Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund and Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation: Working Together to Increase Access to Justice in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund (WEJF) and the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation (WisTAF) are two organizations that are working to increase access to justice for low-income Wisconsin residents. WEJF raises private funds for three of the largest Wisconsin providers of legal aid services to people who cannot afford an attorney, while WisTAF provides grants to legal aid organizations throughout the state.
WEJF
WEJF was founded in 1997 by a group of lawyers and law students who were concerned about the lack of access to justice for low-income people in the state. The organization raises funds through a variety of means, including individual donations as well as law firm and corporate sponsorships. WEJF has raised over $7 million since its inception and has used this money to provide pro bono legal services to thousands of people through its three beneficiaries – Disability Rights Wisconsin, Judicare Legal Aid, and Legal Action of Wisconsin.
WisTAF
WisTAF was founded in 1986 by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Its mission is to work with “civil legal aid organizations in Wisconsin to increase access to justice. We oversee funds and invest in services and projects to help people resolve legal problems.” Those legal aid organizations include WEJF’s three beneficiaries and 25 others. WisTAF has awarded over $100 million in grants since its inception, and these grants have helped to provide legal services to hundreds of thousands of people. WisTAF’s most recognizable sources of funding include the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, which is supported by participating financial institutions across the state, and all practicing Wisconsin attorneys and judges support the Public Interest Legal Services Fund (PILSF) program with a contribution paid at the same time as their annual license fees.
How WEJF and WisTAF Work Together
The staff of WEJF and WisTAF collaborate on a number of projects, including efforts through the Civil Legal Aid Alliance of Wisconsin. All the Alliance partners are committed to expanding access to legal help to low-income people in the state. Collaborative efforts have been made related to increasing state-provided funding for legal aid and raising awareness about legal aid generally.
The Importance of Access to Justice
Access to justice is essential for a fair and just society. Everyone, regardless of their income, should have the right to access the legal system. WEJF and WisTAF are working to make sure that low-income people in Wisconsin have the legal help they need to protect their rights.
How You Can Help
There are a number of ways that you can help WEJF and WisTAF in their work to increase access to justice in Wisconsin. You can donate to WEJF or to WisTAF, volunteer your time to provide pro bono legal services (search the database of opportunities now), contact your elected officials and urge them to support policies that expand access to justice (find your legislators), or follow WEJF and WisTAF on social media linked below and share posts to help us increase awareness.
WEJF: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter
WisTAF: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter
Together, we can make a difference.