Shana Heller-Ogden, Development & Communications Manager
Julia Kepler, Operations & Development Associate
Katie Pieper, Education & Outreach Manager

    

PILI's Annual Pro Bono Reception: June 18

You're invited! PILI's Annual Pro Bono Reception is just a few weeks away on Wednesday, June 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Ivy Room at Tree Studios, located at 12 East Ohio Street in Chicago. Come celebrate the Illinois legal community's pro bono triumphs with your colleagues from across the state and across the legal profession. We will also announce PILI's 2014 Pro Bono Recognition Roster, which honors the Illinois law firms and corporations whose pro bono work is truly making a difference for Illinois' neediest. Illinois Appellate Court Justice Michael Hyman will be this year's special guest speaker. We will have delicious appetizers and desserts, as well as beer and wine, and weather permitting, we can enjoy The Ivy Room's beautiful outdoor courtyard. Click here to purchase tickets now. PILI is incredibly grateful to our many sponsors whose support makes this event a success.

 

Renewed and Increased Foundation Support for PILI

PILI is delighted to report that the Alphawood Foundation has announced an increased grant award of $15,000 to PILI in general operating support this year! The Polk Bros. Foundation has announced a renewal of its $50,000 support of PILI's Law Student Internship Program, and the Illinois Bar Foundation will also renew its $15,000 support of our Pro Bono Initiative Program. We are so very thankful to these foundations for their support of our mission to cultivate a lifelong commitment to public interest law and pro bono service.

 

PILI Bids Farewell to Operations & Development Associate Julia Kepler

Julia Kepler was hired as PILI's Office Administrator in March 2011, and since that time has had a huge impact at PILI, developing and expanding her role here to include increased financial responsibilities as well as fundraising, event planning, and programmatic support, among many other things. Julia has accepted a position with Renegade Craft Fair as their Operations Manager, and her last day with PILI will be May 30. We will miss her very much, and we wish her all the best in her new position!

 

PILI is Hiring!

PILI is currently seeking a new Operations Coordinator. This is a dynamic position that includes finance and accounting, fundraising and development, and program support responsibilities. Visit our website to view the full job description and to learn how to apply.

 

PILI Welcomes New Alumni Board Representative Charles Golbert

Charles Golbert will be the new representative from PILI's Alumni Network Leadership Council to PILI's Board of Directors. Charles, who works at the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian, is a former PILI Fellow, and has been involved with our Alumni Council since its inception. He is also a past recipient of PILI's Distinguished Alumni Award. We are grateful to Charles for his leadership and look forward to his involvement with our Board of Directors!

      

PILI Welcomes 44 Law Student Interns and 62 Graduate Fellows

PILI's 2014 Summer Law Student Internship & Graduate Fellowship Programs are kicking off soon, with 44 Law Student Interns and 62 Graduate Fellows sponsored by 14 law firms serving at public interest agencies across the state. We look forward to meeting our full summer class at our annual Kick-off Luncheon on Thursday, June 5 at the Chicago Bar Association. Our full summer educational seminar schedule is online, and includes a mix of classic favorite seminars, like Writing for Public Interest Lawyers, and brand new topics, like Legal Protections for Chicago's Homeless and Issues Involved in Farmworkers' Rights. As always, PILI provides lunch for everyone attending our summer seminars. Contact PILI Education & Outreach Manager Katie Pieper with any questions about our summer programming.

 

Sign Up to Receive Information about PILI's Summer Educational Seminars

All public interest law student interns in the Chicago area this summer are invited to attend our lunchtime seminars, and interns not receiving PILI funding can even sign up on our website to receive weekly notices about upcoming programs. Because we provide lunch at each of our seminars, we ask that everyone RSVP in advance. Visit our website to see our full summer schedule. We hope to see you this summer!

 

Intern & Fellow Advising Program Reception - June 11

PILI offers an Advising Program for our Interns & Fellows, matching them with a member of PILI's Board of Directors or Alumni Network to provide them with valuable insights into the Illinois pro bono and public interest legal community, practice areas, career strategies, and initial networking inroads. We will host a reception for Interns, Fellows and Advisers on Wednesday, June 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Contact PILI Education & Outreach Manager Katie Pieper by e-mail or by phone at 312-832-5128 to learn more. Thanks to Loyola University School of Law for once again hosting this event!

