https://conta.cc/3rk9y9C
PILI Receives Eviction Response Grant
The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) have partnered to develop a statewide legal aid and mediation response to the impending eviction crisis arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. PILI is thrilled and honored to have received one of these grants and to be part of this statewide response.
Under the grant, PILI is to establish a Rapid Response Eviction Task Force calling for pro bono attorneys to provide legal help through Illinois Free Legal Answers and PILI’s other pro bono opportunities; develop training materials and resources for volunteer attorneys to assist through PILI; and promote eviction assistance available through PILI to the public. Stay tuned for more information and details on how you can help.
Virtual Pro Bono: Highlights from the 2021 Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable
On March 10th, representatives from Illinois in-house corporate legal departments met online for PILI’s Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable. This year, the group discussed promoting pro bono in a virtual world.
Exploring New or Successful Virtual Pro Bono Opportunities
Kenneth Johnson of AT&T led a discussion about corporation’s new and successful virtual pro bono opportunities. Some shared about holding virtual clinics including with Illinois Free Legal Answers while one held a monthly drop in fair where attorneys could log in to learn more about available pro bono opportunities. The group encouraged each other to use the Corporate Pro Bono Listserv to continue to share ideas and opportunities to collaborate. If you are not already a member of the listserv or have questions about it, email PILI.
Challenges & Successes in Encouraging Pro Bono in a Remote World
Brian Budzicz of Zurich North America led the group in talking about what worked and what was hard about virtual pro bono. The group discussed the concern that virtual pro bono opportunities could be seen as less of a commitment. This made it easier for attorneys to participate, but also easier to back out of the opportunity. The group discussed how to encourage pro bono outside of typical in-person recruitment efforts.
Corporate Pro Bono to Advance Racial Justice & Systemic Change
Julie Rosales of John Deere led this discussion about how corporate pro bono could help advance racial justice. The group discussed how many corporations could prioritize anti-racism work and different pro bono opportunities in that area. There was an acknowledgement that in one sense, all pro bono and legal aid efforts assisting those who cannot afford an attorney helps advance racial justice and systemic change. The group discussed the importance of this work.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Corporate Pro Bono Roundtable. Check back soon to register for the Illinois Forum on Pro Bono, which brings together corporate pro bono leaders as well as law firm, agency and law school pro bono leaders.
PILI Alumni Spotlight: Diana Arroyo, 2020 Intern
PILI is excited to welcome Diana Arroyo to our Alumni Network Leadership Council as the 2020 Law Student Intern Alumni Representative. Each year, PILI appoints one Intern and one Fellow from the most recent class to serve on the Council for a two-year term. Diana Arroyo is a student at Loyola University College of Law. She was a 2019 Intern at National Immigrant Justice Center and a 2020 Intern at Legal Aid Chicago.
What have you been up to since your PILI Internship concluded?
Since my two PILI Internships, during the fall 2020 semester, I continued to do public interest work by doing a judicial externship at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District. Currently, I advocate on behalf of children in abuse and neglect proceedings and in custody disputes through Loyola’s Civitas ChildLaw Clinic.
What was your favorite thing about being a PILI Intern?
My favorite part of being a PILI Intern was the opportunity to join a community of law students and attorneys passionate about public interest and creating meaningful change within the multiple systems that impact vulnerable Chicago residents. My experience as an Intern directly led me to want to continue to be involved within PILI’s Alumni Network.
How has your commitment to service played a role in your life and career?
Service has given my career purpose. I think in law school, because of all the work and stress, it’s easy to lose focus of why we chose this career but engaging in direct client representation through public interest work has allowed me to remember why I came to law school—to make justice accessible to everyone.
PILI Alumni Spotlight: Ruben Bautista, 2020 Intern
PILI is excited to welcome Ruben Bautista to our Board of Directors as the 2020 Law Student Intern Alumni Representative. Each year, PILI appoints one Intern and one Fellow from the most recent class to serve on the board for a two-year term. Ruben Bautista is a student at Chicago-Kent College of Law. He was a 2019 Intern at Equip for Equality and a 2020 Intern at the Shriver Center.
