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As the comments to Rule 756(f) underscore, the Supreme Court’s pro bono reporting requirement is “intended to serve as an annual reminder to the lawyers of Illinois that pro bono legal service is an integral part of a lawyer’s professionalism.” For attorneys with questions about how to get involved in pro bono and/or make a qualifying financial contribution, some information and resources follow.
Pro Bono Resources
Supreme Court Rule 756(f) broadly defines the four different ways in which lawyers can use their unique training, experience, and skills to help people in need. You can learn more about the many different pro bono opportunities available in Illinois here. In Chicago, visit The Chicago Bar Foundation’s Online Pro Bono Guide or contact the CBF Pro Bono Support Program (312) 554-4952 for help finding a pro bono opportunity that matches your interest, availability, and skills.
Financial Contributions
Attorneys also are encouraged to make financial contributions “to an organization that provides legal services to persons of limited means or which contributes financial support to such an organization.”
There are a variety of legal aid organizations throughout the state providing these services. A list of qualifying legal aid organizations in Illinois that receive funding from either The Chicago Bar Foundation, the Illinois Bar Foundation, the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, or the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation follows below, with links to where you can get more information about the work of these organizations and how to make contributions.
In addition, attorneys can make contributions under the Rule to The Chicago Bar Foundation, which provides financial support for a broad range of pro bono and legal aid organizations in the Chicago area, or the Illinois Bar Foundation, which provides financial support to a range of legal aid and public interest law organizations throughout Illinois.
Legal Aid Organizations in Illinois Receiving Funding from CBF, IBF, LTF, or IEJF
Funders of each organization are identified following each organization's name.
Cook County
- Access Living (CBF, LTF)
- Ascend Justice (CBF, LTF, IBF, IEJF)
- Beyond Legal Aid (IBF, IEJF)
- Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CBF, IBF, LTF, IEJF)
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago-Legal Assistance (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Center for Conflict Resolution (CBF, IEJF)
- Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL) (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Centro Romero-Latin American Legal Assistance Services (CBF)
- Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation-Sexual Assault Justice Project (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Law Project (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Chicago House & Social Service Agency (IEJF)
- Chicago Law & Education Foundation (IBF)
- Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Children's Legal Center (IBF, LTF)
- Chinese American Service League (CASL) (LTF)
- DePaul University Asylum & Immigration Clinic (LTF)
- Erie Neighborhood House (LTF)
- Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project (IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- First Defense Legal Aid (CBF)
- Greater Chicago Legal Clinic (GCLC) (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy (CBF, IEJF, IBF)
- Kane Legal Clinic of the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind (IBF, LTF)
- Ladder Up (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Latinos Progresando-Immigration Legal Services (CBF)
- Lawndale Christian Legal Center (CBF, IBF)
- Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Lawyers for the Creative Arts (CBF)
- Legal Aid Chicago (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services (CBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Legal Council for Health Justice (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Life Span (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- National Immigrant Justice Center (CBF, IBF, LTF)
- Metropolitan Tenants Organization (IEJF)
- Pro Bono Network (CBF, IBF)
- Resolution Systems Institute (IBF, IEJF)
- Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU-Children's Initiative (CBF)
- Shriver Center on Poverty Law (CBF, LTF)
- Uptown People’s Law Center (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Westside Justice Center (IEJF, LTF)
- World Relief/Chicago-Immigrant Legal Services (CBF)
- Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights (LTF)
Outside Cook County
- Administer Justice (Elgin) (IBF, IEJF)
- Centro de Informacion (Elgin) (IEJF)
- Dispute Resolution Institute (Carbondale) (IEJF)
- DuPage Bar Legal Aid Service (Wheaton) (LTF)
- Eldercare Options (Decatur) (LTF)
- Immigration Project (Bloomington) (IBF, LTF)
- Land of Lincoln Legal Aid (Southern & Central IL) (IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic (Highland Park) (IBF, LTF)
- Northern Illinois Justice for our Neighbors (Cook, Kane, Winnebago Counties) (IBF, LTF)
- Migrant and Immigrant Community Action Project (Southern IL) (IBF)
- Prairie State Legal Services (Northern and Central IL) (IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Riverview Center (Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties)
- Southern Illinois University Legal Clinic (Carbondale)(LTF)
- Turning Point (McHenry) (IBF)
- World Relief/DuPage and Aurora Immigrant Legal Services (IBF, LTF)
- YMCA of the University of Illinois (Central IL) (IBF, IEJF)
Statewide
- CARPLS (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Equip for Equality (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Greenlight Family Services (IBF)
- Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (IBF)
- Illinois Legal Aid Online (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
- Public Interest Law Initiative (CBF, IBF, IEJF, LTF)
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