Gregory S. Forman holds a sign that reads “Because wealth should not determine who has access to justice.”
We are proud to announce the launch of our Supporter Spotlight debuting with a donor passionate about expanding access to affordable legal services. We had the chance to interview Gregory Forman, a family law attorney of Gregory S. Forman, P.C., to learn more about why he and his wife Karen have been dedicated supporters of Charleston Legal Access, South Carolina’s first and only sliding-scale nonprofit law firm, since 2018.
Gregory and Karen moved to Charleston from Philadelphia almost 30 years ago while expecting their first daughter within the month. They were drawn to Charleston for its warm climate, access to the beach, and livable downtown. We were inspired by Gregory’s sentiments on how much he appreciated his mentors as he started his practice decades ago. Gregory expressed the importance of giving back to the community, as he has done as a formal and informal mentor to new attorneys. Gregory shares “Charleston is a way more nurturing community than I found in Philadelphia or Los Angeles.” As a part of their belief in how important it is to give back to your community, Gregory and Karen are donors to several nonprofits in the area and prioritize supporting causes that mean a lot to them.
When we asked Gregory his ‘why’ behind supporting Charleston Legal Access, he shared “I see how much people of limited means suffer by not being able to hire lawyers. Having limited opportunities or limited means to not get a just result in court because one side has a good lawyer while the other side has no lawyer - there is a lot of injustice. The best way to remedy those types of injustices is to make sure that people of limited means can have competent representation.”
Gregory further elaborates “I see women who don’t get alimony because they didn’t have sufficient resources to push an alimony claim, even though they were dependent spouses. I see people who don’t have any visitation with their children because they just didn’t have the ability to demonstrate they were now fit when they had some temporary unfitness beforehand.”
“There’s a market failure for family law legal services, probably throughout the United States, but certainly in South Carolina. And that a lot of injustice can be righted if folks of limited means could obtain low-cost legal services.”
As a supporter of CLA, we asked Gregory what he hopes CLA will achieve in the future. He shared “With the giant market inefficiency in family law, it’d be nice to see CLA grow to be able to meet more of that demand. CLA might be the path towards fixing that market failure.”
As we continue to engage our supporters and community, we too hope to grow our impact., which would not be possible without passionate and community-driven supporters like the Formans. Thank you for your impact on our community, Karen and Gregory.
Please contact our Development and Marketing Manager to learn how to be featured in an upcoming Supporter Spotlight.
About Charleston Legal Access
Charleston Legal Access is SC's first and only sliding-scale, nonprofit law firm. We provide affordable legal services at a price that those of moderate means can afford. Hourly rates are determined on an individual basis by a client's income and family size. Our initial screening and phone consultations with an attorney are completely free. In-person, 1-2 hour case consultations and limited assistance sessions are available for a flat fee of $50-$100. For more information please visit www.charlestonlegalaccess.org.
With client fees only making up 15% of our operational budget and a rise in demand for services, we are seeking like-minded partners to support our cause. Help us expand access to justice and legal representation by making a tax-deductible donation below.