The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) will host a forum in Chicago on July 13 focusing on new data about the civil legal needs of low-income Americans and ways to expand access to justice in Illinois and nationwide.
Distinguished local and national leaders will share recorded remarks, including Senator Dick Durbin (IL), Representative Darin LaHood (IL-18), Representative Mike Quigley (IL-5), and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law Dean Hari Osofsky, LSC Board Chair John Levi, and LSC President Ron Flagg will also speak.
The event features two-panel sessions.
The first, moderated by Ron Flagg, examines the importance of civil legal aid to American business with general counsel from a wide variety of organizations:
Confronting the Widening Justice Gap: Perspectives from the Business Community
- Alfreda Bradley-Coar, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal & People Officer, The Obama Foundation
- Margaret Egan, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
- Susan C. Levy, Executive Vice President, and General Counsel, Northern Trust Corporation
- Jesse Ruiz, Partner, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Vistria Group LP
The second panel, moderated by Chicago Bar Foundation Executive Director Bob Glaves, discusses the mounting housing challenges facing low-income Americans with leaders from the judicial and civil legal aid communities:
Housing Insecurity in Chicago and the Role of Legal Aid
- Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, Circuit Court of Cook County (IL)
- John Gallo, CEO & Executive Director, Legal Aid Chicago
- Judge Carrie E. Hamilton, Circuit Court of Cook County (IL)
- Neil Steinkamp, Managing Director & Complex Situations Consultant, Stout Risius Ross, LLC
This event follows the recent release of LSC’s Justice Gap report, which found that last year, low-income Americans received no or insufficient legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems. Nationally, 74% of low-income households faced at least one civil legal problem—an increase from pre-pandemic numbers.
The July 13 forum will take place from 12:00-2:30 p.m. CDT at the Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown Hotel at 71 E. Wacker Drive.
To join virtually, tune in to the livestream on LSC’s Facebook page.