INVESTING IN ACCESS TO JUSTICE ANNUAL REPORT 2020 MICHIGAN STATE BAR FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT Dear Fellows, Friends and Colleagues, Board of Trustees As we reflect on the challenges of this past year, we are grateful for our supporters, our partners and the heroic efforts of our legal aid grantees. This past year has highlighted both the inequities in our civil justice system and the opportunities for change. OFFICERS EX-OFFICIO TRUSTEES The Foundation annually reviews our strategic plan and goals. Following are some goals and highlights regarding progress from 2020: Edward H. Pappas, President Hon. Bridget M. McCormack Increase Access to Justice for All - The Foundation remains committed to provide leadership and Dickinson Wright Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court funding to increase access to justice for all through civil justice reform and increased funding for Stefani A. Carter, Vice President Robert J. Buchanan civil legal aid. Attorney at Law President, State Bar of Michigan In December 2020, the Justice for All Task Force completed the strategic plan outlining a vision that Michigan’s civil justice system provides a safe, trusted and inclusive experience for addressing problems Richard K. Rappleye, Treasurer Dana M. Warnez and strengthening communities. The Michigan Supreme Court created a Justice for All Commission to R&I Associates President-Elect, State Bar of Michigan continue and move the work forward. The Foundation is honored to participate on the leadership team H. Rhett Pinsky, Secretary with the court and the State Bar of Michigan. Pinsky Smith Fayette & Kennedy LLP The pandemic has generated increased needs for civil legal aid and revenues to sustain and expand legal services are critical. In 2020, due to more limited court operations, filing fee awards were almost one million less than anticipated. Fortunately, the legal community support of the ATJ Campaign Our Mission: remained stable and the campaign received some significant one-time cy pres awards that will mitigate TRUSTEES The Michigan State Bar Foundation the other lost revenue. In addition, the Foundation experienced a 13% increase in IOLTA revenue, as a result of the Leadership Bank Program. Thomas W. Cranmer provides leadership and grants Miller Canfield Build effective partnerships with the legal community and others to address emerging needs – to improve access for all to the The Foundation, through a grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, administered Peter H. Ellsworth Coronavirus Relief funding to provide legal aid grants for the Statewide Eviction Diversion Program to Dickinson Wright justice system, including support for help households facing eviction. The legal aid programs had the infrastructure in place to quickly expand civil legal aid to the poor, law-related services and assist thousands of households who needed help. Please continue reading this report to Julie I. Fershtman see a summary of those efforts. Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC education, and conflict resolution. Promote sustainability and effectiveness of legal aid providers – The Foundation regularly meets with Former Judge Elizabeth Pollard Hines the network of legal aid grantees to support statewide efforts such as intake, triage and referral, impact Retired, 15th Judicial District Court advocacy, racial justice advocacy and services for special populations. We have been continually making improvements to our data collection and sharing. Working with legal aid programs, in 2020, W. Anthony Jenkins MSBF grantees began documenting universal outcomes so that statewide priorities and decisions can be Dickinson Wright MSBF STAFF driven by data. Craig H. Lubben Jennifer S. Bentley On behalf of our trustees and staff, thank you for your ongoing commitment. We are encouraged and hopeful that together we can increase access to justice for all. Let’s keep this momentum going…. Miller Johnson Executive Director Former Judge William B. Murphy Jonathan L. Fowler Dykema Chief Financial Officer Jonathan E. Osgood Celee M. Marchek Ford Motor Company Program Coordinator Michael L. Pitt Amanda R. Moths Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers PC Development Associate Hon. Victoria A. Roberts Laura C. Musachio US District Judge – Federal Court ATJ Campaign Coordinator Edward H. Pappas Jennifer S. Bentley President Executive Director Richard A. Soble Stefanie Worth Soble Rowe Krichbaum LLP IOLTA/Communication Manager INVESTING IN ACCESS TO JUSTICE PAGE 1 2020 MICHIGAN STATE BAR FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT Annual Civil Legal Aid Special Funding for the How the Grant Program Eviction Diversion Programs Eviction Diversion Program Legal aid offices provide a full range of legal assistance The Michigan State Housing Development Authority awarded has helped from advice to full representation in court. During 2020, $4,000,000 to the Foundation to administer grants to provide the Foundation awarded annual civil legal aid grants legal assistance for income-qualified persons facing residential for the following programs: Assuring housing stability evictions resulting from economic hardship due to COVID-19. 