(L) Kyle Petersen, PILI Board President and (R) Michael Bergmann, PILI Executive Director
On December 10, 2025, nearly 450 members of the Illinois legal community gathered together to celebrate the very best aspects of the legal profession at PILI’s Annual Awards Luncheon. Thank you to all who joined us to celebrate our work and in helping to further PILI’s mission to engage, inspire and empower those advancing equal access to justice.
Thanks to the support of over 50 law firms, corporations and law school sponsors as well as individual donors and supporters, we raised $237,250 through the event to support PILI’s work across Illinois. We are incredibly grateful for the very generous and critically needed support from the Illinois legal community.
At the event, PILI also bestowed its four annual awards as follows:
- Distinguished Intern Alumni Award: Arturo Hernandez
- Distinguished Fellow Alumni Award: Judy K. He
- Pro Bono Initiative Award: Greenberg Traurig
- Distinguished Public Service Award: Justice Mary Jane Theis
Learn more about this year’s recipients »
You can also view photos from the event here »
SAVE THE DATE: In 2026, our Annual Awards Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, December 9th from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.