Show your love for CARPLS

Hotline Number 312-738-9200

February 2020

Still looking for a new year's resolution? Be a part of our quest to increase access to justice by volunteering or donating to CARPLS! Email [email protected] for more info or visit here to donate.

As CARPLS Paralegal Bob Brown said: " We change lives every day ."

Volunteer In 2020!

Our second volunteer training session of 2020 is February 12! Email [email protected] , or visit here for more information.

As an attorney, you have the skills to significantly impact lives and break down the barriers to justice people often face.

A Look Back, Surging Ahead

Last year, we unveiled our vision to make Chicago the first city in the nation to provide anyone with a civil legal problem access to a free attorney consultation. We’ve been working tirelessly with our partners to make this vision a reality. When we work together, we can do amazing things in communities that need it most.

Staff Attorney Steve Prout summed up our staff pride best when he said, “I love that I get paid to do a job where I provide legal aid services for free to people who really need it.”

As a team, we saw many organizational accomplishments in FY19 (our fiscal year from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019), which included:

The celebration of our 25th anniversary;
63,000 legal consultations, a 12% increase over FY18, and the highest annual total in our history;
9,000 IL-AFLAN consultations (veterans and military service members’ hotline), a 47% increase over FY18;
2,500 senior consultations through the City of Chicago’s Department on Aging referrals
We continue to have 96% client satisfaction

Read the full post here!

Golden Gavel Celebration: May 20, 2020

Help us promote our vision of One Justice Chicago and become a sponsor of our Golden Gavel Celebration on May 20, 2020. For more details, contact [email protected] .

Client Story: "I was finally able to relax!"

Martin, a Marine Corps veteran, called the CARPLS IL-AFLAN hotline because he was worried about his car getting repossessed. Martin is disabled, working only part-time, and he couldn't afford to make the payments.

The CARPLS attorney helped Martin understand his rights and devise a plan of action. He said, " Calling CARPLS was the best thing that ever happened to me. The lawyer was so kind and courteous. I loved being on the phone. I finally was able to relax. Thank you!"

9 Questions with Attorney Mary Jo Rosso

Mary Jo Rosso is a Staff Attorney at CARPLS where she advises clients on our general hotline, administrative desk, and with IL-AFLAN, the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network. As IL-AFLAN Supervising Attorney Karla Chrobak said, "She’s hardworking, she’s compassionate, she’s Mary Jo."

Here are a few questions to help you get to know her.

Where did you go to undergrad and law school?

Northwestern University for undergrad and Lewis & Clark College in Portland for law school.

You studied civil engineering at Northwestern. What made you switch to law?

I knew pretty early on that it wasn’t for me, but I stuck with it because that’s my personality. When I finally took an 'engineering and the law' class, I was relieved because I knew I had found what I wanted to do.

What was your first law job?

I was at Prairie State Legal Services for four years. I worked on a homeless project, which involved assisting with pretty much anything that helped a homeless person improve their self-sufficiency. I did family law, housing, public benefits, unemployment benefits, consumer law, etc. It provided a nice, broad base in the same sorts of issues that CARPLS handles.

When did you come to CARPLS?

2004.

How did you end up here?

I was looking something up for a client which led me to CARPLS’ website and I saw that they were hiring. And I realized it was a much better fit for me.

What is the best thing about your job?

I really like working with people, and I like coming up with creative solutions to people’s problems.

What is challenging about your work?

This can be a stressful job, but it's nice to be able to get out of my comfort zone.

What is one unique thing about CARPLS?

CARPLS is unique in that there’s a low bar to entry; a client makes a call, and they are connected with an attorney and they get some help. Direct services come with limitations and priorities due to staffing limitations and the time involved in that sort of service. CARPLS is able to avoid that so that everyone gets some help.

What do you do outside of CARPLS?

I love to run and be out in nature. It helps with any stress, and I just love to be outside and get out of my head.

CARPLS Hotline: 312-738-9200 IL-AFLAN Hotline : 855-452-3526