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| PILI/CBF Pro Bono Initiative
Monthly E-newsletter |
June/July 2008 |
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Greetings!
This month marks two years since the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) joined with The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) as joint partners in the work of this project. With a special two-year grant of $200,000 and other support, the CBF enabled PBI to expand into a project staffed by a full-time director. Over the past two years, PBI has developed a number of resources for law firms, corporations and legal aid organizations interested in expanding their pro bono efforts, including the Pro Bono Prospectus and the Pro Bono Reference Guide, with distinct versions for law firms and corporations. PBI is hard at work on the final product of the joint partnership - a pro bono best practices guide for legal aid organizations.
Now that we have successfully accomplished our collective goals for the two-year project, the work of PBI will continue on at PILI, where it originally began. PILI will continue to work with the CBF on a variety of pro bono projects, events and programs, and we are confident that we all will be even more successful in our collective pro bono efforts with both the CBF and PILI having complementary positions devoted to pro bono that build off our individual organizational strengths.
PILI looks forward to continuing the many successful programs and resources of the project for law firms, corporations and public interest law organizations as well as expanding our pro bono focus consistent with our mission to cultivate a lifelong commitment to public interest law. We intend to do this by working more intensively with our PILI Alumni - former PILI Interns and Fellows - and widening our working relationships with the state's law schools regarding their public interest law efforts. PILI will continue to publish the Pro Bono Advocate as well.
The CBF will continue to focus its pro bono efforts on serving as the pro bono resource for the CBA and its members; building on this year's successful launch of the Law Firm Leadership Circle and introducing its corporate counterpart, the Corporate Leadership Circle; working with the courts to develop pro bono projects and supportive policies; and acting as a liaison between the private bar and the many legal aid and pro bono organizations the CBF supports. As part of its expanded pro bono efforts, the CBF also will work with law firm professional development directors and legal aid organizations to leverage law firm resources and provide legal aid attorneys with enhanced training and professional development opportunities.
As we move into this new phase, we at PILI again thank the CBF for its strong support of our efforts. Through our partnership, we as a community took many steps forward in bringing the law firms, corporations, legal aid organizations and law schools together to work collaboratively to increase the availability of desperately needed pro bono legal services to help the most vulnerable among us. We are excited to embark on this new phase and hope both of our organizations can count on your ongoing involvement and support.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Bergmann
Pro Bono Initiative Director |
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PBI & Pro Bono News
2008 PILI "Celebrating Pro Bono" Annual Reception A Success On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, PILI's annual reception, "Celebrating Pro  Bono," was held at the Harold
Washington Library Center's Winter Garden Room. Illinois Supreme Court
Justice Thomas Kilbride, an advocate for pro bono legal services and
a former legal aid attorney, delivered remarks at this year's
reception. Over 100 of the attendees were Class of 2008 PILI Interns and Fellows and representatives from many of Chicago's public interest law organizations. Representatives from law firms, corporations and several law schools were also in attendance. Photos: (L) Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride addresses attendees at the reception.
(R) Reception attendees listen to Justice Kilbride's remarks. Photos courtesy of Dan Schwarzlose.Class of 2008 PILI Interns and Fellows Tops 140As part of PILI's largest Intern and Fellow class ever, 86 recent graduates of the nation's law schools have begun their summer placements, working 300 hours at a public interest law organization while studying for - and taking - the bar exam. Another 43 current law students from around the country have also begun their placements, working 10 full-time weeks at these organizations. Combined, Interns and Fellows are placed at over 50 public interest law organizations, mostly in Chicago. As part of the PILI program, Interns and Fellows will attend a variety of educational and social programs throughout the summer. An additional 15 Interns and Fellows participated in the PILI school year program. Click here to see the 2008 PILI Summer Education Program calendar. |
Upcoming Events & Trainings
CBA/CBF Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Luncheon - Save the DateOn Monday, July 14, 2008, members of the legal community will gather at The Chicago Bar Association and The Chicago Bar Foundation's Tenth Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon at the Fairmont Hotel. Co-chaired by Michele Coleman Mayes of The Allstate Corporation and Robert F. Messerly of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, this signature event in the legal community is a unique opportunity to recognize attorneys who exemplify the profession's commitment to ensuring equal access to justice. This year's awards will honor the work of seven unsung heroes from a broad cross-section of the greater Chicago legal community whose dedication to public interest inspires those around them to join in their efforts. For more information about the awards or to purchase tickets to the event, contact Meredith Lovell at mlovell@chicagobar.org or 312/554-1207. Click here for more information on the CBF website.PBI Corporate Roundtable to be Hosted by GECC on August 21stOn Thursday, August 29, 2009, PBI will convene the