Providing equal access to justice in civil cases for all Arkansans Pro Bono & Donor Recognition 2009 Dear Arkansas Lawyer: In 2003, the Arkansas Bar Association petitioned the Arkansas Supreme Court to create an access to justice commission. The Court granted the request in December of that year, giving the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission one objective: Chuck Goldner, Chair Judge Jim Spears, Vice Chair Rose Adams To provide equal access to justice in civil cases for all Arkansans Judge Waymond Brown Nate Coulter Angela Duran Since then, the Commission has taken many steps toward achieving its mandate. Zina Frazier Judge Craig Hannah In 2005, for instance, the Commission supported the revision of Model Rule 6.1 of the Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber J. Leon Johnson Arkansas Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys. The rule now encourages each Rep. Bubba Powers attorney to do 50 hours of pro bono work per year. It clarifies the types of clients, George Shelton cases, and legal work that qualify as pro bono work. And it suggests that each attorney Sen. Robert Thompson Bill Waddell donate in addition to volunteering. Danyelle Walker To heighten the impact of this rule change, the Arkansas Access to Justice Ex Officio Commission in 2009 conducted Arkansas’s first-ever “Promise of Justice Campaign.” Prof. Kelly Browe Olson This campaign had two purposes. Jean Carter Prof. D’lorah Hughes Lee Richardson First, the Promise of Justice Campaign solicited donations for our state’s two legal aid Ron Lanoue, Secretary providers: the Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) and Legal Aid of Arkansas (LAA). In 2009, you donated more than $300,000 to CALS and LAA through the Amy D. Johnson Promise of Justice Campaign. Executive Director 303 West Capitol Ave., Ste.200 Second, the Promise of Justice Campaign recruited volunteers to the Arkansas Pro Little Rock, AR 72201 501.975.3772 (direct dial) Bono Partnership. In 2009, 108 of you became new pro bono volunteers, and 800 501.376.3664 (fax) of you accepted or closed pro bono cases. [email protected] www.ArkansasJustice.org We still have a long way to go toward helping low-income Arkansans access civil justice. Every day, CALS and LAA turn away clients because of decreased funding and resources. But because of volunteers and donors like you, 15,655 clients received legal aid in 2009. On the following pages, you will find the names of Arkansas lawyers who volunteered and donated. On behalf of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, thank you for your hard work and support! Sincerely, Chuck Goldner, Chair Arkansas Access to Justice Commission 2 Walmart Donates $100,000 to Legal Aid In a strong show of support for legal aid, the Walmart Foundation and the Walmart Legal Department announced a joint $100,000 gift to the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission’s Promise of Justice Campaign. Walmart announced its leadership gift on November 13, 2009, during the Promise of Justice Conference in Little Rock. Half of the gift, made by the Walmart Legal Department, will be split between Arkansas's two legal aid organizations — Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services. These organizations will use the funds to help low-income Left to right: Walmart representatives Jon clients with their civil legal problems. Through their Comstock, Kerry Kotouc, and George Shelton at the Promise of Justice Conference. initiatives, both organizations aim to close the gap between the legal needs of low-income people and their ability to access legal guidance. The other half of the gift, made by the Walmart Foundation, is a grant to Legal Aid of Arkansas. This grant will allow Legal Aid of Arkansas to fund a medical-legal partnership with Mid-Delta Health Systems, a community health center in Clarendon, Ark. This partnership will provide healthcare patients with onsite access to legal services in a clinical healthcare setting. It is the first medical-legal partnership in Arkansas. “The Arkansas Access to Justice Commission is honored by Walmart’s generosity,” said Professor Chuck Goldner, chair of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission. “Walmart has always given back to the community, and it continues this tradition with this generous gift.” During a check presentation at the conference, Kerry Kotouc, Associate General Counsel for the Walmart Foundation, emphasized Walmart’s commitment to helping all Americans gain access to legal services. “Giving back has been a part of Walmart’s culture since our founder, Sam Walton, opened his first store, and we continue this focus by helping the underserved through charitable giving,” said Kotouc. “Our work with Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission is reflective of this belief and our commitment to giving back in our home state.” From February 2008 