ways than one—whether by providing di- rect pro bono legal services, providing “low bono” legal services, or donating to the Access to Justice Campaign and other worthy causes. VLA and Law Line will un- doubtedly be asking the Vermont legisla- ture to increase their funding in what ap- pears to be an already difficult budgetary year. Likewise, federal funding will again be requested from LSC, whose own fund- ing will be scrutinized by Congress. You can help by reaching out to your local repre- sentatives and asking them to fully support VLA and Law Line, and by reaching out to our congressional delegation and asking them to fully fund LSC. The VBF is also in- volved in ways to increase funding. In the short-term, through the Access to Justice Campaign, co-chairs Sam Hoar and Scott McGee are actively trying to raise an ad- ditional $50,000 above and beyond the an- nual campaign to put towards VBF grants. The VBF is also starting a campaign to raise funds outside of the legal community for on-going efforts. If you have not been able to give time or a donation yet, please con- sider taking on pro bono cases and donat- ing.


The Honorable Deannell Reece Tacha, the new Dean of the Pepperdine School of Law and the former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, has said: “When the great majority of the indi- viduals and small businesses of the nation no longer can, or believe they no longer can, get a lawyer, be represented effective- ly, go to court, settle their disputes in a fair and impartial way, and be treated like every other citizen, we quite simply, have lost the guiding principle of our republic—equal justice under law. When that goes, the rule


of law goes, and when that goes, the great dreams of those patriots who founded and fought for this republic go with it—never to be reclaimed. Something must be done!”3 Thank you for your continued efforts. To- gether we can all make a difference.


____________________ 1


3


1003937509.62/VT%20FINALRPT.pdf. 2


See http://www.nlada.org/DMS/Documents/ Id.


http://www.lsc.gov/chairman-levi-addresses- aba-house-delegates.


6


THE VERMONT BAR JOURNAL • WINTER 2013


www.vtbar.org


President’s Column


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