Pro Bono News

What it Really Means to be a Civil Justice Advocate

Monday, February 25, 2019

What it Really Means to be a Civil Justice Advocate

"Whether you’re a trial lawyer, a settlement planner like me, a paralegal, marketing professional, or another member of the civil justice community, you’re doing important work to ensure Americans have fair and equal access to justice. Extending and enhancing those concepts are a variety of organizations, associations, conferences, forums and other groups, which offer opportunities to make change, learn, and be a bigger part of the community that protects citizens and their families. If you’re just starting out in the industry or have not yet joined the extracurricular side of civil justice, consider the reasons below for getting started.

Give a Voice to the Voiceless

National organizations such as the American Association for Justice (AAJ) organize grassroots campaigns that influence change on a massive scale. Take Justice Back, for example, fights to hold corporations accountable when they cause harm.

Our organization, the Bairs Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping plaintiffs who are struggling to cover their basic living expenses while they go through litigation. The foundation provides pre-settlement advances at a fair interest rate to help individuals and families make ends meet while they pursue justice. Its model is a stark contrast to the for-profit plaintiff funding industry, which is known to charge astronomical interest rates and prey upon people who are at the end of their financial rope.

Statewide trial lawyer associations, like the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA), promote a safer and healthier society, assure access to the civil justice system by those who are wrongfully injured, andadvance representation of the public by ethical, well-trained lawyers.

Magnify Movements

Another civil justice organization, The Injury Board, has recruited attorneys from all over the country to serve as a network and support system. This group also encourages taking action in different initiatives founded by IB members, such as End Distracted Driving (EndDD.org) and Lawyers Against Hunger. Injury Board has used its network to recruit participants in these campaigns, which in turn have benefited hundreds of thousands of people..."

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