The
year was 1981, and the hard-working community of South Chicago
was in the midst of economic devastation. Reduction of steel mill
operations had forced a 35% unemployment rate, with a ripple
effect that encompassed nearly every business in the area. The
severity of the situation was exacerbated by the speed at which
it happened...leaving no network of social service providers to
help bring much needed relief.
Enter Rev. Thomas J. Paprocki and Edward Grossman, who had met while classmates at DePaul Law School. In a tiny storefront office with little more than a table and some chairs, they founded the South Chicago Legal Clinic. Their mission, then as now, was to establish accessible and affordable bilingual legal services in the areas of law essential to individual well-being -- specifically housing, consumer, family law and entitlements.
The South Chicago office was a success, and word quickly spread of their services. Today the Chicago Legal Clinic operates from three neighborhood offices and a downtown office, employing a staff of 31 and working with dedicated interns and volunteers, including a pro bono panel of over 225 attorneys. More importantly, the number of clients helped by the Chicago Legal Clinic has grown to over 135,000 ; in FY 2006, 12,709 cases were handled.
As we grow, we remain evermore cognizant of our goal: to make our system of justice accessible to all.