through January 2009, the Walmart Foundation awarded more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts, an $85.6 million increase over its global giving in the previous year. Walmart’s FYE 2009 giving breakdown is as follows: 3 • In the U.S., Walmart gave more than $378 million in cash and in-kind gifts, up from $296 million in 2007. • In international markets, Walmart gave $45.5 million in cash and in-kind gifts, up from $41 million in 2007. • Globally, Walmart’s customers and associates gave more than $106 million through in- store giving programs that benefit local charities. • In total, Walmart, its Foundations, its customers and its associates supported communities around the globe with nearly $530 million in charitable contributions during FYE 2009. About Philanthropy at Walmart Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009, Walmart – and its domestic and international foundations – gave more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org. About The Arkansas Access to Justice Commission The Arkansas Access to Justice Commission works to provide equal access to justice in civil cases to all Arkansans. The Commission’s major projects include educating the public about poverty in Arkansas, recruiting pro bono attorneys, supporting courts and self-represented individuals and soliciting contributions for legal aid. Contributions to the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission are divided between the state’s two legal aid organizations according to their poverty populations. To learn more, visit www.ArkansasJustice.org. About Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services are non-profit corporations with a vision to improve the lives of low-income Arkansans by championing equal access to justice regardless of economic or social circumstances. Legal Aid of Arkansas serves 31 counties in Arkansas, and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services serves 44 counties in Arkansas. They provide free legal help with civil legal matters to those who qualify. If you or someone you know needs help with a legal problem, have a question you think a lawyer should answer or have been sued and don’t know where to turn, call the Legal Aid Hotline at 1-800-952-9243. To learn more, visit www.arlegalservices.org. 4 The 2009 Promise of Justice Campaign DONOR LIST Visionaries $5,000 & above Acxiom Corporation Hilburn, Calhoon, Harper, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates William H. Bowen Pruniski & Calhoun, Ltd. & Woodyard Stephanie Ensinger & Jon Huckabay, Munson, Rowlett & Tyson Foods Inc. Comstock Moore, P.A. Patty & Bill Waddell Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Keith, Miller, Butler, Schneider Walmart Foundation & Pawlik Galchus Walmart Legal Department Kiel & Goodson PA FedEx Freight Williams & Anderson PLC Kutak Rock Friday, Eldredge, & Clark Wright, Lindsey, & Jennings John Goodson Guardians $2,000 - $4,999 Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins Lax, Vaughan, Fortson, Union County Bar Association Arkansas Blue Cross/Blue Shield McKenzie & Rowe, P.A. University of Arkansas School Entergy Services, Inc Newland & Associates, PLLC of Law Student Bar Association Gary Holt & Associates Robinson, Staley, Marshall & Wilkes & McHugh Duke Laser Law Firm, P. A. Worley, Wood & Parrish Rose Law Firm Stephens, Inc. Benefactors $1,000- $1,999 Arkansas Electric Cooperative Hankins Law Firm Pender, McCastlain & Ptak Dr. Brian Buell Gael Sammartino & Jim Ken Reeves Christy Conrad Hathaway Shults, Brown & Perkins, LLP Brad Crawford Rosanna Henry The Health Law Firm Dover Dixon Horne PLLC Amy & David Johnson Danyelle Jones Walker Dyke, Henry, Goldsholl & Mike Johnson Whetstone & Spears, PLLC Winzerling Shirley Jones Wilson & Associates, PLLC Don Elliott Jo Ann C. Maxey Windstream Corporation Charles W. Goldner McMath Woods James Gresham McMullan Law Firm Advocates $500 - $999 Richard Lance Angel Bank of the Ozarks Robin Brown AT&T Arkansas Woodson W. Bassett III C. Brantley Buck Baker, Donelson, Bearman, M. Stephen Bingham Ken Calhoon Caldwell & Berkowitz Howard Brill John Calhoun 5 CenterPoint Energy Mark K. Halter John E. Pruniski Earl Buddy Chadick A. Vaughan Hankins Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Charles T. Coleman Hardin & Grace Burrow PLLC Robert S. Coleman Ernest H. Harper Carrold E. Ray Jena Compton Sam Hilburn Lee Richardson Nate Coulter Don Hollingsworth Richard A. Roderick J. Bruce Cross Annabelle Clinton Imber James Maurice Rogers Dillard's, Inc. Philip E. Kaplan John S. Selig Allen C. Dobson William T. Marshall Robert & Mary Shafer Missy McJunkins Duke Jack & Holly Martin Scotty M. Shively David L. Eanes Susan Fox Martin Jim Short Deanna S. Evans J. Cal McCastlain David Solomon Jackson L. Farrow James M. McHaney Speed Law Firm Jennifer & Todd Ferguson Kara Mikles Thomas B. Staley Janet Flaccus Stan Miller Lloyd Van Stone Thomas E.