Equal Justice Illinois Campaign Honors State Representative Patricia Lindner

April 30, 2008

CHICAGO - The Equal Justice Illinois Campaign and the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation presented State Representative Patricia Lindner with its 2008 Champion of Justice Award at a reception on April 28th in downtown Chicago.

State Representative Patricia Lindner was honored for her longstanding commitment to the legal aid community and for her work as a member of the Equal Justice Illinois Campaign’s Blue-Ribbon Committee where she played a critical role in securing increased state funding for the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation.

“I am truly honored to receive the Champion of Justice Award. I strongly believe we must continue to level the playing field so that all residents, including low-income families and seniors, are provided equal access to our justice system,” said State Representative Patricia Lindner.

The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation distributes civil legal aid funding to nonprofit organizations around the state, providing critical relief to Illinois’ overburdened legal aid network. Currently, the legal aid system in Illinois is operating near breaking point, with less than 300 legal aid lawyers available to help the more than 1.2 million Illinois residents living in poverty.

A bi-partisan coalition of state leaders is now calling on legislators to support Senate Bill 3028 to increase the appropriation for legal aid, which is housed in Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s budget, to $5 million for the 2009 fiscal year. The state appropriation for the legal aid services needed to help thousands of Illinoisans achieve safety and independence currently stands at $3.5 million, which is the 2007 fiscal year funding level.

“State Representative Lindner’s leadership and support of civil legal aid has helped bring safety and stability to the lives of thousands of Illinois residents,” said Christine Ory, president of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation. “It’s critical that legislators pass Senate Bill 3028, so that more Illinoisans are given a voice and the power to succeed in our justice system.”

The extra $1.5 million requested from the state for these services will enable legal aid organizations across Illinois to serve 20,000 additional families in crisis.

Specifically, the funds will serve the legal needs of seniors losing their homes as a result of predatory lending schemes, victims of the mortgage foreclosure crisis and veterans struggling to obtain needed benefits.

The Equal Justice Illinois Campaign is a bi-partisan coalition of state leaders working to increase state funding of civil legal aid so that all Illinois residents – regardless of income – have access to the justice system. Please visit www.iejf.org to learn more about the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation and www.equaljusticeillinois.org to learn more about the Equal Justice Illinois Campaign.

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