Judicial Independence> Access to Justice During the past 20 years, American society has become increasingly dependent on the legal system to solve essential health, family, housing, employment and business problems, as well as to remedy civil and constitutional violations. Yet, only a small percentage of the legal needs of low- and moderate-income people are being met by our current legal system. Working with bar associations, legal services providers, law schools, and many others, the Program on Law & Society made grants to support: public education on the importance of government funding for legal services; new approaches to delivering legal services to low and moderate income people; community-based "problem-solving" initiatives that reduce reliance on lawyers and courts; programs to assist individuals in representing themselves; and innovative use of technology to expand and improve the quality of legal services.
1999 Grants	1998 Grants

1999 Grants

The Advancement Project - Washington, DC
$500,000 over two years to support the Community Justice Resource Center
The Advancement Project is a newly formed public policy advocacy organization whose mission is "to support and strengthen the work of community organizations and lawyers engaged in innovative projects to advance racial and social justice and to broaden democratic participation." This grant will help support the Advancement Project's Community Justice Resource Center, a new national resource center, which seeks to build the capacity of selected local community-based organizations engaged in racial justice work.
Penda Hair, Co-Director. (202) 728-9557(T)/(202) 728-9558(F)

American Bar Foundation - Chicago, IL
$70,500 to support a study on prepaid legal services plans
The American Bar Foundation is an independent nonprofit research institute committed to sociolegal research. It is affiliated with the American Bar Association, and plans and executes studies primarily related to the legal profession, the administration of justice and the delivery of legal services to the public. This grant will support research exploring the scope and impact of prepaid legal service plans which are designed to overcome the barriers that prevent many people from consulting a lawyer when they have or might have a legal problem, including high cost and the inability to find a lawyer.
Bryant Garth, Director and Research Fellow. (312) 988-6500(T)/(312) 988-6579(F)
http://www.abfn.org/

American Civil Liberties Union - New York, NY
$200,000 to support advocacy and litigation challenging "court-stripping" legislation
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 275,000-member public interest organization devoted to protecting the basic civil liberties of all Americans. This grant is to support litigation and advocacy aimed at challenging court-stripping legislation enacted in 1997 to limit the ability of certain vulnerable groups - particularly immigrants, prisoners and the poor - to present their cases in federal court.
Steven Shapiro, Legal Director. (212) 549-2500(T)/(212) 549-2651(F)
http://www.aclu.org/

Association of American Law Schools - Washington, DC
$260,000 for an initiative to involve the legal academy in developing innovative ways to better provide legal services to low- and moderate-income people
The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) is a non-profit association of 162 law schools which seeks to improve the legal profession through legal education. With this grant, AALS will launch a national initiative to encourage the law school community to work collaboratively with the legal services community (including the Futures Project) to help improve the delivery of legal services to low- and moderate-income people. This effort will seek to forge lasting relationships between legal educators and service providers across the country so that they may work effectively together to increase access to justice.
Carl Monk, Executive Director. (202) 296-8851(T)/(202) 296-8869(F)
http://www.aals.org/

Brennan Center for Justice - New York, NY
$45,000 to support litigation challenging recent restrictions imposed on law students providing legal services in clinics
The Brennan Center for Justice, based at New York University School of Law, carries forward the legacy of late Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. by employing scholarship, public education and legal action to promote equality, human dignity and basic freedoms. This grant supports the Brennan Center's participation as lead counsel in a constitutional challenge to recent restrictions placed by the Louisiana Supreme Court on law students providing legal services in law school clinics.
David Udell, Deputy Director. (212) 998-6730(T)/(212) 995-4550(F)
http://www.brennancenter.org/

Center for Public Representation, Inc. - Madison, WI
$60,000 to support the "Collaborations: Lawyers, Nonlawyers and Community" Project
The Center for Public Representation (CPR) was founded in Wisconsin as a nonprofit, public interest law firm to provide representation to underserved clients, conduct research on legal issues and legal institutions, train legal lay advocates, and coordinate a law school clinical program in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin Law School. With this grant, CPR will implement a project entitled "Collaborations: Lawyers, Nonlawyers, and Community." This project will identify, analyze and disseminate information on exemplary models of legal service delivery using innovative lawyer, nonlawyer and community collaborations to assist low- and moderate-income clients in resolving legal problems on their own or with limited legal assistance.
Louise Trubeck, Director. (608) 262-1679(T)/(608) 251-1236(F)
www.law.wisc.edu/pal

