Director Rachel Rossi of the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Connecticut this week as part of the office’s mission to ensure access to justice across the civil justice system, expand access to counsel, and support innovative efforts to improve the judiciary and court administration. During her visit, Director Rossi met with U.S. Attorney Vanessa Avery for the District of Connecticut to commend her leadership on access to justice issues in the state and discuss future collaboration.
Director Rossi and ATJ staff also convened members of the Connecticut Bar Foundation (CBF), Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Access to Justice Commission, and Connecticut Judiciary. During the meeting, Director Rossi highlighted recent initiatives including quarterly convenings of over 40 access-to-justice commissions across the country; the Federal Pro Bono Program; updates on the work of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable; and efforts to reduce reliance on fines and fees. Attendees discussed civil justice barriers, resource needs, and innovative access-to-justice projects.
In the afternoon, Director Rossi participated in a site visit to the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC), where she toured the Newington Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center and observed CVLC’s medical-legal partnership model. She met with CVLC leadership as well as medical and legal staff to learn about their legal services program and implementation of this model in other VA Medical Centers nationwide. Director Rossi reiterated ATJ’s commitment and highlighted efforts to expand access to justice for veterans, service members, and their families. She also mentioned ATJ’s recent launch of a medical-legal partnership within a federal prison in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Director Rossi also met with Reginald Dwayne Betts, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Reads—a non-profit organization that uses literature, design, and architecture to create transformative experiences for incarcerated individuals while addressing reentry and rehabilitative needs. They discussed various ATJ initiatives aimed at addressing barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals during reentry and improving access to counsel for those in custody.
At the conclusion of her trip, Director Rossi delivered keynote remarks at CBF’s Annual Reception. The event celebrates CBF's work funding programs that provide legal services for residents who cannot afford an attorney. It honors CBF’s James W. Cooper Fellows along with innovative projects advancing civil justice regardless of power or resources. In her remarks, Director Rossi emphasized ATJ's mission: “engaging in bold, transformative, systemic work necessary to ensure all communities have access to promises and protections of our criminal and civil legal systems.” She encouraged fellows' efforts in driving policy change while expanding pro bono support programs.
The CBF is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating systemic change that advances civil justice for all citizens regardless of power or resources toward achieving a more just society.
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