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Pro bono

  • October 24, 2013 | Events
    Over 140 lawyers honored at 3rd Circuit Pro Bono Luncheon

    An Honor Roll of more than 140 lawyers in the 3rd Circuit (Madison and Bond counties) were honored at a Pro Bono Luncheon on October 22 in Edwardsville.

    From left: Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier served as guest speaker; Chief Judge of the 3rd Circuit, David Hylla, welcomed a roomful of attendees; Judge Barbara Crowder chairs the 3rd Circuit Pro Bono Committee, the first to be formed in the state, and is secretary of ISBA's Delivery of Legal Services Committee; and Lois Wood, executive director of Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, is chair of ISBA's Delivery of Legal Services Committee.

    1 comment (Most recent October 24, 2013)
  • October 21, 2013 | Practice News
    ISBA proud to participate in National Celebrate Pro Bono Week

    The Illinois State Bar Association, along with the ISBA Delivery of Legal Services Committee, is proud to participate in this year's National Celebrate Pro Bono Week from October 20 through October 26, 2013, and invites all ISBA members to get involved.

    National Celebrate Pro Bono Week aims to expand the delivery of pro bono legal services and increase access to justice.  At a time when so many Illinois families are struggling, legal services can make a real difference in people's lives.  I call on all ISBA members to get into the pro bono spirit and consider incorporating or increasing pro bono services in your practice. If you are able, please donate the time to accept a new pro bono client; or consider making a financial contribution to an Illinois legal aid provider in your area.

    I also encourage you to take advantage of our Pro Bono Bootcamp, a CLE program in Rockford, IL on Friday, October 25.  This program is free to all attendees who commit to taking just one pro bono case.  For more information, please visit: http://www.isba.org/cle/2013/10/25/probonobootcamp. 

  • October 15, 2013 | Practice News
    National Pro Bono Week — Illinois attorneys celebrate and promote pro bono opportunities

    By Michele Miller

    Attorneys throughout Illinois will commemorate National Pro Bono week from Oct. 21-25, 2013 in a variety of ways -- from CLE opportunities to social events to a new online system for attorneys to find volunteer legal assignments. 

  • October 3, 2013 | CLE
    CLE: Family and Consumer Law Pro Bono Bootcamp

    Available at No Cost to Attorneys Who Agree to Take a Pro Bono Case in The Next Year**

    Thousands of low-income litigants in Illinois cannot afford an attorney and free legal services organizations alone cannot meet this need. You can be the difference! We are proud to offer you this opportunity to develop your expertise and put your knowledge to work for people in need. Join us in Rockford on October 25th for this free program that’s designed to train practitioners in the basics of handling family law and consumer/debt collection cases. Topics include: assisting clients who need to establish or challenge parentage of a minor; establishing the initial child custody or visitation order; modifying, enforcing or establishing a child support order in Illinois; assisting clients with debt collection problems; the citation process for discovery of assets in Illinois; and ethical issues that can arise during the negotiation process on behalf of individuals. In exchange for the commitment to handle just one pro bono case, attendees receive free training and MCLE credit!

    The seminar is presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services and qualifies for 6.5 hours MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval).

    Click here for more information and to register.

  • September 30, 2013 | Practice News
    Spotlight on pro bono: Older adults need legal help

    By Grant Nyhammer, ISBA Delivery of Legal Services Committee

    Most of us look forward to retirement as we envision ourselves having unlimited time and resources to do what we love most. Most of us, however, do not anticipate that we all become more vulnerable with the inevitable physical and mental decline in our abilities as we age. We also may not realize that retirement presents a bevy of new legal issues such as:

  • August 14, 2013 | ISBA News
    Spotlight on pro bono: Nikki Carrion and her work with CLAIM

    By Sandra Crawford, ISBA Delivery of Legal Services Committee

    Under the topic of “what are they doing now”, this month’s Delivery of Legal Services Committee newsletter catches up with past chair, E. Nicole Carrion, known to all as Nikki (Chair 2010-2011). Since terming-off this committee Nikki, in addition to opening her solo practice in Edwardsville, Illinois, has become of-counsel to Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers (CLAIM). Nikki is the downstate staff attorney for CLAIM responsible for visiting regional female correctional facilities where she provides advice, education, and legal services on all types of family law and domestic violence matters to incarcerated mothers, their children, and their children’s guardians. In her of-counsel role Nikki collaborates with other agencies and social service organizations to promote and improve the criminal justice system and the response to the issues faced by incarcerated mothers and their children. CLAIM’s mission is to provide legal and educational services which help maintain the bonds between imprisoned mothers and their children. In her work for CLAIM, Nikki advocates for policies and programs that benefit families of imprisoned mother and programs which will reduce future incarceration of women and girls. Additional information about CLAIM and the services it provides can be found at www.claim-il.org.

    Some interesting facts which can be found on CLAIM’s website: 

    2 comments (Most recent August 22, 2013)
  • July 15, 2013 | ISBA News
    ISBA honors John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award recipients

    By Wendy Vaughn, Clinical Assistant Professor,
    NIU College of Law, Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic

    During its 137th annual meeting, the Illinois State Bar Association awarded John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Awards to attorney Michael McEIvain, the McDonald’s Corporation, and the Clark County Bar Association for performing extraordinary pro bono service in civil legal matters. The John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Awards are awarded each year to individuals, law firm / corporate legal departments, and bar associations who either provide free legal services to residents of Illinois who are unable to afford a private attorney or expand the availability of legal services to income eligible residents of Illinois. The John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Awards are granted each year in memory of attorney John McAndrews who was a champion of pro bono services throughout his career and instrumental in establishing the Illinois Pro Bono Center, as well as implementing the findings of the Illinois Legal Needs Study.  

  • May 10, 2013 | People
    Bruno Law Offices receive Pro Bono Award

    The Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney of the Year for 2012, selected by Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance and the Champaign County Bar Association, is Bruno Law Offices of Urbana.  Ramona Sullivan, the Pro Bono Coordinator of Land of Lincoln and a member of the CCBA Board of Governors, presented the award at the CCBA Law Day Banquet on May 1, 2013.

    Thomas Bruno and his sons, Anthony Bruno and Evan Bruno, were recognized for their outstanding delivery of pro bono legal services in 2012.                

  • March 7, 2013 | ISBA News
    Deadline for McAndrews Pro Bono Award is March 15

    The ISBA has established the John C. McAndrews Award to honor the extraordinary commitment of individuals, bar associations, or law firm/corporate legal departments to providing free legal services to the income eligible in Illinois or expanding the availability of legal services to the income eligible in Illinois. Nominations for the John C. McAndrews Award due on March 15, 2013. The nominating form is available at www.isba.org/awards/mcandrews.

  • January 7, 2013 | Practice News
    Spotlight on pro bono: What’s in a name?

    By Michael G. Bergmann

    This is a question raised by Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, who argues "that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."  And so, Juliet says that the names of things do not matter, only what things are.  For certain, whether or not you call it a rose, that which we know as a rose will smell like a rose.  But is this always true?  I dare say it is not, with due respect to both Shakespeare and Juliet.