Center for Pro Bono (ABA) - Chicago, IL
$150,000 to support the Center for Pro Bono's Rural Pro Bono Delivery Initiative
The Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service is the ABA's principal entity focusing on the development and expansion of pro bono policies and programs throughout the country. The ABA Center for Pro Bono is a project of this committee and is a national resource and support center that provides technical assistance and planning advice to pro bono advocates. This grant supports the establishment and administration of the Rural Pro Bono Delivery Initiative which focuses on: (1) developing and promoting successful models for serving the legal needs of particular segments of the rural poor population; and (2) developing, improving and advocating for pro bono delivery strategies that serve all rural poor communities.
Greg McConnell, Director. (312) 988-5769(T)/(312) 988-5483(F)
http://www.abanet.org/

Justice Management Institute - Denver, CO
$50,000 to support technical assistance to help courts better serve self-represented litigants
The Justice Management Institute (JMI) is a national nonprofit created in 1993 with a mission to improve the overall administration of justice by assisting courts and other agencies in improving operations, management, and services. This grant supports a multifaceted project designed to assist courts in designing and implementing policies and programs to improve the quality of justice in cases involving self-represented litigants.
Barry Mahoney, President. (303) 831-7564(T)/(303) 831-4564(F)
Members.aol.com/jmidenver

Justice Management Institute - Denver, CO
$100,000 to support a national symposium and action plan on how to improve the efficiency and lower the cost of justice in family law cases
This grant supports a national symposium and a follow up strategy to develop an "action plan" to achieve prompt and affordable justice in family law cases in state courts throughout the country.
Douglas Somerlot, Senior Associate. (303) 831-7564(P)/(303) 831-4564(F)
Members.aol.com/jmidenver

National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium - Washington, DC
$30,000 to support a conference to develop strategies to increase access to the legal system by Asian Pacific Americans
The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium was founded by three regional public interest law organizations to advance and defend the civil and legal rights of Asian Americans through education, advocacy, litigation, and policy development. With this grant, the Consortium will convene a group of bar leaders, legal services providers, representatives from the Legal Services Corporation, members of the legal academy, civil rights advocates and other stakeholders to begin developing strategies for increasing access of the Asian Pacific American community to legal services.
Karen Narasaki, Executive Director. (202) 296-2300(T)/(202) 296-2318(F)
http://www.napalc.org/

Network for Women's Services - New York, NY
$7,200 to enable the organization to promote its model of service delivery at the national level
Network for Women's Services was launched as a legal services organization with a mission of creating partnerships with the private bar to make civil legal assistance services in the area of family law available to poor women in New York City. With this grant, Network for Women's Services will be able to participate in the national community of civil legal assistance providers working on developing and replicating new models of service delivery through participation in key national conferences.
Catherine Douglas, Executive Director. (212) 695-3800(T)/(212) 695-9519(F)
http://www.nwsnyc.org/

Project to Expand Resources for Legal Services (PERLS) - Chicago, IL
$60,000 to support the ABA's Project to Expand Resources for Legal Services
The ABA's Project to Expand Resources to Legal Services was created in 1994 to increase the involvement of the private bar in resource development for legal services by identifying and disseminating innovative and successful resource development efforts from around the country and assisting others in replication. With this renewal grant, PERLS will serve as a national clearinghouse on successful resource development strategies and will provide technical assistance to bar leaders and the legal services community in replication efforts.
Meredith McBurney, Consultant. (303) 329-8091(T)/(303) 329-0362(F)
http://www.aba.net/

San Francisco Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Program - San Francisco, CA
$200,000 over two years to support the dissemination of its model of holistic delivery
The Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) is a nonprofit program of the Bar Association of San Francisco and is one of the largest pro bono programs providing comprehensive civil legal and non-legal assistance to clients. This grant will provide continued support for its leadership role in advancing holistic and multidisciplinary approaches to civil legal assistance on a nationwide basis. In addition to speaking and hosting workshops at conferences, VLSP staff will provide materials and direct technical assistance to organizations interested in replicating VLSP's model of holistic service delivery.
Tanya Neiman, Director. (415) 982-1600(T)/(415) 477-2390(F)
http://www.sfbar.org/

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1998 Grants

American Judicature Society (AJS) - Chicago, IL
$100,000 for one year to develop and implement a program on self representation in legal matters
Founded in 1913, AJS is an independent national nonprofit organization of judges, lawyers, and other members of the public who support improvements in the justice system. With this grant, AJS will develop and implement a program on self-representation in legal matters, which will include a national conference bringing together state and federal court administrators, judges, legal services providers and members of the legal academy to examine and promote pro se programs around the country.
Kate Sampson, Director of Programs. (312) 558-6900(T)/(312) 558-9175(F)
http://www.ajs.org/

