Spring seems to have finally sprung here in Chicago and we're kicking off the season with a bang! Our Young Professionals Board hosted a very successful fundraiser, we hosted our first Legal Help Within Reach Clinic and we've announced our speaker for the Annual Pro Bono Reception in June. All this and more in the newsletter below!

As always, we hope you will stay in touch with us through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Sincerely, 

The Staff at PILI
PILI Announcements
Illinois Supreme Court Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. Speaking at PILI's Annual Pro Bono Reception on June 19th
Certifications Now Being Accepted for the 2019 Pro Bono Recognition Roster
Upcoming Programs
April 24th - Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable in Chicago, 1.5 hours of CLE credit
May 9th - Ask-a-Lawyer Desk Launch and Open House, Champaign County Courthouse
May 14th - On the Table CLE: #MeToo in the Legal Profession, 1.0 hour of CLE credit
Introducing our 2016-2020 Alumni Class Representatives
We're excited to introduce our two newest Alumni Class Representatives, Nicole Joseph and Priya Desai. Nicole and Priya will serve as ambassadors for PILI and will work to foster relationships with PILI Alumni from 2016 to 2020.

Read more.
Guest Post: Stopping Adult Financial Exploitation (S.A.F.E.)

PILI Alum Elise Robie is Staff Attorney at the Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL), where she coordinates the Stopping Adult Financial Exploitation (S.A.F.E.) Program. She wrote about the risks of financial abuse among seniors and how attorneys can help. 

Volunteer Opportunities
Advisors Needed for Summer Interns and Fellows
We are looking for PILI Alumni to serve as an advisor to an Intern or Fellow this summer and to introduce them to the Illinois legal and public interest law communities. Read more.
Volunteer for Self-Represented Litigant Help Desks
Volunteers are needed in Champaign, Decatur, Peoria and Tazewell County Courthouses. Read more.
Volunteer for an Upcoming Legal Answers Pro Bono Clinic
In celebraition of Law Day, lawyers will be trained on how to answer civil legal questions posted on Illinois Legal Aid Online's Legal Answers website. They will then work to research and draft responses. Join us at one of the following:
Assist Clients with Evictions in St. Clair County
In an effort to help more low-income clients through the eviction process, the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, in partnership with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, has launched the Volunteer Lawyer Eviction Project in St. Clair County. Read more.
Thank You for Your Support!
Thank You for Supporting YPB Arcade for Legal Aid
Over 125 attendees as well as sponsors and donors  raised nearly $20,000 for PILI's programs. Read more.
PILI's Legal Help Within Project Reach Kicks Off with Successful First Clinic
On April 8th, 16 volunteers from Rock Island's Deere & Company, Lane & Waterman and Pepping, Balk, Kincaid & Olson took a bus to the YWCA of the Saulk Valley to meet with 11 clients about wills and powers of attorney. Read more.
April Legal Clinic Adopted by Morgan Lewis
Seven volunteers assisted three low-income clients at PILI's Legal Prep Community Law Clinic with legal issues including adoptions and a tort case. Read more.
PILI Receives Funding From Foundations
PILI recently received renewed funding from the Alphawood Foundation, the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Helen Brach Foundation. We are so grateful to these foundations for their support!
From Around the Web
This Law360 article looks at the challenges facing law students interested in public interest careers. Read more.

The 5 How Tos of Trauma-Informed Advocacy
Written by PILI Alumni Class Representative, Sarah Hess, this ILAO article discusses how to help public interest and pro bono clients through trauma-informed advocacy.  Read more.

Do court bans on electronic devices impede access to justice?
This ABA Jorurnal article examines how limiting access to electronic devices can cause difficulties for low-income clients and self-represented litigants.  Read more.

PILI often is asked to pass along job postings looking for candidates with a commitment to service that might be of interest to our former Interns and Fellows. These opportunities might be in the public or private sectors. We will post opportunities on our website as we receive them.  View them here.

Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) | 312-832-5127 | info@pili.org | www.pili.org


Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved.