Contact - Children's Rehabilitation Engineering Team of Mobile, Alabama

PRESS RELEASE January 5, 2007 For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact:
Robert M. Perry, CRET President: 251-450-6360
Sue McInnish, ACJF Executive Director: 334-263-3003 or 334-221-2852

Picture of Robert Perry & Steven Nicholas

Thanks to the generous contributions of trial lawyers from across the state, the Children’s Rehabilitation Engineering Team was among the non-profit organizations recently awarded a grant from the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation. Steven Nicholas, a participating member of the ACJF, presented a check for $2,500 on February 7th at 8:30 AM in the Goodwill/Easter Seal classroom #2.

The grant will be used to support the Children’s Rehabilitation Engineering Team in its mission to serve people with disabilities in the Alabama counties of Mobile, Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Escambia, Monroe, and Washington by assisting them with their adaptive technology needs. “We really appreciate the great support we have received from several Alabama foundations with our Helping Mobile Area Severely Disabled Project 2007” said Robert Perry, a Rehabilitation Engineer with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

“I am so please that the ACJF was able to support these much needed services,” said Steven L. Nicholas, an attorney with Olen, Nicholas & Copeland PC. “The grants awarded this year by the ACJF totaled $206,000 of which $101,000 came from contributions from trial lawyers.”

“Traditionally most of the foundation’s funds come from IOLTAs – Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts,” explained Steven Nicholas. “Interest rates have been extremely low over the past couple of years and our ability to provide support to worthwhile charities assisting some of Alabama’s most needy was truly threatened.

“That’s when the Foundation cut its expenses and initiated the “Increasing Our Interest” campaign. Members of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association stepped up to more than double the funds available for grants.” Steven Nicholas said.

“For a year in which our primary base of funding was very dismal, the generous response of Alabama’s trial lawyers is enabling help to reach Alabama’s most unfortunate,” Steven Nicholas said. “The ACJF thanks both the donors and the many Alabama organizations that are committed to assisting those in need,” he added.

The Alabama Civil Justice Foundation was created in 1993 by members of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association. Since then the Foundation has awarded $4.6 million in grants, Mr. Nicholas said.

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