Brennan Center for Justice - New York, NY
$600,000 over two years to support a national public education campaign
The Brennan Center for Justice, based at New York University School of Law, carries forward the legacy of late Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. by promoting fairness, equality, liberty and human dignity. With OSI support, the Center will implement a national campaign to educate the public on the human impact of the federal cuts to, and legislative restrictions imposed on, legal services programs throughout the country.
David Udell, Deputy Director. (212) 998-6730(T)/(212) 995-4550(F)
http://www.brennancenter.org/

Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology - Chicago, IL
$100,000 to support a national planning process on legal service delivery
For more than 15 years, Chicago-Kent has been a pioneer in exploring the connections between information technology and law. With this grant, it will engage a consultant to assist the civil legal assistance community in assessing its information management needs and in developing a technology resource plan to support lawyers and advocates in serving the diverse legal needs of low and moderate income clients.
Henry H. Perritt, Jr., Dean, Vice President and Professor of Law. (312) 906-5010(T)/(312) 906-5335(F)
http://www.kentlaw.edu/

Florida Rural Legal Services - Lakeland, FL
$173,100 to support development and dissemination of their innovative model project, Inland Counties Online Network (ICON)
Florida Rural Legal Services provides legal services to low income individuals and families throughout 14,000 square miles of rural Central and South Florida. OSI's grant will support the implementation and dissemination of ICON, an innovative technology-based model of legal service delivery designed to reach isolated and rural populations through the use of videocomputers, fax machines and printers placed initially in public libraries.
Steve Hitov, Managing Attorney. (941)-688-7376(T)/(941)-683-7861(F)
http://www.frls.org/

Fund for the City of New York - New York, NY
$150,000 a year for two years to develop, implement and test an Internet-based program
The Fund is an independent, private operating foundation and public charity. Its mandate is to respond to the opportunities and problems of New York City and to improve the performance of the city's government and the quality of life of its citizens. With OSI support and working in close cooperation with courts, advocacy groups and community-based organizations, the Fund will implement and test the "Internet-Based Gateways to Justice" Project which seeks to use the latest Internet technology to expand and improve access to the justice system by pro se litigants in the areas of domestic violence and housing.
Richard Zorza, Vice President, Technology. (212) 925-6675(T)/(212) 925-5675(F)
http://www.fcny.org/

Legal Aid Society of New York - New York, NY
$200,000 over two years for capacity building
The Legal Aid Society is the oldest and largest provider of civil and criminal legal services in New York City. Its mission is to protect and enforce the rights of low income New Yorkers by providing a wide-range of quality legal services, community education, and training. This grant will assist the organization in building capacity to expand and diversify its funding base beyond current sources.
Daniel Greenberg, President and Attorney-In-Chief. (212) 577-3300(T)/(212) 577-7999(F)
http://www.soros.org/lawandsociety/www.legal-aid.org

Legal Aid Society of New York - New York, NY
$200,000 a special one-time matching grant of general support
To assist the Legal Aid Society in shoring up its funding in the wake of unanticipated cuts in State and local government support. (Additional special one-time grants were provided by the Emma Lazarus Fund and the Center on Crime, Communities & Culture.)
Daniel Greenberg, President and Attorney in Chief. (212) 577-3300(T)/(212) 577-7999(F)
http://www.legal-aid.org/

Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MSLC) - Baltimore, MD
$500,000 over three years to develop a centralized intake and delivery system for civil legal assistance for Baltimore
MLSC was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1982 to raise funds and make grants to nonprofit organizations for the provision of civil legal assistance to low-income persons in Maryland. With this grant, MLSC will develop and implement the Maryland Legal Assistance Network, designed to coordinate, integrate, and leverage the resources of legal services, law schools, the private bar, and the judiciary to meet the public's need for a range of free and affordable legal services. (Matched by a grant from OSI-Baltimore.)
Robert Rhudy, Executive Director. (410) 576-9494(T)/(410) 385-1831(F)
http://www.mlsc.org/

National Association of IOLTA Programs (NAIP) - Boston, MA
$50,000 Planning Grant
Established in 1986, NAIP is a national organization of Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) programs. Its mission is to enhance legal services for the poor and the administration of justice through the growth and development of IOLTA programs which provide a major source of funding and support at the state level to a wide range of civil legal assistance providers and other law-related public interest programs working to improve the overall administration of justice. This grant will assist NAIP in developing strategies to encourage the replication of innovative models of legal service delivery, expand resources for post-graduate public interest law fellowship, and leverage new local funding sources to support a variety of civil legal assistance programs.
Jayne Tyrell, President. (617)-723-9093(T)/(617) 367-8815(F)