What have you been up to since your PILI Internship concluded?
After finishing my most recent PILI Internship at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, I started my last year of law school and began to work in the Office of State Representative Theresa Mah. As the community liaison and policy associate for State Representative Mah, I have been able to work with constituents that reach out to our district office with questions related to state programs or state agencies. I have also been able to help with various community events, such as COVID-19 testing and food distributions. In addition, I have been able to serve as the liaison for State Representative Mah at various community group meetings and events. At the various meetings that I have been able to attend, I have been able to speak about work that our office is doing and share information on various resources and upcoming events.
In addition to working with State Representative Mah, I have been fortunate to have been elected to my childhood elementary school’s Local School Council (LSC). As a member of the LSC at my elementary school, I have participated in conversations regarding the health and safety of students, teachers and staff during this pandemic. In addition, we have discussed ways that our school can continue to support the students, teachers, staff, and community throughout this time.
What was your favorite thing about being a PILI Intern?
I really enjoyed everything that has come from being a PILI Intern. If I had to choose one thing, I would say that my favorite thing about being a PILI Intern is having the privilege to have met so many great people that are dedicated to public interest work. As a PILI Intern, I have been able to join a cohort of so many great friends that are passionate about using the legal tools we have gain during law school to provide representation to communities that have limited access to legal representation. In addition, I have been fortunate to have met so many amazing attorneys that are extremely dedicated to pursuing justice and sharing their knowledge with law students like myself. Through my PILI Internships, I met so many great mentors who have been continuously supportive as I have made my way through the different challenges presented by law school.
How has your commitment to service played a role in your life and career?
I am the proud son of immigrant parents. Despite all the challenges my parents have had to go through, they always managed to do their best to provide for our family and teach us valuable life lessons. One of the lessons my parents taught us was related to the importance of giving back and serving the community. My parents made sure we understood that we should use our education and individual skills to serve our community. As I was growing up, I became involved with the local youth group and served on the group’s leadership team. As a member of the team, I was able to contribute to the group’s plans that were focused on continuing to support the youth growing up in the community. My experiences growing up showed me that whatever path my life took, I wanted my life to be focused on serving the community.
I have been extremely fortunate to be able to pursue a higher education and gain valuable skills throughout my internship experiences. During my first year, I interned with the Children’s Legal Center and worked on helping individuals apply for asylum in the United States. After my first year, I worked with the civil rights team at Equip for Equality and supported the organization’s efforts in protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities. During my second year, I was able to help provide direct legal representation to individuals in the city that were dealing with housing issues. I also was an extern with the ACLU of Illinois where I had to opportunity to support the organization’s efforts in protecting individual’s civil liberties and rights. After my second year, I was fortunate to have received a PILI to intern at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. During that summer, I had the opportunity to work on multiple projects, which included writing legal memos to help inform the organization’s litigation on the public charge rule. Throughout law school and my internships, I have been able to learn so much and gain valuable skills. I am committed to use those skills to continue to serve communities like the one I grew up in.
Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021
Happy International Women’s Day! Women have been a huge part of the legal profession, but they haven’t always been welcome. Additionally, many of the rights women in the United States have today had to be fought for in the courtroom. We listed some of the key historical women and cases here.
Read more about women and the Supreme Court in this online essay »
Introducing Spring 2021 PILI Interns
PILI is excited to introduce eight spring Law Student Interns who are working 200 hours during the semester at legal service agencies in Chicago.
Olivia Alden
Olivia is a 3L at Loyola University Chicago Law and an Intern at MALDEF.
“I went to college with the goal of helping women and girls and knew that going to law school to practice public interest law would be the best way to achieve this goal. I am passionate about the work that MALDEF does and in particular its work in advocating for low-wage, immigrant women, and I am thrilled PILI has allowed me to be a part of it.”
