Mike Levey Encourages Attorneys to Help Close Justice Gap in Article for Wisconsin Lawyer
In an article for the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Lawyer publication, Mike Levey, a retired Quarles & Brady partner who served as the firm’s national pro bono partner for more than a decade, emphasized the importance of attorneys doing their part to close the long-standing access-to-justice gap in the United States.
He noted three important ways attorneys can make a difference: 1) through pro bono service, 2) by supporting funding for civil legal aid, and 3) by supporting additional programs designed address the problem.
An excerpt:
In the summer of 1974, John Denver was atop the charts, Robin Yount was a rookie, and I was a high school intern at Legal Services of Eastern Michigan in my hometown of Flint. That was my first job in a law office. Earlier this year, I retired from my last job in a law office; I spent the past decade or so as the National Pro Bono Partner at Quarles. My summer at Legal Services opened my eyes to the challenges that people in poverty face as they navigate our legal system. Unfortunately, more than 50 years later, those challenges remain.
According to the Legal Services Corporation, over 90% of low-income Americans with civil legal problems don’t receive adequate legal representation. Lawyers are uniquely positioned to address the justice gap — to help ensure veterans receive the benefits they are owed, to help families facing eviction stay in their homes, to help survivors of domestic violence move forward, and to help older adults protect their savings.
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In exchange for the privilege of practicing law, attorneys must do our share to close the justice gap. It is our collective responsibility.