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The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) recently launched the Illinois Pro Bono Research Alliance, which matches Illinois law school student volunteers with attorneys in need of research assistance on pro bono legal matters.
Nominations are open for PILI awards to recognize attorneys and legal programs making outstanding contributions in pro bono and public interest law across the state of Illinois. Attorneys can either submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague.
PILI Annual Awards
Every year, PILI presents several awards to acknowledge lawyers and legal programs. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 6.
The Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) and Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) have announced their combined efforts to further the impact of Free Legal Answers in Illinois. After establishing this project in Illinois in 2017 and building a solid foundation for its future, ILAO will transition the state administrator role for the site to PILI as of Aug. 1, 2019.
At that time, PILI will take over the day-to-day operations of the site including volunteer recruitment, management and training with the help of funding from the IBF. ILAO will continue to contribute support through www.IllinoisLegalAid.org by providing client referrals and being a resource for pro bono volunteers answering questions through the site.
PILI will grant $309,000 to fund 60 law student interns at 28 public interest law organizations across Illinois during the 2018-19 academic year and the summer of 2019.
PILI’s Law Student Internship Program connects law students from across the country with public interest law agencies in Illinois and pays them for their work.
Nominations are open for PILI awards to recognize attorneys and legal programs making outstanding contributions in pro bono and public interest law across the state of Illinois. Attorneys can either submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague.
PILI Annual Awards
Every year, PILI presents several awards to acknowledge lawyers and legal programs. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 14.
The Twentieth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee is convening for the first time on Tuesday, June 26, to focus on increasing pro bono services in Monroe, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties.
This group, composed of local lawyers and judges, will plan pro bono trainings, volunteer opportunities, and pro bono recognition events to promote and enhance pro bono legal services locally.
The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) honored 45 law firms and corporations named to the 2018 Pro Bono Recognition Roster during their Annual Pro Bono Reception on June 20.
Those named represented substantial pro bono contributions that are making a difference in addressing the legal needs of low-income and underrepresented Illinoisans.
The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) recently announced that the organization is a member of the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN).
IL-AFLAN provides civil legal services across Illinois to veterans, active duty military and their spouses and dependents. It is a network comprised of legal aid organizations and law school clinics across Illinois. Support for PILI’s participation in IL-AFLAN is underwritten by the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation.
In much of Illinois outside of Cook County, there is only one legal service agency serving low-income people with civil (non-criminal) legal needs. Due to ethics rules, these organizations sometimes have to turn a potential client away due to a conflict of interest. Hundreds of potential clients are denied services in Illinois every year for this reason.
There are a number of scenarios in which a conflict of interest may arise that would prevent the local legal aid office from providing assistance. One example would be where that office is already providing representation to another party in the same legal matter.
The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) will grant $306,000 to fund 59 law student interns at 28 public interest law agencies across Illinois in the coming year. This amount includes the implementation of the second phase of our planned funding increase, as well as three new Internship placements.