Legal Aid of Western MO celebrates first year of 3-year campaign

Everyone's been involved in a fundraiser at some point, whether it was to raise the money for a specific cause, or donating money to that cause. But how many people have been involved in a "friendraiser?"

About 450 people will find out more about what a friendraiser is September 5 at the 4th Annual Justice For All Luncheon.

"This is a break-even event," said Sally Mertz-Hornstra, Director of Development for Legal Aid of Western Missouri. "This luncheon is only meant to create visibility for our three-year campaign, and to thank our donors."

At this year's luncheon, which will begin at noon at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, LAWMO plans to give a progress report for its campaign, which is wrapping up its first year. This will also be a celebration for the 20th anniversary of the Volunteer Attorney Project.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been selected as this year's keynote speaker. Kennedy, and environmental law attorney in New York, is the chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is also a clinical professor and supervising attorney at the Environmental Litigation Clinic at Pace University School of Law in New York.

LAWMO Executive Director Richard Halliburton will review the organization's campaign, Justice For All. The campaign hopes to raise $1.5 million in three years to help support LAWMO. LAWMO provides legal services to low-income families and individuals. Support from local donors helps LAWMO provide legal assistance to people in Western Missouri who would not otherwise be able to afford legal assistance.

To date, LAWMO has received $655,000 towards its goal. Some of the largest contributors include the Family of Ed Smith, Shook Hardy & Bacon and Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin.

"This year we have been concentrating on the small firm donations," Mertz-Hornstra said. "They don't reach the high amounts, but they donate more per attorney."

Two such firms include Klamann & Hubbard, with four attorneys, and The Popham Law Firm, with six attorneys, have each donated over $12,000 to the Justice For All campaign.

VAP began in 1982 when funding to legal aid offices such as LAWMO was cut by 25 percent. Kansas City's VAP began with 75 attorneys enrolled, and had handled 64 cases by the end of the year. There are currently 997 attorneys enrolled in the program throughout Western Missouri, which includes 40 Missouri counties.

In 2001, VAP attorneys opened 452 cases, and spent over 3,500 hours on pro bono work, said Latricia Scott Adams, VAP Director.

"Thousands of people and cases come through the door at Legal Aid," Adams said. "Legal Aid can't handle all of them, so they filter to VAP."

Adams said about 10 percent of LAWMO's cases were handled through VAP in 2001. Adams said VAP has also begun numerous outreach programs to help the elderly and homeless in the area.

A special program listing the history and success of VAP will be provided at Thursday's luncheon, and attorney John Kurtz will speak about volunteering.

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