The Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Service Awards 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.

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 7th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jessica Schneider by email or at 312-832-5125.

Past Award Recipients:

Kerrianne Waters (2021)

Kerrianne is a dedicated public servant with a depth of experience in the field. Kerrianne has been a long-time volunteer in the Peoria area, taking on expungement cases, participating in clinics, and volunteering wherever is needed. She is committed to helping others and giving back to her community, and regularly takes cases from Prairie State Legal Services and PILI as well as volunteering at PILI’s Self-Represented Litigant Help Desk. In addition to her pro bono work, she promotes the importance of pro bono to other in the legal community.

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.”