second Corporate Roundtable Series from noon until 1:30 p.m., which will be hosted by GECC at their offices in Rosemont, IL. Corporate pro bono leaders from around the state are invited to attend in-person or by phone. Advance registration is requested by contacting PBI Director, Michael Bergmann, at mbergmann@pili-law.org or 312/832-5129. Click here for more details.2008 PBI Agency Series: "Engaging Pro Bono Volunteers"PILI and the CBF also will continue to cosponsor the Agency Series, which this year has focused on the recruitment and retention of pro bono volunteers. The second program in the 2008 Agency Series entitled, "Inspiring Commitment," will be held on Monday, September 22nd from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and will be held at the CBA Headquarters. This program will provide insights and strategies on successfully retaining pro bono volunteers. More details will be available in the August edition of the Pro Bono Advocate. Click here to learn more.PBI Semi-Annual Pro Bono Forum Scheduled for Monday, October 27thAs part of the joint project, PBI has organized two programs each year, typically in the Spring and Fall, that bring together pro bono leaders from law firms, corporations, law schools and legal aid agencies to discuss timely pro bono issues and share pro bono best practices. PILI and the CBF will continue to cosponsor these Forums going forward, and we hope you will join us at the Fall Pro Bono Forum on Monday, October 27, 2008. The program will run from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. with a reception for attendees immediately following. The Forum will be held at the CBA Headquarters, in conjunction with the CBA/CBF Pro Bono Week 2008. More information will be available in the August edition of the Pro Bono Advocate. Click here to learn more.The Chicago Bar Association and The Chicago Bar Foundation To Co-Sponsor Pro Bono Week 2008To honor lawyers' pro bono efforts and to educate the public and the legal community about how these lawyers are improving the lives of the less fortunate, The Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) will co-sponsor Pro Bono Week 2008 from October 27-31, 2008. This year's co-chairs are William F. Conlon of Sidley Austin LLP and Marilyn J. Smith of the Center for Conflict Resolution. The 15th Annual CBA/YLS Pro Bono and Community Service Fair once again will be the centerpiece of Pro Bono Week and will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2008 at Jenner and Block. Stay tuned for more details. PILI Annual Awards Luncheon - Save the DateOn Thursday, December 4th, more than 450 members of the legal community will gather to celebrate the best aspects of the profession at the Public Interest Law Initiative's Annual Awards Luncheon. This event provides a forum to recognize those performing remarkable public interest and pro bono work. The Luncheon features several awards to acknowledge those whose work epitomizes the ideal of access to justice for all. The Distinguished Public Service Award honors an individual whose commitment to public interest work has shaped a career dedicated to service. The Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize a former PILI intern and fellow for outstanding contributions of public interest and pro bono work. The Pro Bono Initiative Award acknowledges a single organization (law firm or corporation) for unprecedented pro bono work in the community. This year's Luncheon will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2008 in the International Ballroom at the Fairmont Hotel. Contact Susan Curry for additional details at scurry@pili-law.org or 312/832-5128. For a complete calendar of upcoming events and trainings sponsored by public interest law organizations throughout Illinois, visit www.IllinoisProBono.org. |
| Pro Bono Opportunities
Visit www.IllinoisProBono.org today to find information about available pro bono opportunities throughout Illinois as well as calendar of events and trainings, sample pleadings, written training materials and other valuable resources.
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Pro Bono Spotlight
Pro Bono InitiativeAs the PILI and CBF joint partnership comes to a close and we look ahead to even greater success in our collective pro bono efforts going forward, we would like to acknowledge some of the project's accomplishments and the individuals whose efforts were so critical to its success over the past two years. The Program Planning Team helped to develop, plan
and execute the many programs hosted by PBI over the last two years,
including the Semi-Annual Pro Bono Forum, the Corporate Roundtable Series,
the Agency Series and the annual "Celebrating Pro Bono" reception. The Pro Bono Manual Team developed
the Pro Bono Prospectus and the Pro Bono Reference Guide, with distinct
versions for law firms and corporations. The Pro Bono Opportunities Advisory Team has been working with Illinois Legal Aid Online to develop specialized resources for certain groups of pro bono volunteers, including law students, senior attorneys, paralegals and federal government attorneys. We've also assembled several teams to deliver Pro Bono Technical Consultations to law firms and corporations looking to develop or expand their pro bono programs. Each of these Teams consisted of a cross-section of members from law firms, law schools, corporations and public interest law organizations. We could not have accomplished all of this without those who served on these Teams and we thank each of them for their efforts. Overall leadership and guidance for the project during the last two years has been provided by the PBI Steering Committee. Comprised of distinguished attorneys selected by the joint project partners, the CBF and PILI, the Steering Committee shaped the focus on the project and guided it to success. The Steering Committee was chaired by Kaarina Salovaara of the US Department of Justice and also included Mary Ann O'Connor of JPMorgan Chase, David Erie of Kirkland & Ellis, Tom Howell of the American Bar Association, Eileen Letts of Green & Letts. We are thankful for their support and leadership over the past two years.
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