With generous support from ABE insured lawyer members, ABE’s annual grants support vital law-related public service, educational, and research programs and projects at national and local levels. These projects and programs advance access to justice, improve the justice system, and increase the public’s understanding of legal rights and responsibilities.
The past few years have been marred by the COVID-19 pandemic which has exacerbated access to justice issues for thousands of vulnerable Americans. Legal service provider organizations across the country are working tirelessly to address new challenges in the need for, and provision of, services to underserved populations. The American Bar Endowment (ABE), an independent, not-for-profit public charity, has provided annual grants for almost 60 years to support projects and programs designed to assist these groups in addressing these needs.
Carolyn B. Lamm, the ABE’s President, said, “Grantmaking is at the core of ABE’s charitable mission. Our sponsored insurance plans for lawyers make this mission possible. Our deepest thanks go out to the ABE insureds who, by participating in ABE’s sponsored plans and donating available dividends, help make access to justice a reality for many individuals with critical legal needs.” For the 2022 grant cycle, the American Bar Endowment has awarded over $7.6 million in grants. The ABE awarded two grants of over $3.6 each to the American Bar Foundation (ABF) and the ABA Fund for Justice and Education (FJE) for vital law-related legal service, education, and research programs.
Joanne Martin, the ABE’s Executive Director, said, “The ABE is proud to be part of efforts across the country to address urgent legal issues such as rising evictions and to help people understand their legal needs and access the justice system to solve them. ABE grants support the stellar ABF research projects that enhance understanding of the law and its impact on society and the many FJE public service initiatives that, for example, help ensure the legal rights of individuals by training lawyers in specialty areas of law such as child welfare, immigration, domestic violence, and veterans benefits.”
Additionally, for the sixth consecutive year, the ABE awarded twelve Opportunity Grants totaling just under $300,000 for new, innovative projects across the country that focus on enhancing access to legal assistance and providing new tools and resources in underserved communities. Ms. Martin noted, “With the financial support of our insureds, this year we were able to support a diverse array of projects that addressed critical needs by:
- advocating for educational equity for deaf and hard of hearing students;
- serving those at risk of losing their homes;
- safeguarding due process for immigrants and asylum seekers;
- providing needed tools family guardians;
- ensuring court access for women in prison;
- helping people understand their legal needs and connecting them to lawyers and self-help resources; and
- helping legal services organizations better serve clients through centralized intake.”
The 2022 ABE Opportunity Grant Recipients are:
Advocates for Immigrant Rights (airlegal.org) (TN, AR, KY, MS, LA)
Alaska State Association for Guardianship & Advocacy (ASAGA) (AK)
Ascend Justice (IL)
Code the Dream (National)
DC Bar Foundation (DC)
Duquesne University School of Law (PA)
Hands & Voices (National)
Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino (CA)
Legal Aid of the Bluegrass (KY and TN)
Legal Link (CA)
Villanova University Immigration Studies (National)
“Even a modest grant can accomplish so much. Often our grants help launch new and critical initiatives that could not be undertaken without that support. Additionally, these innovative projects often provide models that other legal service providers can utilize to enhance their own operations. We are proud to support the ABF, FJE, and the twelve impressive Opportunity Grant recipients that focus their efforts on the most efficient and effective ways to solve urgent legal problems in their communities,” said Carolyn Lamm.
For more information on the ABE and its grant-supported programs, visit www.abendowment.org or contact Jackie Casey at jcasey@abenet.org or 312-988-6402.
About the American Bar Endowment (ABE)
Established in 1942, the American Bar Endowment (ABE) is an independent, not-for-profit public charity. The ABE provides ABA lawyer members with a unique way to protect themselves, their families, and their professional endeavors through participation in a range of ABE-sponsored group insurance plans underwritten by New York Life. With the option to seamlessly give any available annual dividends they would otherwise receive to the ABE as a tax-deductible donation, insureds help achieve the ABE mission. With their support, the ABE makes grants that support critical law-related public service, educational, and research programs and projects. At its core, the ABE is a charitable organization powered by generations of lawyers committed to ensuring equal access to justice for all.