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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.

The Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee has named 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. The winners will be honored at the Celebrate Pro Bono Reception on Monday, October 26th at the Renaissance Room in Peoria.

Nominations are due by Friday, September 4th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Abigail Causer by email or at 217-693-6017.

To see past years award recipients, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Can’t see the nomination form? Click here »

*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.”

Past Award Recipients:

2025 Joseph A. Dailing Pro Bono Service Award Recipient: Yolanda Riley

A passionate advocate from Peoria, Yolanda Riley offers free legal workshops and counsel through Peoria Public Schools’ Wrap-Around Center, focusing on family law and expungement to help clients access better opportunities. She also volunteers through the Peoria and Tazewell Help Desks, legal clinics, and the Conflict of Interest Pro Bono Referral Panel. Her work continues the legacy of service embodied by the award’s namesake, Joseph A. Dailing, a pioneer for access to justice in Illinois.

Michael Brandt (2024)
Tamara Meister (2023)
Louis Milot (2022)
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)