By Matthew Hulstein

On March 17, the Cook County Circuit Court largely shut down to help stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Many other county and federal courts have also closed their doors. Law firms and legal aid organizations have also shuttered their offices, sending scores of attorneys to work from home. On March 21, Gov. Pritzker ordered all “non-essential” economic activity to cease and for Illinois residents to shelter in place. Hundreds of companies have gone dark, laying off thousands of vulnerable workers. Unemployment applications have surged, and bills will go unpaid.

By Missy Greathouse

Illinois Agricultural Mediation Program—Background and Funding

The Illinois Agricultural Mediation Program (IAMP) is a state-certified mediation program offering mediation and other services to Illinois farmers. IAMP is one of 41 agricultural mediation programs throughout the country serving as a Certified State Agricultural Mediation Program governed by 7 C.F.R., Part 785, under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301, 7 U.S.C. 1989 and 7 U.S.C. 5101-5104. This federal program arose out of the 1980s farm crisis and was authorized by the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987.

By Michael G. Bergmann

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 Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service undertook this initiative to provide a format for showcasing the incredible difference that pro bono lawyers make to our nation, to our system of justice, to our communities and, most of all, to the clients they serve. For more information, visit www.celebrateprobono.org.

By Beverly A. Allen

In 2012, Legal Service Corporation awarded a Technology Initiative Grant to Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, now Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, and its project partners, Prairie State Legal Services, Legal Assistance Foundation, Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), and PSTI to develop a statewide online access system, which would serve as a virtual entryway to the Illinois legal services delivery system. Land of Lincoln Legal Aid serves 65 counties in central and southern Illinois. Prairie State Legal Services serves 36 counties throughout northern and central Illinois. Legal Assistance Foundation serves all of Cook County. ILAO developed a statewide legal services website that serves advocates and self-represented litigants in the state of Illinois by providing access to legal information. The award-winning website functions as a search engine for people to find information and assistance related to their legal problems. PSTI is a company that developed the cloud-based case management software program, Legal Server, that is utilized by the three legal service project partners to manage their cases.