DC Bar Foundation Public Funding Listening Sessions

REPORT

2006

 

In 2006, the DC City Council allocated $3.2 million of the FY2006 budget to support civil legal services to the District's poor and underserved.  The Budget Support Act of 2006   provided that the funds would be granted to the DC Bar Foundation to make grants to non-profit legal services organizations for three purposes:  to provide legal services in underserved areas and in housing-related matters, and to create a shared legal interpreter bank.  The Act also allocated a portion of the funds to support the DC Poverty Lawyer Loan Assistance Repayment Act. 

In order to obtain input on the process, structure, and strategies for the new grant programs, the DC Bar Foundation convened a series of listening sessions with stakeholders in the legal services community.  These sessions have informed the  Foundation's development of the grant programs in question.  A summary of the input received at these listening sessions, prepared by Jessica Rosenbaum, is available in .pdf format on this website.

        Section I. Background

        Section II   Summary of Listening Sessions

        Section II.A Listening Session with Line Attorneys - Increasing Lawyers in Underserved Communities

        Section II.B Listening Session on Increasing Lawyers Working on Housing-Related Issues

        Section II.C Listening Session with Legal Services Directors

        Section II.D Listening Session with Law School Clinical Directors

        Section II.E Listening Session on Pro Bono Issues

        Section II.F Listening Session on Interpreter Bank Issues

        Appendix A List of Participating Organizations

        Appendix B Listening Session Agendas