National Volunteer Week, celebrated this year from April 21-25, 2025, is an opportunity for PILI to recognize and acknowledge our own outstanding and dedicated volunteers. Without our vast network of volunteers throughout Illinois, PILI would not be where it is today. Today, we are spotlighting members of our Young Professionals Board who stand for justice by using their own time and talents to increase access to justice.
Brandon Knop
Molson Coors
When & why did you become involved with PILI? I started my involvement with PILI as a PILI Graduate Fellow in the summer of 2017, working with LAF (now Legal Aid Chicago). I loved the opportunity to support a local legal non-profit organization and got hands-on experience in new areas of the law, helping those in the community with housing concerns who may not otherwise be able to obtain legal counsel. Following my fellowship, I joined the PILI Young Professionals Board in 2019 and currently serve as the Vice Chair of the YPB.
How does PILI’s 2025 theme, Stand for Justice, resonate with you? PILI’s Stand for Justice theme for this year resonates with me because it aligns perfectly with where PILI excels—making connections between different aspects of our community to ensure that everyone has access to justice. Importantly, Standing for Justice doesn’t end at ensuring that it is merely available. When we Stand for Justice, we also need to put in the work, actively serving the legal community and encouraging others to take opportunities to join the team in support. The 2025 theme encapsulates these concepts perfectly.
Why do you volunteer? Do you volunteer with organizations other than PILI? In my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to receive mentorship, guidance, and advice from others in the legal community that have helped me become the attorney that I am today. I think it’s important for all of us to do what we can to support our communities and give back in our own way. Everyone has something they can offer others, and as an attorney, we have specialized skills and knowledge that can assist others in many of life’s important moments. In addition to PILI, this year I have been active in supporting Legal Prep Charter Academy’s mock trial program and am involved in efforts to grow my workplace’s pro bono impact, in partnership with our outside counsel and community organizations.
In what ways has PILI helped support or inspire your commitment to public interest law? PILI is a unique non-profit organization in that it seeks to strengthen the connections that foster continued service over the long term. PILI’s impact can be felt not only through the individuals that find access to justice through its programs and partnerships, but also through the development of a culture of service within the legal community. Working with PILI provides an opportunity to multiply the good we can do not only as we serve others, but by inspiring others to serve in the legal community as well. This means more impact for our state!
What is something that you have seen PILI do or be a part of that has really resonated with/inspired/excited you? PILI’s Internship and f]Fellowship Programs were my introduction to PILI and remain one of my favorite PILI programs today. It’s vital to instill in recent law school graduates a sense of responsibility to their communities and to promote justice, and these programs are an extraordinary pipeline for the future leaders and participants in PILI’s and its partner’s clinics, pro bono opportunities, and leadership entities. There’s no better way to introduce folks to pro bono work than to let them experience firsthand how much they can do for others, which will hopefully inspire them to continue a pro bono journey of their own throughout their careers.
Cara Lawson
Steptoe LLP
When & why did you become involved with PILI? I joined PILI’s Young Professionals Board in 2022 because I wanted to take a more active role in contributing to PILI’s programs, as well as the legal aid organizations that PILI supports.
How does PILI’s 2025 theme, Stand for Justice, resonate with you? Standing for justice means taking an active role in creating a justice system that can be accessible to everyone in our community and, particularly, to the most marginalized and vulnerable members within it.
Why do you volunteer? Do you volunteer with organizations other than PILI? Volunteering is a concrete way that I can make an impact in my community. I am also a member of the Young Professionals Board of the Chicago Bar Foundation.
In what ways has PILI helped support or inspire your commitment to public interest law? PILI has expanded my knowledge of the many different avenues available to promote access to justice.
What is something that you have seen PILI do or be a part of that has really resonated with/inspired/excited you? I am very inspired by the reach and participation of PILI’s alumni network. That so many alumni continue to volunteer is a testament to the commitment to service that PILI instills in its interns and fellows.
Kaytee Okon
Littler Mendelson P.C.
When & why did you become involved with PILI? I became involved in PILI in late 2022 through former YPB chair Corey Biller; when the opportunity arose, I couldn’t resist. I first became aware of PILI and its mission in law school and was looking for a way to make a real difference in the community, so joining PILI felt like the perfect fit.
How does PILI’s 2025 theme, Stand for Justice, resonate with you? Prior to attending law school, I worked as a law clerk for the State’s Attorney and saw firsthand the inequities in the legal system, especially when it came to those individuals who were unable to afford attorneys.
Why do you volunteer? Do you volunteer with organizations other than PILI? I volunteer because it allows me to give back to my community, support causes I care about and use my skills to make a positive difference. In addition to my work with PILI, I also act as a mentor for high school students interested in joining the legal field after graduation.
In what ways has PILI helped support or inspire your commitment to public interest law? Through PILI, I have had access to valuable resources, mentorship, and a network of like-minded professionals who are dedicated to making a difference.
What is something that you have seen PILI do or be a part of that has really resonated with/inspired/excited you? Arcade for Legal Aid, of course! Seeing the positive changes PILI brings to the community – and the pure excitement for public interest – is incredibly motivating and reinforces why I do what I do. It is exciting to be a part of something that truly makes a difference.