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Prairie State gets cy pres awards of almost $700,000Three cy pres awards totaling almost $700,000 to Rockford-based Prairie State Legal Services were announced during a recent four-week interval. On Jan. 31, Prairie State executive director Michael O’Connor received a check for $169,334 from two attorneys: Phillip A. Bock of Bock & Hatch, Chicago, and Brian J. Wanca of Anderson & Wanca, Rolling Meadows. The award, from a settlement in CE Design Ltd. v. North American Industries, Inc., was made to Prairie State by 19th Circuit Judge Margaret J. Mullen. On Feb. 19, Bock and Wanca presented $434,072 to O’Connor from residual funds in a class action, Mann, et al. v. Lawyers Title Insurance Corp., awarded by Cook County Judge Stuart E. Palmer. On Feb. 21, Prairie State was notified by the Chicago firm of Edelman, Combs, Latturner & Goodwin that it would receive $91,745 from settlements that could not be distributed to class members in Whitney v. ARC Disposal. The cy pres award was ordered by Cook County Judge Mary K. Rochford. “These funds will provide us with an opportunity to better serve the poor and elderly residents who turn to Prairie State for help in civil matters that affect their health and safety,” O’Connor said. Bock explained to Judge Palmer how Prairie State could use the largest cy pres amount, and the judge said he was pleased to make the award after learning about the special needs of its clients. A new Illinois law that will take effect July 1 requires at least 50 percent of unclaimed funds to be distributed to organizations that provide services to eligible clients under the Illinois Equal Justice Act.
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