The American College of Bankruptcy (“the College”) and the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation (“the Foundation”) have announced that they have awarded 51 pro bono grants totaling nearly $468,000 to legal services organizations located in 20 different states, including the District of Columbia.

The unrestricted grants are funded jointly by the College and its Foundation to grantees whose activities are consistent with the objectives of the College’s mission of funding organizations that provide assistance to groups and individuals in need of bankruptcy-related legal representation, training and/or education.

Organizations in Pennsylvania receiving grants include Military Assistance Project, Philadelphia, PA and North Penn Legal Services, Bethlehem, PA.

Other grants issued in 2016 include the following:

• Alameda County Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Corporation
  Oakland, CA
• Bankruptcy Bar Foundation
  Tamarac, FL
• Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program
  Birmingham, AL
• Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A
  Brooklyn, NY
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
  Chicago, IL
• Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
  Chicago, IL
• Community Law Project
  San Diego, CA
• Connecticut Bar Association
  New Britain, CT
• Consumer Education and Training Services ("CENTS")
• Seattle, WA
• Dade Legal Aid-Put Something Back
  Miami, FL
• DC Bar Pro Bono Center
• Washington, DC
• Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project
  Dayton, OH
• Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, Inc.
  Houston, TX
• Illinois Legal Aid Online
  Chicago, IL
• Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
  Santa Barbara, CA
• Legal Aid of Northwest Texas
  Ft. Worth, TX
• Legal Aid of the Bluegrass
  Covington, KY
• Legal Aid of Western Missouri
  Kansas City, MO
• Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.
  Oklahoma City, OK
• Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati
  Cincinnati, OH
• Legal Aid Society of San Diego
  San Diego, CA
• Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.
  Geneva, NY
• Legal Services NYC
  New York, NY
• Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
  White Plains, NY
• Lone Star Legal Aid
  Houston, TX
• Louisiana Civil Justice Center
  New Orleans, LA
• Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service
  Baltimore, MD
• Metroplex Military Charitable Trust
  Dallas, TX
• MFY Legal Services
  New York, NY
• Mid-Shore Pro Bono, Inc.
  Easton, MD
• Montana Legal Services Association
  Helena, MT
• Neighborhood Legal Services of L.A. County
  Glendale, CA
• Ohio State Legal Services Association
  Columbus, OH
• Prairie State Legal Services, Inc.
  Rockford, IL
• Public Counsel
  Los Angeles, CA
• Public Law Center
  Santa Ana, CA
• Public Service Law Corporation
  Riverside, CA
• Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project
  Jamaica, NY
• Rutgers University School of Law – Camden & Newark
  Camden, NJ and Newark, NJ
• Southern University Law Center
  Baton Rouge, LA
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc.
  Weslaco, TX
• Utah State Bar
  Salt Lake City, UT
• Veterans Legal Services
  Boston, MA
• Voluntary Legal Services Program of N. California, Inc.
  Sacramento, CA
• Volunteer Attorney Program
  Duluth, MN
• Volunteer Lawyer Project of Boston Bar Association
  Boston, MA
• Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, Inc.
  Newark, NJ
• Volunteer Lawyers Network
  Minneapolis, MN

In addition, the College has selected its inaugural Michael L. Cook Extraordinary Grant recipient. The Michael L. Cook Extraordinary Grant was created in Mr. Cook’s honor in 2016 and is awarded to a legal services organization that offers an innovative and exemplary approach to a previously under-served area of need. A Fellow since 1997, Michael Cook served as Chair and President of the College and Chair of its Board of Regents during the period from 2010-2016, and as Chair of the Pro Bono Committee from 2008-2010.

“During both his many years of exemplary service to the College and his long and distinguished career, Mike has been a tireless advocate, visionary leader and relentless fund-raiser on behalf of programs that provide pro bono legal services throughout the United States,” said G. Christopher Meyer, current College Chair.

The College proudly announced Veterans Legal Services as the 2016 Michael L. Cook Extraordinary Grant recipient.

Veterans Legal Services (VLS) promotes self-sufficiency, stability, and financial security for veterans through comprehensive and accessible legal services. VLS’s unique model of delivering services on-site at homeless shelters and service centers allows it to reach veterans who would otherwise go without the legal help they need. VLS services over 500 veterans’ cases per year.
 

The American College of Bankruptcy is an honorary association of bankruptcy and insolvency professionals. The Fellows of the College are selected for membership based on a proven record of the highest standards of professionalism and service to the profession, and include commercial and consumer bankruptcy attorneys, bankruptcy and other federal judges, bankruptcy trustees, United States Trustees and other federal officials, law school professors, and others involved in the bankruptcy and insolvency profession. 

The College offers unique and challenging educational programs and publications, maintains the National Bankruptcy Archives at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, and is believed to be the single largest financial supporter of pro bono bankruptcy services in the United States. There are approximately 900 Fellows of the College.

The American College of Bankruptcy Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supported by the College and by tax-deductible contributions from Fellows of the College and others. Additional information about the College and the Foundation is available at http://www.amercol.org.