As part of National Volunteer Month, we want to express our gratitude to the many volunteers who help make equal access to justice a reality in Illinois! Over the last year, 80 attorneys participated in one of PILI’s Pro Bono Opportunities and 266 attorneys answered questions on Illinois Free Legal Answers. Many others have volunteered by serving on one of our Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, presenting at CLEs or our educational seminars, or serving as advisors for PILI Interns and Fellows. Each of these individuals contribute to a legal community with a deeply rooted culture of service to best help people, families and communities in need.
We asked a few of our volunteers about their pro bono experience, and this is what they said:
Jennifer Bonesteel
“Volunteering during the pandemic has been eye-opening. There have been so many problems that have arisen for people in their everyday lives and there’s so much more to be done! People need more help both for their physical and mental health during these times and it makes you realize people need to volunteer more than ever!
I like volunteering because it helps reconnect me to the reason I became an attorney – to feel like I’m helping and making a positive difference in my community. It also gives me the chance to discover new legal issues I don’t deal with in my everyday career. People should volunteer for whatever reason motivates them, whether it’s to help, to feel good, to think outside the box, to express their patriotism, or even just to get a break from the everyday routine things they do.”
Jean Liu
“Attorneys are uniquely situated to help others navigate and access legal information, resources, and assistance. In this spirit, I feel personally obligated to help low-income Illinoisans and am grateful to have Illinois Free Legal Answers as a platform to do so. I volunteer with Free Legal Answers because my responses to questions posed by users on this platform are potentially life changing.”
During National Volunteer Month and every month, we are grateful for our pro bono volunteers!
Learn more about PILI’s Pro Bono Opportunities »