Giving helps ensure justice

Five years ago, three nonprofit legal service providers initiated an annual fund-raising campaign to expand access to free civil legal services to Utah's poor and disabled.

Since its inception, the And Justice for All campaign has vastly expanded the reach of Utah Legal Services, Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake and the Disability Law Center. The campaign, supported primarily by Utah's legal community through the contribution of the equivalent of two billable hours annually and challenge grants, also has provided grants to programs such as Holy Cross Ministries Legal Immigration Program, the Navajo Nation's DNA, People's Legal Services and other nonprofit organizations that provide access to the legal system.

This collaboration helped serve 21,700 people in 2002, but legal needs have escalated with the downturn of the economy. Some 14,000 to 15,000 were turned away because of a lack of resources.

Utah law firms, solo practitioners, government attorneys, judges and others are to be commended for their financial contributions to this annual campaign, which, by the way, welcomes contributions from the community at-large. This year's goal is $405,000.

This collaboration is now the impetus of a second, concurrent campaign to raise money for the Community Legal Center, said to be the first of its kind nationwide. The Community Legal Center, located at 205 N. 400 West, is a one-stop civil legal assistance center. It houses the Disability Law Center, Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake, Utah Legal Services, the Senior Lawyer Volunteer Project and the And Justice for All campaign office.

The aim of the $4 million capital campaign is to enable the "And Justice for All" campaign to purchase the building where the nonprofit legal agencies are now co-located and lease the space to the organizations at favorable rates. This would ensure that as much of the agencies' resources as possible can be devoted to serving clients. Estimates suggest co-locating will save the partners $350,000 a year in overhead expenses alone.

The capital fund, which has raised about $3 million of its $4 million goal, has reached a critical juncture. To secure a matching grant from the Utah Bar Foundation, the capital campaign needs a considerable infusion of private giving by the end of March. The capital campaign is scheduled to conclude this summer.

Once again, we urge all who can to contribute to these two campaigns that will help to ensure in Utah that the phrase "justice for all" has tangible meaning.

Mail contributions to either campaign to: 205 N. 400 West; Salt Lake City, UT 84103.