Justice Charles E. Freeman, who had a long and distinguished career on the Illinois Supreme Court from 1990 to 2018 and was the first African American to serve on the Court and as Chief Justice, passed away on March 2, 2020. He was 86. “It is with great sadness that I have learned of the passing of Justice Charles E. Freeman. Charles and I had been acquaintances for several decades before I joined the court, having often attended many of the same social events,” Chief Justice Anne M. Burke said. “However, we became close friends once we became colleagues and I considered Charles to be my mentor. He was a gentleman and a truly gracious individual. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. He was a consensus builder and treated everyone equally and with respect.”

As rewarding as it sometimes is, working with traumatized clients also can be difficult: A client’s trauma can undermine the client’s own goals for representation. And sharing the burden of a client’s trauma can wear on the attorney. But by understanding the nature of trauma, how it’s expressed, and how to respond to it, lawyers can anticipate and prepare for its unpredictable effects. The Illinois Bar Journal’s March 2020 cover article, “The Traumatized Client,” examines what may be taking place in the minds of traumatized clients and introduces several strategies attorneys can use to help the client work through the trauma and focus on the case.

Join us in Chicago or via live webcast from noon until 3:45 p.m. Thursday, March 19 to learn what attorneys need to know about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This seminar is intended for any practitioner working with clients who are veterans or who have otherwise experienced trauma from violence, abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Attorneys at all levels of practice experience who attend this seminar will better understand: what PTSD is and how it affects a person; how PTSD is treated; the practice areas that PTSD is most commonly seen throughout our legal system; and how to address PTSD in clients regardless of the source of trauma.

PILI seeks a managing attorney, who will serve as a member of PILI’s Programs Team, with primary responsibility for managing PILI’s statewide efforts to expand and enhance pro bono. This is a dynamic position that requires both the ability to organize and coordinate at a high level, while also being actively engaged in administration and implementation. The ability to do regular and significant statewide travel, and limited national travel, is required.