From LAWM sources
This is the 56th anniversary of Law Day - celebrated each May 1 since being declared as such by Dwight Eisenhower in 1958. It is a day to celebrate the importance of the law in our democratic way of life, to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy.
May 1 will come and go without much fanfare. Post offices and banks will be open. A day to flip the calendar to a different month. No one buys Law Day cakes, there are no racks of Law Day cards waiting to be perused at the local store. Not even a mention on the evening news.
To the members of the legal services community, however, it is a time to reflect on the selfless contributions made each year by members of the bar to help ensure that equal access to our justice system is available to everyone, regardless of their income. This too, goes mostly unnoticed.
Fast forward to 1990. Local civil legal aid programs continue to face funding cutbacks while the number of poor people requiring their services is on the rise. The State Bar of Michigan responds by adopting a Voluntary Pro Bono Standard. Meant to provide a guide to attorneys, the Standard urges all attorneys to ‘do their part’ to help bridge the legal services gap.
The West Michigan bar has always taken this challenge to heart. Each year, working in conjunction with Legal Aid of Western Michigan (LAWM), the local bar members assist hundreds of low-income individuals and families by taking case referrals. Truth be known, the private bar annually donates nearly $1,500,000 in free legal services (5,000+ hours) and money to LAWM. They expect nothing in return. On average, that is more than $120,000 per month.
So, as Law Day approaches, please allow us to thank and recognize the members of the west Michigan bar for the outstanding work they do helping so many people who have nowhere else to turn.
NOTE: LAWM is a full service poverty law firm providing everything from advice/brief service to litigation and appeals in state and federal courts and administrative agencies. One out of every three people living in LAWM’s 17 county service area is financially eligible for its services. Despite severe funding cuts in 2012 of nearly $400,000, LAWM was still able to provide assistance to 9,000 indivi-
duals/families. LAWM’s emphasis is on matters affecting Safety (helping domestic violence survivors), Housing (including foreclosure prevention/alternatives and subsided housing evictions) and Income (including SSI Disability).
For more information: http://www.legalaidwestmich.org.
Editor’s Note: Please see calendar for the April 29 annual Law Day event held by Grand Rapids Bar Association and Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
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