On Wednesday, June 1st, PILI welcomed its 94 summer 2023 PILI Law Student Interns and Graduate Fellows and kicked off its Summer Educational Seminar Series with a daylong orientation. Law Student Interns and Graduate Fellows participated in person and also virtually. The orientation and weekly sessions are being generously hosted by DePaul University College of Law.

Executive Director Michael G. Bergmann and Attorney Program Manager Arthur C. Surratt III welcome the 2023 class of PILI Law Student Interns & Graduate Fellows.

The program was a success with the help members of PILI’s Alumni Network, public interest law attorneys and judges who presented educational sessions throughout the day. Topics included understanding poverty in Illinois, why public interest law is important, how to be an effective advocate, conflict management, and a PILI Alumni panel on making the most out of the Internship & Fellowship experience now and into the future.

Our thanks to all who participated and contributed to the educational programming which serves as a base for our Interns and Fellows on which to build from throughout the summer. We hope these sessions will better prepare our Interns and Fellows for their summer positions as well as their lifetime of public interest law and pro bono service.

As PILI Executive Director Michael Bergmann stated when addressing the Interns and Fellows, “Whether providing direct representation services to clients or advocating broadly through policy and legislation, you will make a difference at the agencies at which you work and in the lives of the clients served by or the people impacted by your agency.” PILI’s 2023 Interns and Fellows will collectively generate an additional 33,200 hours of legal assistance this summer.

Learn more about the PILI Educational Seminars »

View past seminars on PILI’s YouTube channel »

Are you a public interest law intern or fellow in Illinois this summer? Sign up for updates and register for our Summer Educational Seminar Series here »

Click here to see the May 2023 PILI Post »

At its April meeting, the PILI Board of Directors elected three new directors to serve on the board:

Sioban Albiol

DePaul University College of Law

Sioban serves as the Asylum & Immigration Law Clinic instructor and coordinator and as the Legal Resources Project director at the DePaul University College of Law. She has represented low-income immigrants for more than 15 years and has served as managing attorney for one of the largest low-income immigration legal services providers in the Midwest. She has developed and conducted trainings for attorneys, accredited representatives and other legal service providers in various areas of immigration law. Herself having been a PILI Law Student Intern, Sioban received the PILI Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001 and supervises PILI Fellows at the Asylum & Immigration Law Clinic.

Joseph Callaghan

Mayer Brown LLP

Joe is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution group and a key member of the Firm’s Mass Torts & Products Liability practices. From 2017 to 2023, he has been listed as a Rising Star and “Top Rated Class Action & Mass Torts Attorney” in Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers publication. Joe also received the 2016 Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service from the Judges of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and his pro bono practice is focused on immigration and current issues relating to LGBTQ+ rights.

David Lindner

Crowell & Moring LLP

David is a partner at Crowell & Moring LLP and is experienced in all facets of patent protection, including litigation, counsel, and U.S. and foreign prosecution. In addition to his IP practice, David is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and is actively involved with various local legal aid agencies, assisting pro bono clients with non-IP issues. David believes he has an obligation to assist individuals of limited means to strengthen his community and provide equal justice for all. In May 2019, David received US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Federal Bar Association: Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service.

In addition, the PILI Board of Directors also recognized a departing director with the honorary designation of Life Director:

Brad Lane

Brad was first elected to the PILI Board of Directors in 2008. After serving in several leadership positions, he was elected president of the Board of Directors and served n that role from 2016-2018. In addition to his leadership and service with PILI, Brad has a longstanding commitment to and passion for pro bono work. For all of these reasons, PILI’s Board of Directors unanimously appointed Brad to the honorary capacity of Life Director. You can read about all that PILI accomplished under Brad’s leadership in a news post at the end of his term in 2018 here.

PILI is most grateful to the following foundations for their renewed support of our work!

The Chicago Bar Foundation

PILI is grateful to the Chicago Bar Foundation for their increased grant of $27,280 to fund two school-year and three summer Internship stipends at the new stipend levels. The Chicago Bar Foundation brings the legal community together to improve access to justice for people in need and make the legal system more fair and efficient for everyone. Learn more about the CBF’s support of PILI’s Law Student Internship Program on their website.

DuPage Bar Foundation

The DuPage Bar Foundation has granted PILI $1,800 to support both the Pro Bono Program and Law Student Internship Program in DuPage County. The DuPage Bar Foundation serves as the charitable arm of the DuPage County Bar Association providing charitable contributions, law school scholarships, opportunities for community service and assistance for members in need.

