by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid launched a campaign Thursday aimed at raising the legal services organization’s profile in Northeast Florida’s legal market.
JALA provides legal services to poor people. The organization’s “10-4” campaign is designed to draw more help in that mission from private firms and lawyers.
The campaign’s name refers to trucker slang for “message received.” JALA Executive Director Michael Figgins hopes his message comes through loud and clear: Jacksonville’s legal community is not supporting legal services the way it should.
Florida’s Supreme Court recommends that every lawyer licensed by the Florida Bar contribute $350 annually to legal services or else work equivalent pro bono hours. According to JALA’s figures, less than 10 percent of the Jacksonville Bar’s 1,900 lawyers meet that standard.
The “10-4” campaign seeks to boost that number to 40 percent over the next four years. The campaign features more aggressive marketing and increased partnerships with area law firms and private businesses.
“Providing equal access to the courts for Jacksonville’s poor shouldn’t be a charitable venture,” said Figgins Thursday during JALA’s Breakfast of Champions fundraiser. “It’s a part of a city’s essential infrastructure like fire and police protection.
JALA is launching the “10-4” campaign in response to some acute financial challenges. Development Director Christa Figgins said she must raise $300,000 to balance this year’s books and City money is getting tougher to pry away from City Hall, which has its own budget difficulties.
Mayor John Peyton said Thursday following his keynote address at the breakfast that JALA would have to fight in coming years to keep City funding that pays about a third of its $3.8 million budget.
Peyton was also critical of the relatively low level of support for JALA provided by the Jacksonville Bar.
“The Bar support in Jacksonville is extraordinarily low,” said Peyton. “It’s not fair that taxpayers shoulder so much of the burden.”