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Legal Clinics

Ladder Up

Ladder Up is a volunteer organization that provides innovative and free financial services to hardworking, low-income individuals and families in the Chicago community. Through its Tax Assistance Program, volunteers assist low-income persons with completing their federal and state tax returns. The program is designed to help individuals who earn an annual income of less than $20,000 and families who earn an annual income of less than $45,000 utilize all available federal and state credits, and it saves participants the cost of having their tax returns prepared professionally.

McDermott began its partnership with Ladder Up in 2004 when 12 lawyers donated more than 120 hours of volunteer tax preparation time and completed tax returns totaling more than $100,000 in refunds and tax credits. Since then McDermott and Ladder Up have strengthened their relationship and returned more dollars to the community each year. In 2005, 30 McDermott volunteers completed an estimated 165 returns totaling $215,000 in refunds and tax credits. In 2006 McDermott assisted Ladder Up in introducing laptop computers at its sites, allowing electronic filing. That year McDermott volunteers completed an estimated 200 returns and collected refunds and credits totaling nearly $260,000. In 2007 refunds and tax credits totaled nearly $550,000.

Each year from 2008 through 2010, McDermott hosted two "Super Saturdays," during which McDermott volunteers staffed two sites and helped low-income individuals and families receive a combined nearly $1.5 million in refunds and tax credits. With the 2011 tax season already underway, McDermott lawyers and staff are geared up to participate in this year's Super Saturdays.