Every day, unmet legal needs complicate the health picture for low-income children. Some live in unsafe housing, plagued with mold, vermin, or lead paint. Some have recurring physical injuries or mental health problems as a result of domestic violence. Some live in families who are forced to choose between paying for utilities or paying for necessary medication. 

These issues, frequently first identified by a pediatrician, can often be solved by a lawyer.   

To learn how your contributions are making this happen through an innovative Medical-Legal Partnership between Colorado Legal Services and Children's Hospital, see the article in this month's issue of The Colorado Lawyer here.

Back in 2005, Kenzo Kawanabe, then an associate at Davis Graham & Stubbs, was serving on the Legal Aid Foundation's Law Firm Campaign Committee. Seeing the depth of support the Foundation enjoyed among older lawyers, Kenzo decided to help the Foundation

get younger lawyers more involved in supporting legal aid. Toward that end, he conceived of an Associates Campaign, led entirely by young lawyers and fueled by a friendly competition between law firms. That first year, 10 firms participated and the Campaign raised $8,861 for legal aid.

By 2012, the Associates Campaign had grown to include 34 firms and raised more than $50,000. Kenzo, now a partner at Davis Graham, believes the most impressive aspect of the Associates Campaign is not the total dollars raised, but rather, the total number of people who donate. "It is critical that the next generation of attorneys continue to fulfill our profession's obligation to help those most in need," he said. "These associates are our future, and our future is bright." 

A record number of 44 firms are participating in this year's Associates Campaign. The success in growing this year's Campaign is due to the creation of an Associates Advisory Board last fall. This new Board played an instrumental role in recruiting efforts and is providing Campaign leadership.

If you are interested in joining the Legal Aid Foundation's Associates Advisory Board or in getting your firm involved in next year's Associates Campaign, please contact kelly@legalaidfoundation.org.