Please Note: This program is for attorneys only. PILI does not provide direct legal assistance through this program. If you are not an attorney, please do not continue on this page. More information is available HERE if you are a person in need legal assistance.

The Illinois Pro Bono Research Alliance is a free program that matches law students with attorneys in need of research assistance on pro bono legal matters. This program is open to private attorneys in addition to non-profits and legal aid organizations in need of research assistance on pro bono and legal aid cases.

This program matches interested 2L and 3L law students with pro bono attorneys who need assistance on a research assignment, from those taking only a few hours, to larger projects. Law students will work directly with the pro bono attorney to assist on the research project.

Our hope is that the program will be a useful resource that encourages more attorneys to engage in pro bono work, while simultaneously providing law students with valuable experience, hours that can be counted towards a pro bono hour requirement, and an opportunity to build their professional network.

If you are a law student interested in doing research on a pro bono project, click here.

Attorneys who are interested in being matched with a law student for research assistance should submit a request below. Once you submit your request, the project will be reviewed and matched with a law student, if available. The Illinois Pro Bono Research Alliance can be used on any non-fee generating civil legal matter where legal services are being provided on a pro bono basis as defined in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756(f)(1).

Please note, assistance is not guaranteed but we will do our best to place your request with a student within a reasonable amount of time.

For more information or if you have any questions, contact Jessica Schneider via email or 312-832-5125

This page has information for volunteer attorneys. PILI does not provide direct legal assistance, nor do we provide referrals to pro bono attorneys directly to the general public. Please do not visit, telephone, e-mail or write to PILI directly with legal questions or requests for referrals as we are unable to respond to these inquiries. If you are a self-represented litigant, you can ask a question to a lawyer through Illinois Free Legal Answers by visiting il.freelegalanswers.org. You can also find more information on different legal issues at www.illinoislegalaid.org.