
PILI Alumni Spotlight: Mark Grossmann, 1997 Fellow
“There are different ways to measure success. We always think of financial measures, but fulfillment is important too. Doing pro bono work is what helps me feel fulfilled as a lawyer.”

Pro Bono Spotlight: Southern Illinois University School of Law
Beginning this fall, students at the Southern Illinois University School of Law will be required to complete 35 hours of pro bono work prior to graduation. This requirement is the first of its kind for a law school in Illinois.

PILI Alumni Spotlight: Cheryl Lawrence, 2007 Intern
“It is truly an honor to work with great people and know that many of our most vulnerable neighbors here in Chicago, who would otherwise be at great risk of homelessness, are now on a better path because of the services we provide.”

PILI Receives $50,000 Grant from the Polk Bros. Foundation
The Polk Bros. Foundation is the largest supporter of this program, with their grant covering the stipends for 9 summer Law Student Interns, plus costs associated with our summer educational and mentoring components of our program.

New Pro Bono Pledge Launched
PILI has launched a new Pro Bono Pledge for law firms and corporations across the state to honor and encourage their commitment to pro bono. The Pro Bono Pledge is being launched in individual judicial circuits in Illinois.

New PILI Newsletter – March/April 2014
Get caught up on all the latest news from PILI, and look ahead with us to what’s coming up in our Law Student Internship, Graduate Fellowship, Alumni, and Pro Bono Initiative Programs.

Pro Bono Spotlight: Prairie State Legal Services
“Legal aid handles cases that affect basic human needs. A pro bono attorney can save a family’s home in the matter of a few hours, or keep someone safe from an abuser. Even working on one case in a year has a measureable impact on a person’s life.”

PILI Alumni Spotlight: Elizabeth Lewis, 2006 Fellow
“My Fellowship made it quite clear to me that pro bono is an essential component of my day to day life and that it is possible to balance pro bono in an otherwise busy schedule.”

PILI Alumni Spotlight: Mario Sullivan, 2004 Intern
“I think it is important that everyone get involved and help end bullying, but I believe lawyers are in the best position to make a difference. Our profession has a history of making a difference and changing the nation for the better of all its people. The legal profession needs to take the next step in ending bullying.”

PILI Welcomes New Board Member Reena Bajowala
Reena, a partner at Jenner & Block LLP, bears the special distinction of being a not just a PILI Alumna, but a “double PILI,” having served as both a PILI Intern at CVLS and a PILI Fellow at the ACLU of Illinois.