Joe Crawford
Joe is a 2L at Chicago-Kent College of Law and an Intern at CARPLS.
“My greatest takeaway so far from my experience as a PILI Intern at CARPLS is that listening compassionately is edifying for myself as well as beneficial for clients. While working on the CARPLS Legal Aid Hotline, it has been rewarding to talk with so many fascinating people and provide assistance so they can address their legal issues. I look forward to every conversation, and I am grateful that PILI and CARPLS have given me this opportunity.”
Joseph Garcia
Joseph is a 2L at DePaul University College of Law and an Intern at Legal Aid Chicago.
“I enjoy being a PILI Intern for Legal Aid Chicago because of its commitment to helping low-income people secure individual rights to affordable housing, basic healthcare, fair working conditions, protection from abuse, and economic stability. As a member of the Employment team, it has been an honor to advocate for low-wage workers against wage theft, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and emerging employment-related claims in light of the pandemic.”
MariaCarolina Gomez
MariaCarolina is a 2L at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and the LAGBAC Named Intern at National Immigrant Justice Center.
“I chose to attend law school to work with communities that have historically had limited access to legal representation. My internship at NIJC’s LGBT Immigrant Rights Initiative allows me to continue learning and fulfilling my dreams of using my legal education to continue advocating for the advancement of human rights through direct legal services.”
Matthew Landry
Matthew is a 2L at DePaul University College of Law and the Baker McKenzie Named Intern at Cabrini Green Legal Aid.
“I believe in pro bono and public interest work because I believe we should be the change we want to see. For me, that means doing this work.”
Jaylin McClinton
Jaylin is a 2L at Chicago-Kent College of Law and the Mary C. Russo Memorial Intern at the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU.
“I believe in and am motivated to do pro bono and public interest work because I am of the belief that our institutions are of the people, by the people, and for the people. The opportunity to work on behalf of Illinoisans across the state at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois, the state’s principal protector of constitutional rights since its founding in 1926 has been a once in a lifetime experience to live up to the values that have been instilled in me since I was a young person.”
Erin Shiel
Erin is a 2L at Chicago-Kent College of Law and an Intern at the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic.
“I am pursuing a path in public interest work because I think it can be so rewarding to make a difference in someone’s life when they need it the most. To be able to use my education to help others is a privilege.”
We are also excited to welcome Ashley Chong, a 3L at University of Illinois College of Law and an Intern at Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing.
Learn more about the PILI Internship Program »
Learn more about Named PILI Interns »
February 2021 PILI Post: We’re Hiring & Other News
https://conta.cc/3jZJIG2
Happy Valentine’s Day from PILI Alumni
Happy Valentine’s Day! We spoke with one of our PILI Alumni Couples, Sarah Schultes and Ndjuoh MehChu, about their experience as PILIs and how their commitment to service plays a role in their relationships. Sarah was a PILI Intern at the Legal Council for Health Justice in 2013 and a PILI Fellow at the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice in 2015 and is now an associate at Kirkland & Ellis. Ndjuoh was a PILI Intern at the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois in 2016 and is now an associate professor at Seton Hall Law School.
How did you meet?
We met during law school at a cocktail networking event planned by a mutual friend. We would frequently run into each other at the weekly “Bar Reviews” on Thursday nights but we didn’t start dating until over a year later.
What was your favorite thing about being a PILI Intern or Fellow?
Sarah: I loved the policy-type work I got to do during my summer Fellowship at Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice. I really enjoyed having room to be creative when thinking about how our court system could be reimagined or how we could bring more immigrant justice organizations to Chicago. One of my other favorite things about my PILI experiences is the relationships I formed, including with my 1L summer PILI mentor, who continues to be a mentor to me today at Kirkland & Ellis.
