State of the Judiciary
speech in 2001, “If the motto ‘and justice for all’ becomes ‘and
justice for those who can afford it,’ we threaten the very underpinnings
of our social contract.”
Give to the Justice Gap Fund and the California Bar Foundation and/or provide
pro bono legal services because you believe in the rule of law in this country.
Show the world that California lawyers care about justice — and that
they put their money and their time where their convictions are.
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