15,234 • Lakeshore Legal Aid A 50-year-old woman was laid off from Number of Households her job for being out sick after • Legal Aid of Western Michigan Legal Service Programs who received Eviction Diversion contracting COVID-19. She fell behind Facing Eviction Helped by • Legal Services of Eastern Michigan Program funding: in rent payments on the apartment Legal Aid Programs • Legal Services of Northern Michigan she had lived in for the past three • Counsel and Advocacy Law Line • Michigan Advocacy Program years. Making matters worse, her • Lakeshore Legal Aid unemployment benefits were delayed. • Center for Civil Justice • Legal Aid of Western Michigan 97% She contacted Lakeshore Legal Aid of households represented • Counsel and Advocacy Law Line for help. Lakeshore’s attorney met with • Legal Services of Eastern Michigan achieved a positive • Michigan Immigrant Rights Center the landlord who agreed to participate • Legal Services of Northern Michigan in the Eviction Diversion Program and • Michigan Advocacy Program result and their eviction • Michigan Indian Legal Services the landlord agreed to dismiss the case. • Michigan Legal Services The woman eventually received her • Michigan Legal Services was prevented • Michigan Poverty Law Program unemployment benefits and due to • Michigan Poverty Law Program the rental assistance, she was able to MSBF also provides annual support to the Michigan Legal Help remain safely in her home while 56% (MLH) Program, that administers an interactive website (also getting back to good health. of clients helped available in Spanish) and a number of affiliated local self-help were people of color centers. To meet the significant increase in demand for legal information and help, MLH created a Total eviction cases handled COVID-19 response page that provides helpful up-to-date information and direct links to resources. from 7/1/20 – 12/31/20 2020 Project Grants 6024 The Foundation also provides funding for innovative projects. In 2020, the Foundation issued project households provided advice or grants totaling almost $110,000, including grants to the following organizations: brief assistance 0.5% Alliance for Housing received funding to contract with Street Democracy to implement functional 4% sentencing. Functional sentencing turns sentencing into an opportunity to help an individual 1235 cases settled prior to a court filing permanently exit the criminal justice system by replacing fines and costs with targeted interventions that address root causes of an individual’s offense. 3280 Detroit Justice Center received funds to support and expand their program to provide a community cases negotiated after an 54.5% legal worker to help low-income Detroit residence avoid tax foreclosure, avoid water shut offs and eviction filing in court have access to getting state/municipal identification. 30% Justice for All Task Force received funds to help cover additional costs related to the completion of 452 the strategic plan for the Justice for All Task Force. cases litigated in court Michigan Center for Civic Education was awarded funds to produce virtual tutorials regarding mock trails and produce more hybrid, online and local, opportunities to run Mock Trial learning clinics. 53 households provided other extensive services 11% Michigan Community Resources received funds to create a COVID-19 Small Business and Nonprofit Virtual Legal Clinic, distribute timely publications of legal alerts and toolkits related to COVID-19 Legal Cases Pending at year-end: 4,190 and create a webinar series and toolkit packages for post-COVID 19 re-opening and moving forward for nonprofits. PAGE 2 INVESTING IN ACCESS TO JUSTICE PAGE 3 2020 MICHIGAN STATE BAR FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2020 Fellows Program and Reception Summarized The Michigan State Bar Foundation’s Fellows Program was established in 1984 to recognize INTEREST ON Michigan lawyers for their professional excellence and service to the community. The Fellows Financial Program supports the Foundation in providing leadership and grants for improvements in the LAWYERS TRUST administration of justice and the delivery of civil legal aid to the poor. Currently there are 1,482 ACCOUNTS (IOLTA) Information Michigan attorneys that are active Fellows and, since inception the Fellows have contributed over $2 million. for Fiscal Year In 1990, the Michigan Supreme Court adopted 10/1/2019 thru 9/30/2020 Fellows Officers mandatory