Hello,

Last week for Valentine's Day we spotlighted John and Jami Gekas, a PILI Alumni "Couple." Their story reminds us that while there are many altruistic reasons to do service, it can also help you bond with your partner. While we cannot guarantee doing public interest law or pro bono will impact your love life, we can't promise it WON'T either. Isn't it worth a shot?

In this newsletter, we also spotlight our 2019 Alumni Council Representatives, open up ticket sales for the Arcade for Legal Aid and thank our numerous volunteers.

As always, we hope you will stay in touch through  Facebook ,  Twitter ,  LinkedIn , YouTube  and Instagram.

Sincerely, 
PILI Alumni Spotlights
PILI is excited to welcome Davina DiPaolo & Sarah Lode to PILI's Alumni Council as our 2019 Alumni Representatives. Davina is a 3L at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Sarah is a first year associate at Schiff Hardin.
llinois 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. It's pro bono anytime, anywhere!   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 are needed in Champaign, Decatur, Madison, Peoria and Tazewell County Courthouses. This is a great bite-size pro bono opportunity with a big impact!  Learn more.
For Valentine's Day, we spoke with one of our PILI Alumni Couples, John and Jami Gekas, about their experience as PILIs and how their commitment to service plays a role in their relationships. Jami was a PILI Fellow at Legal Aid Chicago in 2001 and is now a partner at Foley & Lardner. John was a PILI Fellow at Legal Aid Chicago in 2003 and is now a partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr.
What We've Been Up To

Thank you to our volunteers!
  • HeplerBroom volunteered to help veterans at Legal Help Within Reach in Edwardsville
  • AT&T hosted their first Illinois Free Legal Answers Clinic
  • Deere & Company attorneys got together to answer Illinois Free Legal Answers questions
  • Volunteers from Chapman and Cutler assisted clients at Legal Prep Clinic
  • McDermott & AABA answered 19 legal questions in January at their Illinois Free Legal Answers Clinic

A longtime supporter of PILI's work, the Jerome Mirza Foundation is providing a special $5,000 grant to cover the cost of the upcoming Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees Summit. Read more.