National Clearinghouse for Legal Services - Chicago, IL
$50,000 to support participation in a technology planning process
The National Clearinghouse for Legal Services is a communications and policy organization that fosters creative approaches to policy research and legal advocacy on a wide range of issues impacting low income individuals and communities. This grant will support the Clearinghouse's participation in a national planning process currently underway to determine how best to meet the information and substantive legal support needs of a broad range of civil legal assistance programs and advocates.
Rita McLennon, Executive Director. (312) 263-3830(T)/(312) 263-3846(F)
http://www.nclsplp.org/

National Health Law Program (NHeLP) - Los Angeles, CA
$100,000 to expand its health law website
NHeLP is a national public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for America's working and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly and people with disabilities. NHeLP serves legal services programs, community-based organizations, the private bar, providers and individuals who work to preserve a health care safety net for the millions of uninsured or underinsured low-income people. With this grant, they will expand their website as a national model for providing online legal information to attorneys and health care advocates throughout the country.
Laurence Lavin, Director. (310) 204-6010(T)/(310) 204-0891(F)
http://www.healthlaw.org/

National Housing Law Project (NHLP) - Oakland, CA
$113,000 to develop and maintain a comprehensive housing law website
NHLP is a national legal advocacy center working to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing and to protect the housing rights of low-income individuals and families. This grant will allow NHLP to develop and implement a comprehensive online housing law resource to civil legal assistance providers and advocates working in this area of high need.
Gideon Anders, Director. (510) 251-9400(T)/(510) 251-0600(F)
http://www.nhlp.org/

Project to Expand Resources to Legal Services (PERLS) - Chicago, IL
$65,000 to support the ABA's Project to Expand Resources for Legal Services (PERLS)
The ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense created the PERLS Project to involve the private bar, legal services programs and IOLTA programs in expanding resources for legal services, and to identify and support new and innovative fundraising strategies. With this grant, PERLS will be able to continue this work by maintaining a clearinghouse for fundraising information and materials, publishing a manual on innovative fundraising ideas and conducting a survey of legal services fundraising activities.
Meredith McBurney, Consultant. (303) 329-8091(T)/(303) 329-0362(F)
http://www.aba.net/

The Project on the Future of Equal Justice - Washington, DC
A renewal grant of $400,000 each year for two years to continue this joint project of the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association and the Center on Law and Social Policy
The Project on the Future of Equal Justice provides national leadership and support to legal services programs on ways to improve legal service delivery through innovation, collaboration with other organizations, use of technology, training, and development of new sources of support. The Project's priorities include fostering innovation in the delivery of civil legal assistance to low and moderate income clients, promoting integrated state models of service delivery, facilitating communication among stakeholders, developing a coordinated training infrastructure for legal service providers, and increasing resources to support legal services.
Martha Bergmark, Vice President for Programs. (202) 452-0620 (T)/(202) 872-1031(F)
http://www.equaljustice.org/

The Project on the Future of Equal Justice - Washington, DC
$150,000 to support a national technology resource for legal service providers
With this grant, the Futures Project (described above) will develop, at the national level, a resource to provide civil legal assistance programs throughout the country with quality information and technical assistance on the use of technology innovations and best practices so they can expand and improve service delivery.
Martha Bergmark, Vice President for Programs. (202) 452-0620(T)/(202) 872-1031(F)
http://www.equaljustice.org/

The Project on the Future of Equal Justice - Washington, DC
$120,000 to support the Hotlines Assessment Project
With this grant, the Futures Project will contract out and manage a two-phase evaluation of the effectiveness of providing services through central intake, brief advice and referral services ("telephone hotlines") as compared to traditional "walk-in" legal services.
Martha Bergmark, Vice President for Programs. (202) 452-0620(T)/(202) 872-1031(F)
http://www.equaljustice.org/

San Francisco Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) - San Francisco, CA
$50,000 renewal grant to support replication of a model holistic delivery program
VLSP is a nonprofit program of the Bar Association of San Francisco, created in 1979 to provide free legal services to low income San Francisco families and individuals. This grant will support efforts to assist others in replicating its client-centered, multi-service ("holistic") approach to delivering services to low income clients.
Tanya Neiman, Director. (415) 982-1600(T)/(415) 477-2390(F)
http://www.sfbar.org/

Washington State Bar Association - Seattle, WA
$65,000 to support replication of a model for statewide planning on access to justice
The Washington State Access to Justice (ATJ) Board was established in 1994 by the Washington State Supreme Court to promote and facilitate equal justice through the provision of high quality civil legal assistance. The ATJ Board has become a model for statewide planning on "access to justice" policies and strategies. With this grant, ATJ will develop materials and respond to requests from groups throughout the country for assistance in replicating or adapting Washington State's model.
Joan Fairbanks, Access to Justice Manager. (206) 727-8262(T)/(206) 727-8320(F)
http://www.wsba.org/

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