The State Bar of Michigan, Michigan State Bar Foundation and Legal Services Association of Michigan co-hosted a statewide summit on Wednesday, May 17 in Lansing to present the "Michigan Plan 2000," a state-based plan for the delivery of civil legal services to the poor. Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, former chair of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants, and a past president of the State Bar of Michigan, served as keynote speaker at the summit and encouraged all lawyers to participate in pro bono service.

"As lawyers it is our duty to make a difference in the lives of those who may not have access to the justice system," Archer said. "We must work together to ensure that the civil legal needs of all people in Michigan are met."

The first plan for civil legal services, the 1995 Michigan Plan, was developed in response to reductions in federal funding for and dramatically increased restrictions on the legal services that low-income people could receive from legal services programs. These changes altered virtually all aspects of the legal services delivery system and low-income people's ability to access the justice system.

In response to this, the Legal Services Corporation requested that each state begin planning, on a statewide basis, for a comprehensive, integrated system for the delivery of legal services. Representatives from the State Bar of Michigan, the Michigan State Bar Foundation, Legal Services Association of Michigan, courts, community groups and others came together to consider the legal needs of low-income people in the state and how to efficiently deliver services to meet those needs.

Most of the 57 recommendations contained in the 1995 Michigan Plan have been addressed. Because of the many changes that have occurred since 1995, the legal services community felt it was important to develop a new state plan.

"The Michigan Plan 2000 is the culmination of many hours of hard work by hundreds of people across the state who are interested in the legal needs of our low-income neighbors," said MaryAnn Sarosi, State Bar of Michigan Associate Executive Director for Access to Justice. "We presented the Plan at the summit and discussed Michigan's past, current and continuing efforts toward achieving a comprehensive, integrated, statewide legal services delivery system that addresses our nation's goal of 'justice for all.'"

Many community organizations have been involved in developing the Michigan Plan 2000. "Their involvement underscores the importance that the legal services programs place on these organizations as part of a broad advocacy network," Sarosi said.

For more information on the Michigan Plan 2000, contact MaryAnn Sarosi in the State Bar of Michigan's Access to Justice Department at (800) 968-1442, extension 6317.

(Left to right): Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, State Bar President Alfred M. Butzbaugh, State Bar Associate Executive Director for Access to Justice MaryAnn Sarosi, Michigan State Bar Foundation Executive Director Linda Rexer and Access to Justice Task Force Chair and State Bar Secretary Reginald M. Turner.
(Left to right): Mayor Archer, Alfred Butzbaugh and Reginald Turner.	Members of the Service Delivery Subcommittee (left to right): Trent Cahill, Mary Grace McCarter, MaryAnn Sarosi, Paula Zimmer, Bradley Vauter and Mark Fancher.
Bradley Vauter, State Bar of Michigan Senior Director for Service Delivery-Access to Justice, gives his comments on the state plan during a Q & A session at Wednesday's summit.	Attendee Angela Reeves speaks up in support of the Michigan Plan 2000.
Attendee Leslie Curry shares her comments on the delivery of legal services.	After his presentation at the May 17 summit, Jim Bamberger of the Legal Service Corporation encourages attendees to make a contribution to the Access to Justice Campaign Fund as he holds up a check that he wrote to the Fund.
(Left to right): Jim Bamberger, MaryAnn Sarosi and Reginald Turner.	(Left to right): Alfred Butzbaugh, Reginald Turner and Mayor Archer.
Members of the Statewide Planning Oversight Group (SPOG) with Access to Justice Task Force Chair Reginald M. Turner (left to right): Alfred Butzbaugh, Bob Gillett, Jim Keedy, Terri Stangl, Linda Rexer (in back), MaryAnn Sarosi, Paula Zimmer (in back), Joan Glanton Howard and Reginald Turner. The following SPOG members are not pictured: State Bar Assistant Executive Director for Fundraising-Access to Justice Candace Crowley, Margaret Nichols and Mike Chielens.
Paula Zimmer, Executive Director of Oakland-Livingston Legal Aid, answers questions regarding the state plan.