A city-wide jeans day event to benefit the DC Bar Foundation
As part of the annual National Pro Bono Celebration (October 23–29, 2011), the DC Pro Bono Week Celebration Planning Committee is coordinating the 3rd annual Go Casual for Justice jeans day fundraiser to benefit the DC Bar Foundation’s Poverty Lawyer LRAP (Loan Repayment Assistance Program).
Attorneys and staff at participating law firms and corporate law departments donate $5 (or more!) to wear jeans to work on Friday, October 28 (or any day the firm/company designates during Pro Bono Week).
Last year, 60 law firms of all sizes raised $55,000. Our goal this year is to have at least 75 law firms and corporate law departments raise $75,000! See who has already signed up.
All funds raised will support the DC Bar Foundation’s Poverty Lawyer LRAP (Loan Repayment Assistance Program). LRAP helps poverty lawyers meet their educational debt payments while earning a public interest salary, allowing them to continue serving the District’s most vulnerable residents.
Participation is the key to making Go Casual for Justice successful, so feel free to customize your event to “suit” your workplace culture.
Participating in Go Casual for Justice is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3…
1. Rally the troops! Advertise by e-mail, posters, fliers, on your intranet, or any way that works for you! Download a customizable flier that can be printed or inserted into an e-mail. Click here for tips on how to make your Go Casual for Justice event a huge success.
2. Collect donations. In advance of or on Go Casual for Justice day, collect donations and provide participants with identifying stickers to wear. Download a template for stickers.
Donations can be made by check, online (Visa, MC, Amex), or cash (if a workplace is collecting funds). Make online donations by using the Donate Now button at www.dcbarfoundation.org and choose “Go Casual for Justice” from the Program Designation drop-down box on the donation form.
A tax receipt form will be emailed to all registered firms/companies to provide to contributors making donations by check or cash. Tax receipts are automatically generated for online donations.
3. Turn in donations to the DC Bar Foundation. Send checks (payable to “DC Bar Foundation”) to:
Go Casual for Justice
DC Bar Foundation
2000 P Street NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036-6964
IMPORTANT: Please do not send cash through the mail. If you collect cash donations, please prepare a single check or money order, and include a list of contributors indicating donation amount.
For more information or to register your firm or company, please contact Danny Reed at 202.467.3750 x15 or by email.
Tips for a successful Go Casual for Justice event
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We learn from firms of all sizes how they have turned Go Casual for Justice into a fun, firm-wide event that helps bring in substantial support to the legal services network. Remember all funds that your firm raises support the DC Bar Foundation’s Poverty Lawyer LRAP (Loan Repayment Assistance Program). This program helps lawyers meet their educational debt payments while earning a public interest salary. Here are some tips:
1. Put A Small Team or One Person in Charge. It will help to have champions for this event within the firm – people who will agree to send emails, convene a gathering, encourage folks to participate and explain to them what a difference an LRAP makes. You may want to consider having a team – with an administrative person, associate, counsel, and partner all involved and reaching out to their peers. Some firms have floor captains who assist with collecting funds and encouraging participation, thereby spreading the workload and broadening participation.
2. Set a Goal. Whether it is the number of people at the firm participating (80%? 90%? 100%?), or a dollar goal, having something to work towards helps keep the interest and energy in the day going. Remember, the average annual LRAP award is $8,000. This is a good goal for medium to large firms.
3. Set a Challenge. At one firm, a partner agreed to match individual gifts over a certain dollar amount.
4. Provide a Prize. Some firms encouraged participation by holding drawings throughout the day from among all those who made a contribution to Go Casual for Justice. Prizes ranged from gift certificates to lunches.
5. Make it Fun! Every firm has its own culture, and its own way of building camaraderie in the workplace. But a little competition – or inspiration – can make this event take off. One firm’s managing partner promised to wear a baseball cap of his rival team if the firm reached its dollar goal; another partner promised to shave his moustache if the event drew 80% of the people at the firm. Think about ways that might work in your firm, and spread the word.
6. Make it a Competition! Consider competing with another firm to see who can reach their goal first, or get more people to Go Casual for Justice, or raise more funds for LRAP. Or consider setting a joint goal with a client corporation that may also be interested in “Going Casual for Justice” – together you could fund the full $12,000 for the maximum LRAP award DCBF gives each year.
7. Make it Visible! The Committee will provide you with stickers for you to give those who have participated. Wear these proudly and the message will circulate around the firm. The Committee will also provide you with a sample flier about Go Casual for Justice, which will help you in getting the word out.
Share your ideas with us – together our community can strengthen our legal services network by raising awareness about legal services, raising funds to make sure that school loans don’t keep talented lawyers from clients in need, and having fun in the process.
