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Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI): cultivating a lifelong commitment to public interest law
Greetings!
Since
its founding in 1977, PILI has cultivated a lifelong commitment to
public interest law by creating opportunities for law students and
attorneys to provide public interest and pro bono work in Illinois.
We
hope you will find this e-newsletter informative and we appreciate your
involvement in and support of PILI.
Yours truly,
The Staff of the Public Interest Law Initiative
Susan J. Curry, Executive Director
Michael G. Bergmann, Director of Programs
R. Alex Kliner, Development Associate
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PILI News
PILI's Executive Director Announces Departure and Board of Directors Begins Search for New Executive Director
PILI's Executive Director, Susan Curry, has announced that as of  July 2, 2010, she will be leaving PILI to join the University of Chicago Law School as its Director of Public Interest Law & Policy. PILI is conducting a search for a new Executive Director and is accepting applications through July 31st. The agency has a dedicated staff and board of directors, all of whom are eager to assist and direct PILI during this time of transition. Read more...
Pictured above L to R: PILI Executive Director, Susan J. Curry, and PILI Board President, Stephen D. Libowsky of Howrey LLP.
Call for Nominations for PILI Annual Awards
PILI is
accepting nominations for awards to be bestowed at PILI's Annual Awards
Luncheon, which will be held on Thursday, December 9, 2010. PILI is accepting nominations for these awards through Friday,
September 10th.
- The PILI Distinguished Public Service Award
honors an individual whose commitment to public interest work has shaped
a career dedicated to service.
- The
Distinguished Alumni Awards
recognize one former PILI Intern and one former PILI Fellow for
outstanding contributions of public interest and/or pro bono work.
- The Pro Bono Initiative Award acknowledges
a single entity for its significant pro bono work in the community.
Save the Date: PILI's Annual Awards Luncheon is Moving!
After 15 years in the same location, PILI's Annual Awards Luncheon will be held in a new venue later this year. Each year PILI's Annual Award Luncheon gathers more than 450 members of the legal community to celebrate the best aspects of the profession. The 2010 PILI Annual Awards Luncheon will be held on Thursday, December 9th at the Renaissance Downtown Chicago Hotel. More details will be available in the coming months.
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PILI Law Student Internship & Graduate Fellowship Programs
PILI Interns (first or
second year law students) and PILI Fellows (recent law school graduates) work in and learn about public interest law, and begin what PILI hopes is a lifelong commitment to public interest law and pro bono work. Below is the latest news about PILI's Internship and Fellowship Programs. Visit PILI's website to learn more about the Internship and Fellowship Programs. Summer is in Full Swing for PILI Interns and FellowsThis year's Summer Educational Series began with a kick-off luncheon on Wednesday, June 2nd at which PILI Board President Steve Libowsky welcomed the 2010 class of Interns and Fellows, and John Bouman, Executive Director of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, spoke on social justice advocacy. The Summer Educational Series continues with five substantive law seminars and four additional programs covering topics related to professional development. In addition, PILI Interns and Fellows can take advantage of three events co-sponsored by the Chicago Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society and hosted by local law firms. Interns and Fellows are also busy networking. On Wednesday, June 9, Loyola University School of Law hosted a reception for Interns and their advisors (advisors are members of PILI's Board of Directors or PILI's Alumni Program made up of former Interns and Fellows). Both Interns and Fellows were invited to PILI's annual Celebrating Pro Bono reception on Thursday, June 17. See the complete summer schedule...PILI Announces Honorary and Named Internships for the Summer of 2010In addition to the dozens of law student interns that PILI is able to fund out of its general fundraising efforts with law firms, foundations, individuals and corporations, PILI also is able to designate a number of Named Interns each year, thanks to special funding commitments made by its public interest law partners. Click here to see the 2010 PILI Named and Honorary Internships...
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PILI Alumni Program
Today, over 3,000 law students and graduates have participated in PILI's
Internship and Fellowship Programs. The Alumni Program maintains the connection
between these public interest lawyers, PILI and the public interest law
community. Below is the latest news about PILI's Alumni Program. Visit PILI's website to learn more about its Alumni Program. PILI Launches Alumni Public Interest Law Training SeriesThis year, PILI is launching a training series for alumni to learn about specific areas of law and related pro bono opportunities with public interest law organizations. The second program in this series will be hosted by Jones Day and held on Monday, August 2nd and will feature Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. CVLS will provide comprehensive training for
interested volunteers for serving as a Guardian Ad Litem or representing the petitioner in adult disabled guardianship matters, including written materials, and
will additionally provide attorneys with simple, entry-level cases to
handle. Attendees will received 1.0 CLE credit for this program and lunch will be provided to attendees. Advance registration for these complimentary programs is required. Read more... Calling all PILI Alumni for the First Annual PILI Alumni Reunion Reception at theWitPILI is thrilled to announce that it will be holding its first annual PILI Alumni Reunion Reception on Thursday, September 30 from 6:00pm-9:00pm at theWit.The newest component of the PILI Alumni Program, the Alumni Reunion Reception will bring together current and former PILI Interns and Fellows for an exciting social event. Help us celebrate over 30 successful years of the PILI Internship and Fellowship Programs with drinks, appetizers, and great company. Whether you are a former PILI Intern or Fellow or simply a supporter of PILI and its mission, we certainly hope you can join us. More information and ticket sales are available on PILI's website. Read more...
