Tis the Season of Giving: Pro Bono Legal Clinic for the Filipino Community

By: Janice Dantes

 

I have lived in Chicago since the 1980s. Growing up in Jefferson Park, we were the only Filipinos on our block. I was also one of two Filipino children at my elementary school. Fast forward 30 years and Chicago now has two Jollibees and a Seafood City. We also have a growing legal community with our own Filipino American Bar Association of Chicago, which is part of the larger national organization of Filipino lawyers. We have truly come a long way.

In the legal community, there are several pro bono organizations focused on serving different communities in Chicago with unique needs. In Chinatown, I have volunteered for the Chinatown Pro Bono Clinic. I have also volunteered with the South Asian Bar Association’s Pro Bono Clinic. The Hellenic Bar Association recently created a pro bono clinic serving the Greek community. I think it is about time that we have a pro bono serving the neediest of our “kababayan” to ensure that we have legal representation.

Last year when I was being installed as an officer of the Filipino American Lawyers Association (FALA), the Honorable Edmond Chang gave an incredible keynote speech about the Philippine Constitution and the legal system in the Philippines. To my surprise, the Philippines guarantees that all its people, regardless of financial resources, are represented by competent counsel. In the United States, this guarantee is only in our criminal justice system.

There have been several instances when I was in court that I have seen Filipinos representing themselves. This has inspired me to put the groundwork in place for a pro bono clinic serving our community.

My hope is that in 2018, the Filipino community in Chicago will have its own pro bono clinic. I recently received approval from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) to operate a satellite clinic for our community. The Filipino American Lawyers Association is interested in becoming our sponsoring bar association. We are also garnering support from other organizations supporting the Filipino community including the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE).

Because of all the blessings the Filipino community has bestowed on me, I want to make sure that I give back to you. If you would like to help support our efforts, please contact me at (312) 546-5077. Together, we can help ensure that all Filipinos have the right and opportunity for legal counsel, especially those in our community who are most in need.

Thank you for reading. Until we meet again, love one another.