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February 2019: LOVE & FUTURE

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Thank You To Lisa Madigan

As Attorney General Lisa Madigan transitions into the next phase of her esteemed career, we wanted to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the immense support she's given CARPLS and the entire legal aid community over the years. The level of stability she has brought to CARPLS, and legal aid in general across the state of Illinois, has been unprecedented since we began in 1993. We consider her a beacon of light and justice for the thousands of Illinoisans we serve. She has been a consummate national leader and advocate for ensuring the upkeep and expansion of legal aid in the State of Illinois. She has fought for consumer rights, seniors, families, environmental protection, open government, and other important priorities that have frequently focused on low-income, vulnerable populations. Madigan's specific support for CARPLS has allowed us to help these populations and increase our client service capacity. Most recently, she committed $20 million of the national bank settlement funds regarding fraudulent foreclosures and mortgage servicing practices for legal assistance organizations in Illinois. This came at a crucial time when the State was under a budget stalemate. CARPLS was one of these grant recipients, and we used these funds to assist clients with their needs related to mortgage foreclosure issues on our legal aid hotline. In addition, she has had a long relationship with CARPLS that predates this funding. She was a dynamic advocate for the establishment of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation in 1999 and has remained a steadfast supporter as Attorney General. In 2004, we awarded her the CARPLS Golden Gavel Award and were very pleased when she served as the Honorary Chair and Keynote Speaker for our 20th anniversary in 2013. Not only has Madigan supported legal aid, she has also spearheaded significant opportunities within the public interest community. These actions will reap benefits for countless people for years to come. We wish her great success in her future endeavors and look forward to seeing what comes next.

A CARPLS History Lesson With Mark Marquardt

Word around legal aid town is that the birth of CARPLS all started in 1989 with some scribbles on a singular cocktail napkin by a then mid-20-something named Mark Marquardt, current Executive Director of The Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. Everyone loves the story, but Mark admits it may be a bit of an urban legend. "I'm not saying it's true or not, but as far as I know, there is no napkin origin story. I'm afraid this may have been lost to history." There may not be a cocktail napkin, but there is a December 1991 drawing of a CARPLS referral hub and spoke wheel , courtesy of Terrence M. Murphy, Executive Director of the Chicago Bar Association. We can confirm that CARPLS' origin story was bred from countless late nights of colleagues pushing ideas back and forth, without those involved knowing they were placing the stepping stones to 25 years as a significant legal aid presence in Chicago and in the nation.    The idea of CARPLS emerged from some brainstorming that was a byproduct of the Illinois Legal Needs Study , conducted in 1988 and published in 1989. Two principles became clear: 1) information and referral services seemed to make a difference where available, and 2) what if they created a mechanism that could coordinate legal services in Cook County?   "The main problem was that nothing like this existed in the country," Mark said. So in spring 1991, Mark and his LTF predecessor, Ruth Ann Schmitt, jetted out to DC to meet with Wayne Moore, who oversaw AARP hotlines across the country. "We told him we have this idea to create an information referral service for legal aid programs in Chicago. He said, 'that's interesting, but are you going to offer legal advice over the phone?' We said no. He said, ‘if you do that, you are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and you're wasting your time.' So that was a big moment."   Four years after the Illinois Legal Needs Study was published, Mark, Ruth, and their partners at The Chicago Bar Foundation and Illinois Bar Foundation were able to step away and let CARPLS take off as its own organization. On May 11, 1993, CARPLS took its first client phone call. "It's really to the organization's credit that it did prove itself within the first couple of years, so that other legal aid organizations said, 'OK, we get it,' and they really started to work together," Mark said.   The Future of Legal Aid and CARPLS   “Every now and then, it's important to step back and look at the delivery system as a whole, look at the pieces of the puzzle, and see how you can fit them in new ways. CARPLS is really good at that,” Mark said. “I think there are a couple things I would hope for in the future. The A in CARPLS [meaning “advice”] has been the emphasis of the first 25 years. The community could benefit from the C in CARPLS [meaning “coordinated”] being the priority going forward. A deeper integration of all the components of the delivery system, that's what I see. The goal is to make the system more accessible to those who need help. CARPLS is definitely an important part of that continuum."

Read The Expanded Feature Story Here

Looking To The Future With CARPLS Staff

Not only do our staff members help clients in need day in and day out, they have insights on the future of CARPLS and the legal aid community. Learn more about the people that make up our amazing organization.

Ian Turnipseed , Staff Attorney "The greatest challenge in servicing clients is the wide array of difficulties that people place beyond the law. Whether it's something in their personal lives, or physical or mental limitations. Just to get through those things is a challenge in order to have a conversation about a legal issue. We need to address this side of it." Nancy Chaidez , Paralegal "If I could change one thing to improve the justice system, I would make sealing eviction cases easier. If there is no money judgment then the defendant should be eligible to have the case sealed. I see first hand how hard it is for people of low income to find housing if they have an eviction in their name."

Mary Flynn , Staff Attorney "Even with all the technological advancements that may come, we still need that in-person component. My big thing is always community outreach. At the very least, let's get out there and educate clients on statute of limitations." Mary Jo Rosso , Staff Attorney "CARPLS is making a difference by connecting with people. One of my favorite parts of my job is really listening, then providing some insight. People often feel heard for the first time, certainly in their legal process and often in any aspect."

Bob Brown , Paralegal "It is vital for all people to have equal access to the justice system. No one should be forced to navigate their legal matter without consulting with an attorney. When people do proceed without any professional assistance, how can they be expected to know the law and understand how to properly participate in their legal matter?" Susan Craven , Supervising Attorney "The lack of referrals for representation, particularly in family law is an ongoing problem. While the courts are trying to devise forms which are simpler to understand, there are still many persons who have limited education and continue to have difficulty navigating the court system and are unable to understand what they need to do in court."

Everyday Justice Blog

January 2019 Post We Don't All Have To Be Ruth Bader Ginsburg Northwestern University Professor Dana Hill, CARPLS Associate Board Member, pens op-ed for Rewire News on the importance of legal aid and CARPLS, tied to O n the Basis of Sex. Read the op-ed here.

From Our Feed

SAVE THE DATE 2019 Golden Gavel Celebration May 9, 2019 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park For sponsorship opportunities or tickets, please contact [email protected] “The way in which our neighborhoods are gentrifying now really does call for additional action to keep people safe…” Philadelphia’s “good cause” eviction bill will require landlords to have a reason for ending a month-to-month lease. Read more here.

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