ARCHBISHOP IRELAND JUSTICE FELLOWS
Hiring a lawyer is out of reach for more than 60 million Americans. Measured against any disease, environmental crisis or national emergency, the justice gap is an epidemic, according to Lisa Montpetit Brabbit, associate dean for external relations and programs at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. That’s why the School of Law is working hard to find ways to close the gap.
And for the people living in this justice gap (such as seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, parents or guardians, and rural residents), research shows that 70-80% will experience a significant and life-altering civil legal issue. These concerns commonly include stable and safe housing, freedom from physical and emotional violence, fair employment practices, child welfare and personal health. And some subjects are not identified accurately as legal issues. Consequently, 86% of the civil legal problems experienced by low-income Americans receive inadequate or no legal help, according to Legal Services Corporation (LSC). School of Law faculty and staff are dedicated to fighting injustices. They continually discuss how to help meet the most pressing legal needs. “Our law school’s mission compels us to help provide a voice for the voiceless, empowering those on society’s margins to stay in their homes, with their kids and in their jobs,” said Robert Vischer, dean of St. Thomas Law. Brabbit realized that the School of Law was filled with “fabulous legal talent,” but there was still so much legal need. To help fill this gap, she introduced the idea of a postgraduate fellowship. With the support of John and Sue Morrison, the law school launched its pilot program in 2014, originally called the Access to Justice Fellowships program. It supported five graduates in the program (through 2018) and of those five, three transitioned into permanent public service employment. Kate and Jack Helms sponsored a sixth placement in 2019 and then expanded the effort. Instrumental to the success of the recently renamed Archbishop Ireland Justice Fellows (named to honor the founder of the University of St. Thomas) has been
its innovative funding model, which maximizes the resources of the law school, donors and legal aid organizations. IRELAND FELLOWS AT CENTRAL MINNESOTA LEGAL SERVICES The fellows program places licensed School of Law graduates in one-year, full-time jobs with Minnesota organizations working to address the civil legal needs of individuals who otherwise could not afford assistance from an attorney. Emily Ginsburg ’18 J.D. is a fellowship attorney at Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS), which provides free legal services in the areas of family law, housing, criminal expungement, public benefits and licensure. Ginsburg said her passion to work in legal aid was strengthened by her experience working as a law clerk at the Public Defender’s Office in Anoka County and at Legal Assistance of Dakota County. She knew the fellowship would expand her litigation experience, while helping CMLS increase the number of people it serves. Through her work, she’s become more aware of the disparities within the structure of the legal system as it relates to legal services. “Civil cases often involve matters which are of the utmost importance to clients, including custody rights to their children, housing, and access to and maintenance of benefits,” Ginsburg said. “These areas of law, especially family law, can be highly complex and are not designed for pro se litigants, despite the fact that most parties are self-represented.” Ginsburg’s fellowship is funded by Jack and Kate Helms. Jack, a School of Law board of governors member and founder of Helms Capital, said he
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