By Michael Bergmann, Executive Director of the Public Interest Law Initiative

Save the date for another Pro Bono Week celebration! Coordinated by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Pro Bono Week is intended to inspire even greater pro bono participation by lawyers throughout the nation. This initiative provides an opportunity for legal organizations across the country to collaboratively commemorate the vitally important contributions of America’s lawyers and to recruit and train the many additional volunteers required to meet the growing demand. 

The ISBA has commemorated this national celebration each year by encouraging its members to perform pro bono and by recognizing those who meet the call. More information and resources from the ISBA on Pro Bono Week and pro bono in general can be found at www.isba.org/probono.  

Additionally, several years ago, the ISBA launched its Pro Bono Partner initiative, through which members commit to: (1) seek out the local pro bono legal services being supplied to individuals or charitable, religious or civic organizations in their community; (2) attend or support a recognition ceremony for those who participate in pro bono services in their community; (3) consider attending a training provided to lawyers who provide pro bono services; and (4) commit to joining the efforts to increase access to the legal system. You can learn more about this initiative at www.isba.org/probono/partner. 

In Illinois, there are a variety of organizations that plan events to celebrate the lifechanging pro bono work being done across our state. Some of those events are detailed below and organized by the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), Prairie State Legal Services and Land of Lincoln Legal Aid.

Tuesday, October 18th
PILI’s Third Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono Luncheon
The Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the efforts local pro bono volunteers and celebrate its Pro Bono Service Award Recipient. The luncheon will be held on Tuesday, October 18th from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Leclaire Room at Lewis and Clark Community College with Illinois Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet as our special guest speaker.

PILI’s First Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono CLE & Reception
The First Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this CLE program and reception as part of the Pro Bono Week celebration to increase awareness about the need for pro bono legal services and how volunteers can help in the First Judicial Circuit. The Committee will also celebrate those who have performed pro bono work over the last year.

Monday, October 24th
PILI’s Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Spirit of Pro Bono Breakfast
The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the commitment of local pro bono volunteers and celebrate the Pro Bono Services Award recipient. Attendees will also have the opportunity to do some pro bono work at the event through Illinois Free Legal Answers.

PILI’s Tenth Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono Reception
The Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the efforts of local pro bono volunteers and celebrate its Joseph A. Dailing Pro Bono Service Award Recipient. The reception will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Renaissance Room at the Janssen Law Center in Peoria with Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White as our special guest speaker. Additional pro bono awards from the Peoria County Bar Association, Tazewell County Bar Association and Prairie State Legal Services will be presented at the event.

Tuesday, October 25th
PILI’s Fifth Judicial Circuit Celebrate Bono Week Dinner 
The Fifth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee hosts this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the commitment of local pro bono volunteers and to celebrate the Pro Bono Service Award Recipients. The dinner will be held on Tuesday, October 25th at Mattoon Country Club from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with Illinois Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet as our special guest speaker.

Thursday, October 27th
PILI’s Sixth Judicial Circuit CLE & Awards Presentation
The Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will co-host this CLE program with the Champaign County Bar Association from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 27th in Savoy. The event will commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the commitment of local pro bono volunteers and celebrate the Community Legal Services Award recipient.

PILI’s Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono Reception 
The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, in partnership with the Rock Island County Bar Association, will host this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week and recognize the efforts of local pro bono volunteers whose work has helped to expand and enhance access to justice in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. This event will be held on Thursday, October 27th beginning at 5:30 p.m. at The Axis Hotel in Moline as part of the RICO Bar’s fall meeting.

Wednesday, November 2nd
PILI Alumni & YPB Illinois Free Legal Answers Clinic
Join PILI’s Alumni Network Leadership Council and Young Professionals Board for a discreet pro bono opportunity answering open questions on the Illinois Free Legal Answers site. After answering questions, there will be an opportunity for networking and fun.

Thursday, November 3rd
PILI’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono Reception
The Eleventh Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week and recognize the commitment of local pro bono volunteers in increasing access to justice. The reception is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Bell Tower Room at Epiphany Farms Restaurant in Bloomington on Thursday, November 3, 2022.

Friday, November 4th
PILI’s Second Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono Virtual CLE
The Second Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this virtual program to commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the commitment of local pro bono volunteers, provide CLE training and introduce attendees to a virtual pro bono opportunity. The program will explore the need for pro bono in the Second Judicial Circuit as well as provide an overview of Illinois Free Legal Answers – a virtual legal advice platform to help those in need of legal help – and guidance on how to answer frequently asked questions on the platform in the areas of expungement and sealing, wills and Powers of Attorney, and family law.

Friday, November 18th
PILI’s Twentieth Judicial Circuit Celebrate Pro Bono Breakfast
The Twentieth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will host this event to commemorate Pro Bono Week, recognize the commitment of local pro bono volunteers and celebrate the Land of Lincoln Pro Bono Award recipient. The breakfast event will be held from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. at the DoubleTree in Collinsville in conjunction with the Family Law CLE program being held on Friday, November 18th.

Visit www.pili.org/pro-bono-week to learn more about or to register to attend any of these events, or to learn more about PILI’s Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees. You may also contact PILI Managing Attorney Jessica Schneider at jschneider@pili.org or 312-832-5125.

Want to do a little pro bono to celebrate Pro Bono Week? The Illinois Bar Foundation has been a seminal supporter of Illinois Free Legal Answers. Administered in Illinois by PILI, Illinois Free Legal Answers is a secure website where lower income Illinois residents can ask a lawyer for help with a legal issue. Qualified users post questions about civil legal problems then volunteer lawyers log onto the site – pro bono anytime and anywhere you can access the website - and select questions to answer. It’s a virtual walk-in legal clinic and a great bite sized pro bono opportunity. Log on to il.freelegalanswers.org today, sign up and get started!