The City Bar Fund

the City Bar justice center (cbjc) furthers access to justice by addressing unmet civil legal needs of New yorkers struggling with poverty and other systemic socioeconomic barriers. Cbjc mobilizes law firms, corporate legal departments, and other legal institutions to provide pro bono legal services; educates the public on pertinent legal issues; fosters strategic community relationships; and impacts public policy. Cbjc's dozen civil justice projects, including a comprehensive civil legal hotline that handles upwards of 1,000 inquiries each month, are led by a staff of dedicated attorneys and professionals who benefit nearly 24,000 New yorkers in need each year by providing high-quality, free civil legal services through brief advice and information, referrals, and both limited scope (continued in schedule o) (continued from page 2) and extended representation. In 2021-22, cbjc also assisted nearly 10,000 individuals through community outreach; reached over 150,000 individuals through online resources and information; leveraged over $13 million in pro bono legal services by 1,800 volunteer attorneys who provided 18,500 hours of pro bono service; helped clients directly obtain over $6 million in benefits and monetary awards; and helped clients save $2 million by resolving debt, and by obtaining or maintaining housing, employment, and government benefits.

Together with more than 163 signatory law firms and corporate legal departments, the office for diversity & inclusion (odi) works to create a legal profession that represents the diverse country we live in. Odi's work starts with the pipeline to the profession - odi assists underrepresented high school, college and law students to prepare for a career in law. Then, odi supports practicing professionals across all levels of the industry, through our committee work, leadership training, speaking opportunities, and events that create community.

the vance center advances global justice by engaging lawyers across borders to support civil society and an ethically active legal profession. the vance center is a unique collaboration of international lawyers catalyzing public interest innovation. We bring together leading law firms and other partners worldwide to pioneer international justice initiatives and provide pro bono legal representation to social justice ngos within the human rights and access to justice program, the environment program and the good governance program. the vance center's strengthening the legal profession program engages law firms, Bar associations, law schools, and pro bono clearinghouses with innovative diversity, rule-of-law, and public interest initiatives, including women in the profession, (continued in schedule o) (continued from page 2) african legal fellows, the lawyers council for civil and economic rights in the americas, the access to justice practicum, total law prep, and the pro bono promotion program, including co-managing the pro bono network of the americas and through it the keep families together initiative, providing pro bono legal support in central america and elsewhere to children and families separated by u.s. immigration policies. the vance center leverages approximately $8 million worth of revenue that the vance center estimates is the value of the pro bono work of law firms on its projects.

One component of other program services is the City Bar Fund lawyer assistance program. This year, in a total of nine law schools in nyc and westchester, the New York City lawyer assistance program participated in programs in october for law student mental health awareness week, presented to professional development seminars for 1l's and spoke at professional responsibility classes for 3l's and llms, preparing for character & fitness. We presented a program on law student anxiety for the staff of cardozo and regularly collaborate with the school personnel to find ways to improve student mental health. In may we celebrated lawyer mental health month, presenting a series of programs to raise awareness about the high rates of mental health and substance use in the profession and the resources available through lap. We presented cle programs, including bridge the gap for newly admitted attorneys, ethics and wellbeing, sexual addiction, substance use in the family and managing ptsd and secondary stress to large firms and nonprofits. We participate in associate orientations providing information to New and summer associates. We maintain excellent relationships with the appellate division first and seconddepartment character & fitness and attorney grievance committees, providing assessments and monitoring. We collaborated with other Bar Association committees to co-sponsor educational events and educational presentations, all with the goal of improving the health and well-being of the profession. the executive director serves on the nysba task force on wellbeing. Our referrals remain high, the majority form attorneys, then law students, judges and significant others.