Members of Congress, National Leaders and Author John Grisham to Join LSC Forum on Increasing Access to Justice

Contact  
Carl Rauscher  
Director of Communications and Media Relations  
rauscherc@lsc.gov  
202-295-1615  

 
WASHINGTON—Legal Services Corporation (LSC) will host a forum on increasing access to justice on Monday, March 27 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. EDT at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (Congressional Auditorium, CVC 200).    

Distinguished national leaders will share remarks, including Sen. Ben Cardin (MD); Sen. Chris Murphy (CT); Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9); Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5); Rep. Kelly Armstrong (ND-at-large); Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-8); bestselling novelist, John Grisham; Director of the Office for Access to Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice, Rachel Rossi; American Bar Association President, Deborah Enix-Ross; and LSC Board Chairman and Senior Counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, John G. Levi. The speakers will address the devastating impact of the justice gap on low-income Americans and efforts to increase access to justice through policy and resources for civil legal aid.

LSC’s 2022 Justice Gap report—which details the difference between the civil legal needs of low-income Americans and the resources available to meet those needs—found a staggering deficit. Low-income Americans received no or insufficient legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems. Nationally, 74% of low-income households faced at least one civil legal problem—an increase from pre-pandemic numbers.  

The event will also include two panel discussions on efforts to expand access to justice:

“The Promise of Legal Regulatory Reform” 

Hon. Meagan A. Flynn, Chief Justice, Oregon Supreme Court 
Hon. Lorie S. Gildea, Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court

Hon. Nathan L. Hecht, Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court 
Hon. Loretta H. Rush, Chief Justice, Indiana Supreme Court

Moderator:  Ronald S. Flagg, President, LSC

  “Corporate Perspectives on Closing the Justice Gap” 

Ivan K. Fong, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Medtronic 
Rena H. Reiss, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Marriott International 
John F. Schultz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Moderator: Harriet Miers, Co-Chair, LSC Leaders Council; Partner, Locke Lord LLP

For a full list of speakers and panelists, see the event program here. The forum will be available to livestream on LSC’s Facebook page.

Following the forum, a closed reception will take place at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974. For 50 years, LSC has provided financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation currently provides funding to 130 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.  