Hotline Number 312-738-9200
June 2, 2020
Dear CARPLS family,

We hope you are staying safe and healthy. Our community is in crisis, and we believe that inequities must be addressed. CARPLS is the first place a person in need can call to talk directly and immediately with an attorney on any type of legal issue. We listen and counsel with empathy and non-judgment to guide our clients to solutions.

Please share our hotline numbers with anyone who may need them. The CARPLS Hotline at 312-738-9200 and IL-AFLAN at 855-452-3526 is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

We are in this together.

Law360's Access To Justice Op-Ed:
Protect Consumer Rights
by Ashlee Highland, Supervising Attorney
You would be shocked at how quickly you, without your knowledge, can have all the money in your bank account frozen after a judgment in debt court. As a legal aid attorney in the Chicago area for over 20 years, I’ve seen countless examples of the ways debt courts are rigged against low-income people.

The Pew Charitable Trust’s release last week of a report on the state of debt courts demonstrates the ways in which corporate debt collectors are at an unfair advantage in court. 

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic turmoil it has wrought, countless more people will face consumer debt collection efforts as a result of rising expenses and falling incomes.

With the courts closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there must be a reexamination of the great vulnerability people in crushing debt face. They are unable to pay for basic needs, rent checks bounce, cards are declined at the grocery store, and other regular bills cannot be paid. Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Supreme Court have responded with limited protective measures for debtors during this unprecedented crisis, but there is more to the story. 

CARPLS Receives NBCUniversal Grant!
CARPLS received a grant from NBCUniversal Foundation’s 2020 Project Innovation Program!

Before the pandemic, one in five Americans may have been eligible for free legal assistance but only half could access important legal resources. Now the demand for free legal help is even greater.

“In this time of significantly expanded need, CARPLS is uniquely positioned to continue providing our legal services remotely and uninterrupted for our clients and to our legal aid community. We believe that no one should face their legal problem alone and we are here for them,” said Allen Schwartz, CARPLS Executive Director.

Whether counseling someone on how to file for unemployment, navigate family custodial agreements, or communicate with their landlord, attorneys at CARPLS provide essential services to our community. We are grateful to receive this grant from NBCUniversal Foundation.

Read the full press release here . You can also access the story in Spanish here .
"CARPLS Goes Above & Beyond To Offer Help"
Mark, a veteran, called the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN) hotline when he found himself facing a lawsuit from a payday loan company, and he was unable to access his bank account because it was frozen in the process. He had taken the loan after losing his job and misunderstood the payment schedule.

The CARPLS IL-AFLAN attorney explained the legal procedure to him, helped him apply for court fee waivers and got his bank account unfrozen. As a result, Mark worked out an agreement and paid his debt in full.

He said, "I have had the pleasure of receiving legal help from the CARPLS IL-AFLAN hotline on three different occasions/legal problems, and the attorney has always provided exceptional help to me. CARPLS goes above and beyond to offer help."
Golden Gavel Celebration on October 1
The Golden Gavel Celebration is rescheduled for October 1, but our fundraising efforts reflect the needs of the community now. We'd like to welcome Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as our newest Cornerstone sponsor, and Baxter International Inc. as our newest Frontline sponsor.
For the full list of sponsors , please visit our event page, and t o obtain a sponsorship or to make a donation, please contact [email protected] .

With your continued support, we will help our clients through this crisis and beyond. New and increased donations will be generously matched.
Civil Legal Aid Funded for FY21!
The FY21 State budget passed by the IL General Assembly last week includes $1.4M in funding for civil legal aid, $1.4M for the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network and $1.6M for Cannabis Expungement . More Illinoisans will have access to justice! Thank you to the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) and everyone in our community who contacted their state legislators!

Please Share: COVID-19 Resources
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