About The JEP Program

The Justice Entrepreneurs Project empowers lawyers to launch socially conscious and innovative law practices serving everyday people. The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) facilitates an 18-month program providing business development training, substantive legal training with pro bono partners, business coaching, mentorship, and heavily discounted resources including office space.

The program begins with a week-long boot camp that will kickstart participants’ practices. Thereafter, participants receive weekly business development training to grow their business for one year. Participants will also be provided structured hands-on legal training through a legal aid organization or law firm to get hands-on legal experience and a better understanding of the legal aid community and the legal service delivery system in Chicago.

During the last six months of the program, participants focus on developing fuller caseloads and receive mentoring and professional coaching. Beyond graduation, alumni continue to enjoy all program resources and a community of diverse attorneys sharing the same values and approach to their practices.

Boot camp and training sessions are held in person at the JEP Office. The time commitment and program structure vary and will range between approximately three to six hours per week depending on the participant’s practice experience at the start of the program. The program costs a total of $3,600 which is paid in increments throughout the 18-month program.