About the Campaign for Justice

About the Campaign for Justice

What Is The Campaign For Justice?
Why A Combined Campaign?
Who Does The Campaign Benefit And Why Is It A Statewide Effort?
Who Supports The Campaign And Has It Been Successful?
Why Support The Campaign?
What Is The Campaign Goal?

What Is The Campaign For Justice?

The Campaign is the statewide, annual effort of Maine’s legal community to raise funds on behalf of six civil legal aid providers: Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, Maine Equal Justice, Legal Services for the Elderly, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, and the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic.

Why A Combined Campaign?

In May 2003, bench, bar, and legal aid leaders from around the state, including representatives of the Maine State Bar Association, the Maine Bar Foundation, the Maine Trial Lawyers Association, the Justice Action Group, and the legal aid providers, met to consider how best to enhance funding for legal services. Increasing private contributions was identified as an important component of this effort. The providers had previously conducted separate fundraising campaigns, generating only modest results. By combining efforts into one campaign, it has been possible to significantly increase both participation and giving levels from Maine’s legal community.

A combined campaign also allows us to put forth one strong message and to minimize costs by having only one organizational structure. Additionally, attorneys and judges in Maine now receive only one request for annual support for civil legal services.

Who Does The Campaign Benefit And Why Is It A Statewide Effort?

The Campaign helps to fund the work of the providers, which collaborate to insure the availability of a comprehensive, integrated network of legal services for low-income and elderly Maine citizens throughout the entire state. Some examples of those the providers serve:

A mother and her children face illegal eviction from their home.
A victim of domestic violence needs assistance obtaining a court order of protection.
A disabled worker has been illegally denied medical benefits.
An older couple faces separation after a lifetime together because of government regulations for long-term care.

The 2009 Report to Contributors has some terrific stories of individuals and families who have attained access to justice thanks to the providers. You can learn more about the work of each of the providers by clicking here or by clicking on the links to each provider’s website at the bottom of this page.

The legal aid organizations provide their services in every county in Maine.

Legal Aid Available Statewide

Who Supports The Campaign And Has It Been Successful?

The Campaign has been endorsed by the MSBA, MBF, MTLA, and JAG, as well as by the Boards of Directors of the providers. Maine’s legal community has demonstrated overwhelming support of the Campaign. In 2009:

More than 1,500 Maine attorneys and judges contributed nearly $400,000.
These outstanding results put Maine second in the nation in per attorney contributions to civil legal services for the fourth consecutive year.
With more than one-third of the Maine bar supporting the Campaign, Maine ranks among the leaders in participation rates nationally.
131 contributors made leadership gifts of $1,000 or more.
The 2009 total is five times the amount raised collectively by the six provider organizations prior to the creation of the Campaign.

Why Support The Campaign?

There are many reasons to support the Campaign and the providers:

The legal aid providers do good work. Your support might prevent a family from being illegally evicted, insure that a child has access to medical care, and protect an elderly person from exploitation and abuse, to name a few.
You will help those in need in your community. As the map above demonstrates, the legal aid agencies provide their services in every county in Maine.
Your dollars will be well spent. On average, 88% o f the funding received by the providers goes to direct services for the many Maine citizens they serve.
There remains a gap between funding and need. Current funding allows the providers to assist only one-in-four Maine citizens seeking legal aid. Your support will help bridge that gap and make access to justice a reality for more Maine people.

What Is The Campaign Goal?

The Campaign’s goal is to increase the support of Maine’s legal community for civil legal services. To fairly address varying income levels throughout Maine, attorneys are asked to give an annual amount equivalent to the estimated value of three billable hours. More experienced members of the bench and bar will be asked to contribute at the leadership level of $1,000 or more per year.