Legal aid and the fight for equal access to justice has seemed to be in the news more than usual lately! Recent budget proposals from the White House threaten much needed funding for the Legal Services Corporation and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. A contributing writer for  The Atlantic recently wrote an article about how she represented herself in her divorce and PILI's Executive Director Michael G. Bergmann  wrote a response about why that is not always the answer when people cannot afford legal representation. Additionally,  PILI's new help desk was featured on WICS ABC Newschannel 20. All this and more is in the March PILI Post!

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

Sincerely, 

The Staff at PILI
Featured
Buy Your Tickets for Arcade for Legal Aid on April 3rd
Join our Young Professionals Board for a fun evening of networking and games at Hi-Point Game Lounge from 5:30 to 7:30. Read more.


Register for the Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable on
April 24th
The Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable will bring together Illinois corporate pro bono leaders to share best practices and strategies for success. Read more.
PILI News
Apply for the 2019 Pro Bono Recognition Roster
The Pro Bono Recognition Roster honors law firms and corporations that have made significant commitments and contributions to pro bono throughout the state of Illinois.  Read more.
PILI Stands with the Legal Services Corporation and Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Current budget proposals ask for the elimination of LSC and PSLF, two incredibly important programs that are instrumental to ensuring equal access to justice. 
First Legal Help Within Reach Clinic Coming on April 8th
For the first Legal Help Within Reach clinic, attorneys from Moline will travel to Sterling, Illinois to provide basic estate planning services to low-income seniors. 
Read more.
Join Us at the Champaign County Ask-a-Lawyer Desk Launch and Open House, May 9th
PILI's Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee is hosting an open house to celebrate the launch of the new Ask-a-Lawyer Desk. Join us for free lunch and to learn more about this new pro bono opportunity! 
Read more.
Volunteer for Upcoming Legal Answers Pro Bono Clinic
At each of the following clinics, lawyers will be trained on how to answer legal questions posted on Illinois Legal Aid Online's Legal Answers website. They will then work to research and draft responses. 
On March 13th, representatives from Illinois public interest law agencies met at the offices of Katten Muchin Rosenman for PILI's annual Legal Service Agency Roundtable.  Read more.
PILI's Macon County Help Desk Featured on WICS ABC Newschannel 20
PILI's Sixth Judicial Circuit Committee launched this help desk with an open house earlier this month. 
Read more.
Volunteers from Ropes & Gray Assist Clients at Legal Prep Community Law Clinic
Thank you to the volunteers from Ropes & Gray who volunteered together at the Legal Prep Community Law Clinic in March! They assisted low-income clients with legal issues including adoption, HIPAA, adult guardianship and foreclosure. Read more.
Recent Articles on Access to Justice
PILI staff published two articles this month about access to justice issues.

The first, "Pro Se May Be a Solution, But it's Also a Symptom: A Response to The Atlantic's 'The DIY Divorce'" is PILI Executive Director Michael Bergmann's response to a story of woman representing herself in a divorce.


The second, "Pro Bono Is the Key to Expanding Access to Our Courts", was written by Michael and PILI Program Manager Brent Page and published by the American Bar Association. This article is about the barriers that limit access to justice and how pro bono legal assistance can help.

Spotlight on 2018 Alumni Council Representatives
Each year, PILI selects one Intern and one Fellow to serve a 2-year term on PILI's Alumni Network Leadership Council.  

Patricia Varona Garcia is a second-year law student at the John Marshall Law School. She was an Intern at CARPLS.


 

Nidhi Narielwala is a first-year associate at Baker McKenzie. She recently graduated from Washington University School of Law and completed her PILI Graduate Fellowship at the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois. 

Read more about Nidhi.
Around the Web
In Chicago Lawyer Magazine, CVLS' Executive Director Meg Benson writes about the importance of small, individual pro bono cases. Read more.

PILI often is asked to pass along job postings looking for candidates with a commitment to service that might be of interest to our former Interns and Fellows. These opportunities might be in the public or private sectors. We will post opportunities on our website as we receive them.  View them here.

Public Interest Law Initiative | 312-832-5127 | info@pili.org | www.pili.org


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