The Justice Report

March 2015


#CampainForLegalAid
Arkansas Access to Justice has joined Legal Aid of Arkansas and VOCALS in a statewide Campaign for Legal Aid. Funds raised go directly to support essential civil legal services for our state's most vulnerable citizens. Click here to donate today. 
Pro Bono Opportunities
Click here to read the latest Arkansas Pro Bono Partnership case alerts and learn about opportunities to lend your expertise to assist vulnerable Arkansans in need of legal help.
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Is your civic organization, local bar association, or firm looking for a speaker or needing CLE credit? Contact our staff to arrange for us to speak to your group.

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Rural Access Policy Brief Highlights Looming Crisis, Hope
Field crops leading to a farm house

Arkansas Access to Justice has released a  policy brief highlighting an urgent problem facing rural Arkansas: the 25 most rural counties have fewer than 0.44 practicing attorneys per 1,000 residents, meaning access to help for for life-altering legal issues is increasingly scarce. The brief, which summarizes the results of a 2015 survey conducted in partnership with UC Davis, suggests that many law students would be interested in locating to rural communities given the right incentives. In addition, rural attorneys are more willing than their non-rural peers to mentor and hire young lawyers. For more information about the study, click here

Legal Aid of Arkansas to Host 4th Annual Law Day 10K in Jonesboro
Legal Aid of Arkansas is hosting its 4th annual Law Day 10K race in Jonesboro on Saturday, May 2, 2015. The event will be held in observance of Law Day, which celebrates the importance of the rule of law in protecting the basic freedoms we enjoy as a democratic society. For more information about the race, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, click here. All proceeds support the provision of free legal aid to vulnerable Arkansans with critical civil legal issues.
Commission Honors Outgoing Members, Welcomes New Ones

The Arkansas Access to Justice Commission honored outgoing members Nate Coulter, Danyelle Walker, and Annabelle Imber Tuck at its February 5 meeting in Little Rock. Each has served nearly a decade working to ensure that all Arkansans have access to the civil court system. The Commission also welcomed incoming members Justice Robin Wynne, Judge Robert McCallum, and Mark Mayfield. Click here to view more pictures from the meeting.

About Us
Nearly one in four Arkansans qualify to receive free civil legal services, yet nearly half of the 30,000 Arkansans who call for help each year are turned away because our two nonprofit legal aid providers lack the resources to serve them.

 

Our mission is to coordinate statewide efforts to ensure that all Arkansans have a fair opportunity to be heard in court in civil matters. We work with a variety of other partners who share our vision, and together, we undertake innovative projects to accomplish this mission. 

 

This newsletter provides periodic updates on the work of Arkansas Access to Justice, legal aid, our pro bono partners, and the Arkansas IOLTA Program.

 

Thank you for your interest in our work.

 

Sincerely,


 


 


Amy Dunn Johnson

Executive Director, Arkansas Access to Justice