Contemplating a $1.4 million budget shortfall in 2004, Dennis Groenenboom, executive director of Iowa Legal Aid (ILA), decided to take his case for more legal services resources all the way to the top. When he did, he found Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack more than willing to help.

On Feb. 2, Governor Vilsack headlined “Equal Justice After-Hours: A Tribute to Friends of Iowa Legal Aid.” The after-work reception was hosted at the Hotel Fort Des Moines and supported by local law firms, attorneys, and other allies of legal aid.

As it turned out, Gov. Vilsack didn’t need much convincing to lend his support. The former partner with the law firm of Bell & Vilsack has been a consistent supporter of legal services throughout his legal career. As a private attorney, he volunteered to take cases pro bono through Iowa’s Volunteer Law Program, often donating money right out of his own pocket.

“During my career as a trial attorney, I saw firsthand the need for quality legal representation for defendants who could not afford to hire a lawyer,” Vilsack said. “The right to a competent attorney is one of the bedrock principles of the American justice system.”

Despite pledges from 68 local corporations, law firms, and individuals to sponsor the event, Groenenboom acknowledges that he has a lot of ground yet to make up. “We have 17 vacant and unfilled attorney positions, as well as six support staff positions, for a total of 23 vacant frozen positions,” Groenenboom said. “We are trying to raise sufficient funds to maintain the existing network of 10 regional offices and the staff who are currently working in them.”

When the final proceeds are counted from the Des Moines reception, Groenenboom hopes and expects that the Governor’s special appearance will help Iowa Legal Aid make major inroads in filling the budget gap.

Texas' 'First Nurse' Speaks Out

Anita Perry, First Lady of Texas, has seen the faces of domestic violence. As a former intensive care nurse, she was profoundly affected by the many battered women who came through the hospital during her 17 years on the job.

As First Lady, Perry has made numerous high-profile visits to domestic violence shelters to raise awareness of a serious problem in the Lone Star State, where, according to the Texas Department of Human Services, there were more than 800,000 victims of family violence in 2002.

The First Lady’s concern for the health and well-being of Texas’ women and children has led Perry’s husband, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, to call her “The First Nurse” of Texas.

Perry, who serves as a statewide ambassador for the Texas Council on Family Violence, spoke out publicly in November for the first time about the important role that Texas legal services programs play in stemming the proliferation of domestic violence. In a Nov. 6 op-ed piece in the Houston Chronicle, she wrote:

“Legal aid is helping thousands of Texans receive the legal assistance they deserve, but it is not equipped to meet every need or reach every Texan. The Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation and the Texas Access to Justice Commission recently launched a campaign to raise awareness about the need to increase funding for legal aid. By doing this, the Foundation hopes that the public will recognize the importance of this vital service and support its efforts through donations and volunteerism.

“This campaign is an important step because help is still needed in the battle against domestic violence. More than 100 Texas women died in 2002 as a result of domestic violence. We must commit to ending this tragedy by ensuring that women and children have the legal resources to get out of abusive relationships. Victims of domestic violence rely on legal aid advocates for protective orders, divorces from their abusers, child support, and child custody. 

“It is time that we as a community acknowledge our responsibility to ensure that justice and safety are realities for all Texans, regardless of income.”