Dear Michael,

Thank you to all who helped us celebrate Law Day on May 1st, when we partnered with the Illinois State Bar Association, the ISBA Young Lawyers Division and the Illinois Bar Foundation to hold a virtual Illinois Free Legal Answers clinic to train volunteers to answer civil legal questions from those in need. On May 2nd, PILI partnered with the Coles-Cumberland Bar Association to hold an in-person Illinois Free Legal Answers clinic in Charleston. Thank you to all of our volunteers for their time and effort! Learn how you can volunteer with Illinois Free Legal Answers here »

We are looking forward to our Annual Pro Bono Reception on June 25th and hope you will join us! At this event, we will recognize those named to our 2025 Pro Bono Honor Roll and Pro Bono Recognition Roster while enjoying drinks, appetizers and networking at the Ivy Room in Chicago. Tickets are available now.

Our Participating Agencies are also getting ready to welcome their PILI Law Student Interns and Graduate Fellows this summer. We will officially welcome them at our Intern & Fellow Orientation on May 28th, which will kick off weekly programming through mid-August.

We are also planning CLE programs and our Intern & Fellow Summer Educational Seminar Series as well as several pro bono clinics. Details are below and you can always find a list of upcoming events on our website. We hope to see you over the next month!

Sincerely,

The Staff at PILI

PILI's Annual Pro Bono Reception is just one month away!

Join us on Wednesday, June 25th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Ivy Room in Chicago to celebrate the inspiring and life-changing pro bono work being done in Illinois.

We are very grateful to this year's event sponsors for their generous support!!

News & Updates

• PILI Received Renewed Support from Several Foundations. We want to thank the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, the Chicago Bar Foundation, the Helen Brach Foundation and the Illinois Bar Foundation for their continued generosity and support of PILI and our work. Read more »

• PILI Announces Our Named & Honorary Interns for Summer 2025. These Internships are made possible thanks to special funding commitments made by individual and organizational champions for public interest law and our Law Student Internship Program. Meet our Summer 2025 Named & Honorary Interns here »

• Register for our Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable on June 11th. Every year, the Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable brings together corporate pro bono leaders to discuss pro bono opportunities and challenges and to share best practices and strategies for successful pro bono programs. Attendees will receive 1.25 hours of Illinois MCLE Professional Responsibility credit. Learn more and register »

• Join us for our 2025 Virtual Pro Bono CLE Series. Our next session, "Vicarious Trauma in Pro Bono," will be held on June 3rd from noon to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. Attendees at this session will receive 1.0 hour of Illinois MCLE Mental Health & Substance Abuse Credit subject to approval. Additional sessions are scheduled for June 24th and July 17th. Attendees are asked to make a small pro bono commitment in return for the free CLE. Learn more and register »

• Self-certification deadline for our 2025 Pro Bono Recognition Roster has been extended to May 23rd. 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. Those named to the Recognition Roster will be honored at the Annual Pro Bono Reception on June 25th. The submission deadline is Friday, May 23rd. Learn more and complete the certification »

• PILI's Educational Seminar Series is open to all public interest law interns! These weekly lunchtime seminars focus on substantive legal topics, career development strategies and skill building relevant to public interest law. Programs are held live and in person at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, and virtual participation is also offered. Sign up »

• Illinois Supreme Court Approves MCLE Credit for Pro Bono Pilot Project through Illinois Free Legal Answers. The Illinois Supreme Court has established the MCLE for Pro Bono Pilot Project effective July 1, 2025 in an effort to help to address unmet legal needs in Illinois by allowing Illinois attorneys to earn MCLE credit by doing pro bono work through Illinois Free Legal Answers for which PILI is the state administrator. Learn more »

Other Upcoming Programs & Events

• May 28th - PILI Law Student Intern & Graduate Fellow Orientation
• May 29th - Franklin County Power of Attorney Clinic
• June 3rd - Virtual Pro Bono CLE Series: Vicarious Trauma in Pro Bono Work
• June 4th - Summer Educational Seminar Series: Bridging the Justice Gap
• June 11th - Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable
• June 11th - PILI Alumni, Interns & Fellows Volunteer Opportunity - The Sharehouse
• June 12th - Summer Educational Seminar Series: Addressing Today's Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Challenges
• June 18th - Summer Educational Seminar Series: A Path Forward - End of Cash Bail, Restorative Justice & Record Clearing
• June 24th - Summer Educational Seminar Series: Ethical Considerations for Legal Aid & Pro Bono Representation
• June 24th - Virtual Pro Bono CLE Series: Ethical Considerations for Legal Aid & Pro Bono Representation
• June 25th - Annual Pro Bono Reception
• December 10th - Annual Awards Luncheon