Alumni Spotlight: 2006 PILI Intern, Kate Pomper
For Kate Pomper, a PILI Internship was an important step on her  path to a career in public interest law. As an Intern with the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Pomper worked primarily on impact litigation cases to preserve subsidized housing and to challenge a procedure resulting in the wrongful termination of individuals' Medicaid coverage. Pomper feels her time at the Shriver Center gave her a valuable introduction to impact litigation, and she has "great memories of my whole experience as a PILI Intern - I learned a tremendous amount, had the opportunity to work on meaningful cases, and met people I continue to respect and admire." Read more...
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PILI Pro Bono Initiative Program
Through its Pro Bono Initiative, PILI works collaboratively with law firms, corporations, public interest law agencies and law schools to create and promote work environments, programs and opportunities that help new associates and seasoned attorneys actualize their commitment to pro bono work. Below is the latest news about PILI's Pro Bono Initiative. Visit PILI's website to learn more about PILI's Pro Bono Initiative.
PILI Develops New Statewide Online Pro Bono Matching System
Pro bono advocates across the state of Illinois now have a new resource to help them serve their pro bono clients. In partnership with Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), PILI has developed the Pro Bono Case Pairing and Mentor Matching System now available at www.IllinoisProBono.org. New pro bono practitioners can use the tool to be matched with more experienced pro bono practitioners who are willing to serve as mentors, and pro bono volunteers can use the system to connect with other pro bono volunteers and share a case or matter. Registration is free, and the system is available to attorneys, law students, paralegals and other legal professionals who register on the website. PILI and ILAO thank the Illinois State Bar Association and Illinois Bar Foundation for their generous support of the project. Check it out today...
PILI Announces Pro Bono Recognition Roster Honorees
As part of its Pro Bono Initiative, PILI is proud to recognize the achievements of outstanding law firms and corporate legal departments through PILI's Pro Bono Recognition Roster. The Recognition Roster grew out of the statement of pro bono principles that PILI previously developed and it former Pro Bono Honor Roll. This year 29 law firms and eight corporate legal departments were selected for the Recognition Roster, and PILI looks forward to adding additional noteworthy pro bono programs next year. While the selection standards are slightly different for law firms and corporate legal departments, considerations include the percentage of staff participation, a significant increase in the number of pro bono hours from the previous year, innovative steps to expand the pro bono program and participation in The Chicago Bar Foundation's Leadership Circle. These law firms and corporate legal departments were recognized at PILI's Celebrating Pro Bono Reception on June 17. Through the efforts of the attorneys, paralegals and legal staff at these firms and corporations, more low-income and under-represented individuals across Illinois have access to the justice they deserve. Click here to see PILI's 2010 Pro Bono Recognition Roster.
PILI's Annual Celebrating Pro Bono Reception a Great Success
Over 250 members of Chicago's legal community gathered on Thursday, June 17, for PILI's annual Celebrating Pro Bono Reception. Special thanks to our generous sponsors who made the event such a success. Representatives from law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools and public interest law agencies as  well as the current class of PILI Interns and Fellows were in attendance at the Ivy Room at Tree Studios to recognize the achievements of PILI's Pro Bono Initiative and our law firm and corporate pro bono partners. The Honorable Dorothy Kirie Kinnaird, Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, delivered the keynote remarks before guests enjoyed a beautiful summer evening in the outdoor courtyard with appetizers and refreshments. Outstanding law firm and corporate legal departments were highlighted in the 2010 Pro Bono Recognition Roster. These attorneys and legal staff are commended for their commitment to supporting pro bono work and increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities across Illinois. Click here to read more about the event and to see our photo album.
Pictured above L to R: PILI Director of Programs, Michael G. Bergmann; Honorable Dorothy Kirie Kinnard; and PILI Board President, Stephen D. Libowsky of Howrey LLP.
Pro Bono Spotlight: Caterpillar, Inc.
PILI congratulates Caterpillar, Inc., the recipient of the 2010 John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award from the Illinois State Bar Association. Although Caterpillar's Legal Services Division launched a formal pro bono program just four years ago, the strength of the program is easily measured by its high participation rate among attorneys, paralegals, and support staff - and most importantly by its impact on people across the state of Illinois. Caterpillar has established multiple partnerships with legal aid organizations and law firms to deliver a wide variety of critically needed legal services. Read more... |
PILI Extended Placement Program
PILI encourages law firms to provide the opportunity for firm attorneys - whether new associates or seasoned attorneys - to be placed at a public interest law organization for an extended period of time in a rotation or fellowship program. PILI provides assistance to firms in developing such programs and in identifying public interest law organizations to host their attorneys. Below is the latest news about PILI's Extended Placement Program. Visit PILI's website to learn more about PILI's Extended Placement Program.
LexisNexis Extends ASPIRE ProgramLaw students and graduates pursuing public interest work are again invited to apply for free access to LexisNexis research tools. Introduced in 2009 , the ASPIRE program is open to law students and graduates working directly for nonprofit or charitable organizations. Eligible Spring 2010 graduates include those currently employed in the public interest sector, those pursuing public interest work while job-searching, and deferred fall associates temporarily working in the public interest sector. In addition, rising 2Ls and 3Ls working directly for public interest organizations may take advantage of the ASPIRE program this year. ASPIRE provides free access to federal and state cases, codes, regulations, law reviews, Shepard's, and Matthew Bender treatises. Read more... |
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Customized Pro Bono Resources and Opportunities
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