The Chicago Bar Foundation is dedicated to bringing our legal community together to ensure that everyone in the Chicago metropolitan area has equal access to justice, particularly the low-income and disadvantaged people who are in most critical need of the protections of our civil legal system.

In Chicago, a committed group of legal aid and pro bono attorneys provide vital legal services to many thousands of the most vulnerable residents in our community.  However, due to a long-term underinvestment in our pro bono and legal aid system, there are only about 300 legal aid attorneys to serve the more than 1 million low-income residents of the Chicago area.  As a result, the majority of low-income and disadvantaged Chicagoans are unable to obtain legal assistance that is often critical to their safety and independence and are left to attempt to solve complex legal problems on their own.

Through grants, advocacy and other programs, the CBF takes a system-wide approach to closing this gap and focuses on objectives that are best achieved by coming together as a community.  More specifically, we:

Advance the work of our community’s pro bono and legal aid organizations;
Enable dedicated lawyers to pursue careers in legal aid and help pro bono attorneys to most effectively supplement their efforts; and  
Make the courts and legal system more user-friendly and accessible for all.