Work Group 6 - Sustaining and Promoting Leadership for Justice

Statewide Planning Initiative Work Groups

Work Group 6 – Sustaining and Promoting Leadership for Justice

Work Group 6 - Final Work Group Report

Work Group 6 Issue List

Effective leadership has been essential in Maine’s nationally recognized access to justice work. How can Maine ensure that new generations, both in and out of the legal community, will share a commitment to justice comparable to past champions like Senator Muskie? How can we promote greater community awareness of the legal needs of its citizens and broaden public understanding of the importance of equal justice for all?

Examples of issues to consider include:

- Systems for identifying and nurturing new leaders, including non-lawyers

- Law school programs

- Board service (including non-lawyer business leaders)

- Leadership opportunities designed for low-income individuals; media; faith-based community involvement

- Generating support from Legislature and Governor re funding

- Advocacy for Judicial branch and legal services as funding priorities

- Utilization of law schools for experimentation and innovative ideas/projects

- Removal of restrictions from legal services organizations related to lobbying and/or expansion of other legal avenues for advocacy

- Promotion and publication of a shared vision of access to justice, including economic and social benefits to society resulting from a good justice system

- Change culture so that providing legal services is more desirable for students and lawyers

- Include religious, business, social service and civic leaders in leadership development

- Development of a media campaign

- Bar/court education

- Review role of access to justice commission, consider JAG organizational structure and membership

Information/Resources

Maine State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Information on Tax Credits
Colby Wallace Letter to President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform
Information on Student Loan Tax Deduction in Maine

Access to Justice Partnerships, State by State - The May 2005 report contains information on partnerships among the bar, the courts, legal services providers and other stakeholders to improve and expand civil legal assistance in every state in the country.

12 Lessons from Successful State Access to Justice Efforts An updated working paper from March 2003, prepared by the Access to Justice Support Project with input from successful state Access to Justice entities around the country.

The Access to Justice Support Project (formerly SPAN, the State Planning Assistance Network)is a joint project of NLADA and the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants (SCLAID) of the American Bar Association. It provides support and coordination for state-level partnerships dedicated to improving civil legal assistance and expanding access to justice for low-income people. Learn more about the Access to Justice Support Project.

Michigan Bar Journal devotes May issue to Access to Justice. Articles: "Justice Initiatives: The State Bar's Work Continues"

Communications Tool Kits Help Local Programs "Brand" Legal Aid in Their Communities - The NLADA/CLASP Project for the Future of Equal Justice kicked off the Campaign for Equal Access: Bringing Justice Home in November, 2001 with the release of Communications Tool Kits at NLADA’s Annual Conference. Based on public opinion research conducted by Belden Russonello & Stewart, the kits contain tools designed to help legal aid professionals and supporters communicate more effectively with the public and target audiences. The tool kits include:

Getting the Most from your Tool Kit

Summary of the Message Research

Building a National Brand for Civil Legal Aid