Firm Raises Bar For Investing In Justice Campaign

 

(From left) The Chicago Bar Foundation’s Robert Glaves, Karina Ayala-Bermejo from the Legal Aid Society and Metropolitan Family Services, and the Firm’s Jeff Warren and Alex Marks at the Firm’s Investing In Justice Campaign kickoff on March 14.

The attorneys at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella are honored to participate in the Chicago Bar Foundation’s Investing in Justice Campaign, now in its 10th year. This annual campaign has grown to include 150 firms, more than 5,000 individual attorneys, throughout greater Chicago, working together to ensure that everyone has access to necessary legal help, even those who can’t afford it.

The Firm’s internal campaign kicked off with a lunch on Monday, March 14, featuring presentations by Robert Glaves, Executive Director of the Chicago Bar Foundation, and Karina Ayala-Bermejo, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society and General Counsel of Metropolitan Family Services. The Chicago Bar Foundation, charitable arm of the Chicago Bar Association, aims to make the legal system more fair and efficient for everyone through pro bono and legal aid organizations that are funded, in large part, by the Investing In Justice Campaign. The Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services, a funding recipient of the campaign, provides legal support in various areas for vulnerable citizens, regardless of income.

The Investing in Justice Campaign is the largest campaign of its type in the country. In the course of its ten years, the Campaign has raised more than $12 million to help people in need get critical legal assistance. 100 percent of individual contributions to the Campaign go directly to CBF grants while leveraging hundreds of thousands in additional funding for this work as well. This year’s Campaign grants will serve 34 pro bono and legal aid organizations thanks to a number of generous matching contributions from participating firms and companies, including Burke Warren, and with the additional foundation and government funding the CBF is able to leverage through the Campaign grants process.

The grants made possible by the Campaign fund a continuum of much-needed services in our community, including web-based information and resources, legal aid hotlines, advice desks and clinics, extended representation and significant impact litigation. Those receiving services thanks to the Campaign include the elderly, disabled individuals, veterans, children, domestic violence victims, people at risk of wrongfully losing their homes, immigrants fleeing persecution and abuse, and many others in the Chicago area in need of legal assistance.

Thank you to Alex Marks and Aaron Stanton for serving as Vice Campaign Chairs, Jeff Warren and Firm management for their continued support and donation matching, the Pro Bono Committee for its efforts, and most importantly to all of the attorneys who participated!

More information about the Investing in Justice Campaign and the work of the CBF is available on the CBF website, chicagobarfoundation.org/campaign/.