PILI's Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees strive to increase equal access to justice by promoting and enhancing pro bono legal services within a specific judicial circuit by:

• Raising awareness of the need for free or low-cost legal services;
• Identifying and reducing barriers to providing free or low-cost legal services;
• Promoting pro bono legal services and recruiting attorneys and legal professionals to participate in existing pro bono programs;
• Identifying gaps in the delivery of legal services to low-income individuals and families and developing innovative approaches to filling those gaps through pro bono; and
• Recognizing the pro bono contributions of attorneys and legal professionals.

Each Committee consists of members of the judiciary as well as pro bono leaders from local law firms, corporations, bar associations, and public interest law organizations. All of the Committees differ in size and their goals vary depending on the local make-up of the circuit.

PILI has launched Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees in the following circuits. Follow the link to learn more about each Committee, the membership, current projects and upcoming events within the circuit:

First Circuit »
Third Circuit »
Fifth Circuit »
Sixth Circuit »
Tenth Circuit »
Eleventh Circuit »
Fourteenth Circuit »
Eighteenth Circuit »
Twentieth Circuit »

PILI’s Pro Bono Pledge is being launched through our Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, in recognition of the responsibility of all members of the legal profession – from corporate lawyers to law firm lawyers to solo practitioners to legal staff – to increase access to our legal system. The Pledge has been launched in the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Tenth, Eleventh and Fourteenth Judicial Circuits.

For more information about PILI's Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, contact PILI Executive Director Michael Bergmann by email or by phone at 312-832-5129.

Upcoming Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Events:

• Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Meeting

  February 3rd, 2021 - 12:00 pm, at Virtual Event
  The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will meet at 12:00 pm on February 3, 2021.

• First Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Meeting

  February 5th, 2021 - 12:00 pm, at Virtual Event
  The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will meet virtually on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 12:00 p.m.

• Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Meeting

  February 11th, 2021 - 12:00 pm, at Live Webcast
  The Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, February 11th at noon.

• Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Meeting

  February 17th, 2021 - 12:00 pm, at Virtual Event
  The Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, February 17, 2020 at noon.

• Fifth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Meeting

  February 18th, 2021 - 8:30 am, at Virtual Event
  The Fifth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, February 18, 2020 at 8:30 a.m.

• Eleventh Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Meeting

  March 4th, 2021 - 12:00 pm, at Virtual Event
  The Eleventh Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee will meet on Wednesday, March 4, 2021 at noon.

• Illinois Free Legal Answers Virtual Clinic

  March 18th, 2021 - 4:00 pm, at Virtual Event
  The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee is organizing this event for attorneys and NIU law students to jointly answer questions on Illinois Free Legal Answers.