Helen Brach Foundation

PILI is thrilled to announce that the Helen Brach Foundation has renewed their grant of $15,000 for 2023. This grant will support our Law Student Internship Program, with a particular focus on issues related to children and people with disabilities.

Illinois Bar Foundation

The Illinois Bar Foundation is a longtime supporter of PILI and its statewide work through our Pro Bono Program. PILI is grateful to the Illinois Bar Foundation for their increased support in the amount of $17,500. We share the IBF’s mission to enhance the availability of justice for those without attorneys, and through these programs we work to promote pro bono throughout the state.

Polk Bros Foundation

PILI is thrilled to announce that the Polk Bros Foundation has renewed their grant of $55,000 for 2023. This grant will support our Law Student Internship Program, by funding a total of nine Summer Interns. PILI is so grateful to the Polk Bros Foundation for its longstanding support of PILI and the Law Student Internship Program.

In 1990, May was declared Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by Congress – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

The declaration of a month-long celebration extended the original observance of just a week from May 4th to May 11th, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. May was chosen to be AAPI Heritage Month for several historic reasons, particularly relating to the dates May 7th and May 10th. May 7, 1843 was recorded to be the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States. May 10, 1869, marks the day of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S., which was largely completed thanks to Chinese immigrants. You can learn more about the history of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month here and here.

As PILI celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we want to highlight several “Trailblazers of Justice” in the legal community. These pioneers changed the legal landscape for those in the AAPI community in Illinois and across the United States.

Learn more about Hong Yen Chang here.

Learn more about Emma Ping Lum here.

Learn more about Dalip Singh Saund here.

Learn more about Judge Sandra Otaka here.

Click here to see the April 2023 PILI Post »

National Volunteer Week, celebrated this year from April 16 through April 22, 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.

Thank you to all of those who serve on our Board of Directors, Young Professionals Board, Alumni Leadership, Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees. Additionally, we our grateful to our statewide network of pro bono volunteers who use their own time, energy and resources to provide free legal services through PILI’s pro bono opportunities to those who do not have access to legal services due to financial restrictions or otherwise.

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, PILI is spotlighting several of our volunteers who help us create a community of service by using their own time and talents to increase access to justice. Thank you to these PILI champions for everything they do!

Below they share their thoughts on volunteering and why they volunteer.

Donna Davis

“The longer I do it the more I realize that volunteering isn’t just about “doing good” or fulfilling a sense of obligation, it’s about tapping into some fundamental aspects of my humanity and purpose that brought me to the practice of law – the capacity for empathy, kindness, and generosity – and expressing those in a way that utilizes my skills and resources as an attorney to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those struggling to access legal resources.  I find it rewarding to create real connections and build a sense of community with those who are confronting legal challenges without the help of an attorney.  These struggles are outside of my current day-to-day experiences in the practice of law, so I have expanded my ability to assist individuals both through and outside of PILI and have seen the many statistics around access to justice become non-abstract.  PILI has made it easy to partner in providing these services and to enhance the access to justice in our communities, and I am grateful to support their work in this effort.”

Erin Schumacher Stern

“Volunteering allows me to meaningfully contribute to my community while also feeling personally satisfied that I have skills that can positively impact others’ lives. I particularly enjoy volunteering with PILI’s clinics because of the sense of camaraderie and shared purpose among the volunteers. PILI handles all of the training and logistics so well that I can feel confident in the process and focus on doing the best work I can for each client.”

Tony Frank

“The unfortunate reality is in our legal system, those with more resources receive better outcomes. I’ve always felt it’s important for me to do my part to fight against this inequality in what little ways I can. Illinois Free Legal Answers is a great tool to connect people who have questions with lawyers who can give good advice through a quick and convenient forum.”

Thanks to all of the sponsors and the almost 100 attendees at our Young Professionals Board’s Arcade for Legal Aid event on April 12th! Check out the photos from the event »

Our Young Professionals Board works hard each year to make this event fun and successful to support the work of PILI in expanding the availability of legal services in Illinois for people, families and communities in need through public interest law and pro bono service. Nearly $35,000 was raised from this year’s event, making it the YPB’s most successful event ever!

This year’s event was extra special as we celebrated the fifth anniversary of the establishment of our YPB. The YPB is currently chaired by Judy He of Crowell & Morning who is also an Alum of PILI’s Graduate Fellowship Program. The leadership and commitment of Judy and those who served as chair before her, all of whom continue to support PILI, has been critical to the success of this event and the work of the YPB. We are so grateful to all of the past and present members of our YPB for their support and involvement.

For additional information about the YPB, please contact Jessica Schneider at 312-832-5125 or by email, or you can learn more here »