Newsletter Header - August
Hello!
Happy New (fiscal) Year! Today is the last day of our fiscal year and PILI is proud of the collaboration, impact and sustained dedication of the legal community in Illinois over the last year. By coming together, we are forging a gateway to justice that empowers a stronger, more equitable and vibrant community — something we cannot do without you by our side.

In the upcoming year, we look forward to newfound opportunities to expand the reach of pro bono legal services, networks and education in Illinois. If you are able to contribute and lead the initiative with us, consider donating to PILI today to help us support our work. Together, we have the ability to change the fabric of our communities to ensure more people have access to the gateway to justice.

Sincerely,

  • Call for Nominations! Nominations are open for PILI's awards to recognize attorneys and legal programs making outstanding contributions in pro bono and public interest law across the state of Illinois. Learn more and make nominations.

  • PILI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Roundtable will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. on September 22nd. Topics have been announced and will include "Strategizing Remote Pro Bono Challenges & Successes" and "Using Pro Bono to Advance Racial Justice & Systemic Change. Register now!

  • Michael Bergmann is Special Guest Columnist for Illinois Courts Connect. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke invited PILI Executive Director Michael Bergmann to be a special guest columnist in the August 2021 edition of Illinois Courts Connect, the monthly newsletter of the Illinois Judicial Branch. The article was entitled, “Expanding Our Understanding of Access to Justice for All.” Read the full article here.

  • PILI Partners with the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) on Pro Bono. The IJA Pro Bono Committee is meant to highlight the great unmet need for pro bono legal services across our state, and to highlight ways in which sitting judges can support and encourage pro bono and retired judges can provide pro bono service. Read more about the collaboration.

  • The DuPage Expungement Clinic will provide free legal assistance to individuals seeking to clear their criminal record. PILI is pleased to partner with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of DuPage County, Prairie State Legal Services, the DuPage County Bar Association, and DuPage Legal Aid on this event. The generous support provided through the Illinois Access to Justice grant program makes PILI and Prairie State’s participation possible. Learn how to help out on October 2nd.
PILI is grateful to Dave Scriven-Young who has been serving as Chair for our Alumni Network Leadership Council for the last year. Dave was a 2003 Graduate Fellow at the Lake Michigan Federation.
"Every time I attend a PILI meeting, I am inspired by my colleagues and am reminded of my own commitment to do pro bono work. Second, PILI meetings and events are fun — great people and interesting conversations. I encourage PILI Alumni to become more involved!"
Illinois Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal clinic where low-income Illinois residents can submit a question online to ask a lawyer for help with a legal issue. We're seeing an increase in questions during the COVID-19 Pandemic and need more volunteers to answer questions. Learn more.

Self-represented litigants in the Illinois Appellate Court face many unique challenges without adequate resources to assist them through the appellate process. This platform is the first-ever virtual legal advice clinic for civil appeals in Illinois. Volunteer lawyers with appellate experience are needed! Learn more. 

IL-AFLAN provides civil legal services across Illinois to veterans, active duty military and their spouses and dependents and PILI refers pro bono matters in the 101 counties outside of Cook County. Help us serve those who have served us!  Learn more.

Volunteers meet with self-represented litigants for 30-minute appointments to help them understand and navigate the legal process, fill out forms and answer questions. Virtual volunteer shifts are currently available at the Champaign, Madison and Tazewell County Courthouses. Learn more.
This week, we are excited to welcome two new staff members to the PILI team: Hannah Miller as the Development & Communications Associate and Brian Russo as the Paralegal & Intake Specialist.
In Illinois, PILI is the gateway through which the legal community serves. PILI converts gifts of time and money into system-wide positive impact—together, we not only directly serve those who need legal help, but also engage, inspire and empower those advancing equal access to justice.