From the Grants and Pro Bono Committee
Norman L. Pernick, Cole Schotz, P. C. Chair, Grants and Pro Bono Committee
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I am very proud and excited to acknowledge the tremendous work of the approximately 50 members of the Grants and Pro Bono Committee over the past year. Support for access to justice is an important part of the mission of the Foundation and the College, and the Committee executes that mission. On behalf of the Committee and our grantees, I thank the College, the Foundation, the DEI Committee, and the Fellows, whose support and generosity made a record amount of grants possible in 2024. You have made the College and the Foundation the largest private funder of pro bono programs in the country, and you have enabled us to provide a lifeline of assistance to the most vulnerable and diverse populations our grantees serve.
Pro Bono Grants
In 2024 the College and Foundation awarded a record $ 599,050( an increase of $ 59,853 over 2023) to 49 organizations, funding programs in 18 states plus the District of Columbia. Our grantees come from across the country, in cities large and small, as well as in rural areas. We fund programs designed to maximize the reach of our grantees by increasing volunteers and expanding and leveraging resources. Applications include requests to fund( 1) pro bono clinics and volunteer attorney trainings to recruit additional volunteers or
expand the reach of volunteer attorneys,( 2) self-help desks and pro se clinics to assist those individuals who must navigate the legal process on their own,( 3) development of training or informational videos to reach pro bono attorneys or potential clients,( 4) software and hardware upgrades to enable remote connections to clients, and( 5) community education and outreach to provide individuals with needed information on debt and bankruptcy relief.
The following are four examples of programs funded with the 2024 grants:
• Conejo Free Clinic( Thousand Oaks, California). The Conejo Free Clinic Legal Clinic serves approximately 700 lowincome people annually with free assistance in almost every area of the law, with bankruptcy law the highest unmet legal need in our Southern California region. The program provides bankruptcy advice and counsel, information, guidance, emotional support, what to expect in the difficult process if pursued, and how and if to pursue it. The CFC’ s skilled, compassionate bankruptcy attorney volunteers donate their professional legal expertise and personal time to make their free services possible. They are supported by the Clinic’ s financial donors who care equally about equitable access to legal care. Our program is endorsed by the Ventura County Bar Association.
• Dade Legal Aid Put Something Back( Miami, Florida). ACB Grant funding has allowed PSB to assist the growing client community in need of a fresh start offered by bankruptcy assistance. As a result of this grant this project has achieved success in