Hello!
Happy Pro Bono Week! Over the next week, PILI will be working with our Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees to celebrate and recognize the great pro bono work being done across the state. Pro Bono Week is intended to inspire even greater pro bono participation by lawyers throughout the nation. We thank you all for your hard work and dedication to providing pro bono legal services in Illinois!
 
We ask you to take time during Pro Bono Week to find opportunities to get involved within your community. Tune into our events or register for one of our two CLE opportunities next week. Additionally, you can check our website for a list of volunteer opportunities within your circuit in addition to Illinois Free Legal Answers, Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network or other volunteer opportunities.  


Sincerely,

  • Pro Bono Week 2021 is next week! Celebrate Pro Bono Week with us from October 24th through October 30th with PILI. Next week, PILI will be having virtual and in-person events to recognize the great legal aid work being done across the state. Read the itinerary here.

  • PILI is hiring an Administrative Coordinator! This is a full-time position responsible for providing administrative support to PILI staff and its programs. Learn more about this position and how to apply on our website!

  • Mark your calendars for the Illinois Forum on Pro Bono – November 17th from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can review the event details and register on our website.

  • Major Gift Helps Establish PILI’s Pro Bono Program Endowment Fund. An anonymous donor made a very generous gift to PILI that has helped to establish a new endowment fund and honor the memory of one of PILI’s early leaders, Tom Nicholson. Read more.

  • This month, PILI Launched Two New Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees in the Second and Twenty-Third Judicial Circuits. You can read more about both committees in our recent post.
  • Earlier this month, PILI was 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 to host The DuPage Expungement Clinic. The clinic provided free legal assistance to over 100 individuals seeking to clear their criminal record. The generous support provided through the Illinois Access to Justice grant program makes PILI and Prairie State’s participation possible. Check out PILI's Pro Bono Opportunities to learn how you can help.

  • This month, we would like to thank our supporters, including:

  • Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois for supporting our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Work;
  • Illinois Bar Foundation for a special grant to support Illinois Free Legal Answers; and
  • Community Foundation of Central Illinois for supporting the work of our Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee.
PILI was honored to interview PILI Alum Militza Pagán, a staff attorney with the Shriver Center on Poverty Law in Chicago, to highlight her impactful work throughout the state of Illinois. We spoke with Militza about her impactful career as an attorney and community advocate. Militza works specifically on the Economic Justice Team, addressing issues such as immigrant rights and labor protection for low wage workers, specifically domestic workers.
“My role as a lawyer is not to tell people how to solve their problems. People know the issues that most affect their lives and know how they want their problems solved. My role is to be a tool for people to create the change they want for themselves and their families—to support their vision for communities where everyone can thrive.”

Read the complete spotlight with Militza on our website.
Expand Access to Justice with PILI
PILI has numerous volunteer opportunities for attorneys, retired attorneys and judges, and other legal professionals. We invite you to learn more about how to get involved with PILI's pro bono opportunities, especially with Pro Bono Week quickly approaching!

Interested? Find the right volunteer option for you on our website.
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.