     

Save the Date for the Next PILI Alumni Service Project

The PILI Alumni Network's Service Team is partnering with the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic for our next Alumni Service Project in August. Volunteers will prepare affidavits for pro se clients who come in on behalf of DVLC. There will be a lunchtime training on Friday, August 15 with CLE credit available, and participants can choose between volunteering on Monday, August 18 or Tuesday, August 19. More information will be available soon, but for now, save the date!

 

Seeking PILI Alumni for PILI's 2014 Advising Program 

PILI is looking for Alumni to participate in the Intern & Fellow Advising Program. This program matches our summer Interns and Fellows with a member of PILI's Board of Directors or Alumni Network to give them valuable insights into the Illinois legal community, practice areas, career strategies, or initial networking inroads. If you are interested in participating, please contact PILI Education & Outreach Manager Katie Pieper at 312-832-5128 or by e-mail.

   

Alumni Spotlight: Cheryl Lawrence, 2007 Intern

As the Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing (LCBH), a legal aid agency specializing in housing law, Cheryl Lawrence has a great interest advancing and defending tenants' rights in Chicago. Cheryl has been working at LCBH since graduating from law school, first as a staff attorney and then as the Director of Development before becoming the Executive Director two years ago. But before all of this, she served as a PILI Intern at LAF Chicago in their Family Law Project. She gained a breadth of experience interviewing clients, going to client acceptance meetings, writing motions, litigating, and even managing full cases. Click here to read more.

      

Alumni Spotlight: Mark Grossmann, 1997 Fellow

The national head of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP's Corporate practice is making pro bono service a priority for himself and for all of the attorneys in his practice group. Mark Grossmann, who assumed this leadership position two years ago, understands first-hand the powerful difference pro bono work can make for lawyers and for the clients they serve. Mark's own pro bono roots go back to 1997, when he served as a PILI Fellow, sponsored by Katten, at Loyola University's Community Law Center. "One of the things that attracted me to Katten was their commitment to pro bono and the fact that they offered this Fellowship Program," Mark recalls. He said his PILI Fellowship gave him the opportunity to work directly with clients on a wide range of issues. Click here to read more.

      

Save the Date for PILI's Law School Pro Bono Roundtable: July 10
PILI hosts the Law School Pro Bono Roundtable each year to bring together representatives from area law schools to discuss best practices, strategies for successful programs, and opportunities for collaboration. PILI's next Law School Roundtable will be held on Thursday, July 10 from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. at Exelon in Chicago. We will open registration and have more information about this event available on our website soon - check back for updates!

 PILI to Host Summit for Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Chairs
The chairs of PILI's six Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees will meet in Springfield on June 27 for a half-day summit to meet and network, to share successes and challenges, to strategize on possible projects and partnerships, and to determine goals and measurements for success for each committee. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman will address attendees of the Summit. For more information about this Summit or about PILI's Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, contact PILI Executive Director Michael Bergmann.

Save the Date for the PILI Illinois Forum on Pro Bono: September 18
PILI organizes this annual event to bring together pro bono leaders from law firms, corporations, legal aid agencies and law schools from around the state to discuss timely pro bono issues and share pro bono best practices. A networking reception will follow the program. Our next Illinois Forum on Pro Bono will be held on Thursday, September 18 at the Chicago Bar Association. More details and registration information will be available soon on our website.

Pro Bono Spotlight: Southern Illinois University School of Law
Beginning this fall, students at the Southern Illinois University School of Law will be required to complete 35 hours of pro bono work prior to graduation. While many schools encourage, support, or recognize pro bono work, this requirement is the first of its kind for a law school in Illinois. Although the requirement of pro bono service is new to the law students of SIU, pro bono work is not. SIU Law students have a history of public and community service, including pro bono work. Last year, students completed more than 6,000 hours of pro bono work. Click here to read more.

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