Ndjuoh: I had great supervisors and colleagues who allowed me to take on important projects and were patient with my development. As a consequence, I gained critical insight and hands-on experience on issues ranging from child welfare to police accountability. All this directed me to further study and continues to inform my work today.
How has each of your commitment to service played a role in your lives and your relationship?
Sarah: It provides perspective and meaning. It serves as a reminder that there is more to being a lawyer than representing sophisticated clients with disputes that are primarily focused on exchange of money; that there are a lot of individual humans out there with limited knowledge of or access to legal representation but that desperately need a good lawyer to ensure their basic human rights. As lawyers we have the ability to provide that, whether through pro bono, volunteer, or full-time work. As for our relationship, Ndjuoh’s commitment to service is one of the reasons I married him in the first place.
Ndjuoh: As a law professor focused on civil rights and social justice, service is at the heart of my work. It informs my teaching and scholarship and I hope to instill in my students a similar commitment to using the law as a tool to uplift those who are marginalized across various axis of identity.
Learn more about PILI’s Alumni Network »
PILI Among Inaugural R3 Funding Class
Funds to be Used to Bring More Pro Bono Legal Services to Southern Illinois
The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) is pleased to announce that we have been chosen as one of 80 inaugural grant recipients for Illinois’ Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) Program. Through this grant of $29,805, PILI will bring more pro bono legal services to low-income people in Southern Illinois.
“PILI is honored and thrilled to be one of the inaugural grantees of the R3 Program,” said PILI Executive Director Michael Bergmann. “We look forward to working with the R3 communities in our grant territory to expand and enhance civil pro bono legal services to reverse the devastating impact of overcriminalization.”
View the official press release Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority »
The R3 Program was created as a key equity element of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. The law requires that 25 percent of all cannabis revenue be used to support communities impacted by economic disinvestment, violence, and the severe and disproportionate damage caused by the war on drugs, which largely and disproportionately impacted low-income Illinoisans and communities of color. Awardees include nonprofit organizations, local units of government, tax-exempt faith-based organizations, businesses, and other community organizations that serve residents of—or are based in—designated eligible R3 zones. R3 funding is being equitably distributed within these communities to ensure needed services are provided to those who have been most harmed by criminal justice system overuse, including addressing unmet civil legal needs in these communities.
Civil legal issues often go hand-in-hand with poverty, serving as both a symptom and a cause. This has never been more apparent than over the last year increase in unemployment caused by the pandemic. For example, thousands are now at risk of eviction after losing their job. One woman who is eight months pregnant and recently lost her job due to COVID reached out through PILI’s Illinois Free Legal Answers website when her landlord threatened to evict her. “I will be homeless with a newborn if I get evicted,” she said. An attorney was able to explain the current eviction moratorium to her as well as her rights as a renter to ensure that did not happen.
Similar conversations are happening with pro bono lawyers around the state about other civil legal aid issues such as child support, sealing criminal records and debt collection. PILI wants to make sure more people in low-income communities in Southern Illinois have access to free legal aid. PILI’s R3 grant specifically funds the launch of two new judicial circuit pro bono committees in the First and Second Judicial Circuits (see map).
PILI currently has eight such committees throughout the state, which are made up of local lawyers, judges and advocates who work to identify gaps in civil legal aid and created projects to help fill those gaps. Such projects include courthouse help desks, criminal record expungement summits, single-day legal aid clinics and pro bono trainings. Overall, communities with a PILI Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee see an increase in pro bono legal services. More people receive free legal help and avoid the disastrous consequences of unmet legal needs.
Thanks to the R3 grant and other funding, PILI is now hiring an additional Managing Attorney to join its Programs Team of Senior Managing Attorney Brent Page and Managing Attorney Jessica Schneider to help develop these new pro bono committees. These committees will then work with PILI to increase pro bono legal services in their area.
For more information about this and other PILI projects, please reach out to Michael Bergmann by email or at 312-832-5129.