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Make a Nomination

The Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Service Award will be presented to one or more lawyers practicing in the Tenth Judicial Circuit who have provided outstanding pro bono services to low-income individuals or charitable organizations in the last year. Nominations for these awards are now open.

Last year, the Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee decided to name its annual Pro Bono Service Award after Joseph A. Dailing who passed away in 2022, leaving behind an incredible legacy of advocating for access to justice for all. Joe was the founding Executive Director of Prairie State Legal Services. Under Joe’s leadership, Prairie State grew to serve 30 counties, served tens of thousands of people in need and addressed inequities in how government agencies treated people who relied upon services.

You may submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague, and you may also submit multiple nominations. The awards are intended to recognize pro bono legal services rendered in the last twelve months. The pro bono work may be performed through a legal aid agency or on your own so long as it meets the definition provided for in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756*. It only takes 5-10 minutes to complete the nomination form.

Award recipients will be chosen by the Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee and announced in September. They will be recognized at the Celebrate Pro Bono Reception to be held during Pro Bono Week.

Nominations are due by Wednesday, September 13th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jessica Schneider by email or at 312-832-5125.

Can’t see the registration form? Click here »

Past Award Recipients:

2022 Joseph A. Dailing Pro Bono Service Award Recipient: Louis Milot

Louis is a solo practitioner with a busy law practice, and he also is a part-time Peoria County Assistant Public Defender handling a high caseload in Juvenile Abuse and Neglect Court. Since becoming licensed in 1990, Louis has made pro bono representation a high priority. He accepts referrals of pro bono matters from Prairie State Legal Services and the Conflict Panel of the Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee on a consistent basis in the areas of family law as well as other civil legal areas. Louis has provided the Family Justice Resource Center with ongoing pro bono consultation and representation for individuals who have had children removed from their homes due to allegations of abuse or neglect. Louis is exceptionally committed to making the law just, accessible, responsive, and meaningful to everyone in our judicial system.

Kerrianne Waters (2021)
Michael Fleming (2020)
G. Edward Murphy (2019)
Abigail Fleming (2018)
Sumner Bourne (2017)
Jeffrey Krumpe (2016)
Spencer L. Daniels (2015)
Jeremy H. Heiple (2014)

*Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756(f) defines pro bono as: legal services without charge or expectation of a fee to persons of limited means; legal services to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental or educational organizations in matters designed to address the needs of persons of limited means; legal services to charitable, religious, civic or community organizations in furtherance of their organizational purpose; or training intended to benefit legal aid organizations or lawyers who provide pro bono services. According to Rule 756(f), "persons of limited means" are not only those persons with household incomes below the federal poverty standard but also those persons frequently referred to as the “working poor.”