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The Chicago Bar Association and The Chicago Bar Foundation 21st Annual July 23, 2019 21st ANNUAL CBA & CBF PRO BONO & PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDS LUNCHEON CO-CHAIRS Colby Anne Kingsbury Faegre Baker Daniels LLP The Chicago Bar Foundation brings the legal community Kevin M. Robinson together to improve access to justice for people in need Guggenheim Partners, LLC and make the legal system more fair and efficient for everyone. HOSTS Jesse H. Ruiz Through grants, advocacy, pro bono, and partnerships, President, The Chicago Bar Association the CBF accomplishes this by: Carrie J. Di Santo Outgoing President, The Chicago Bar Foundation • Increasing access to free and affordable legal assistance for people in need Steven A. Weiss Incoming President, The Chicago Bar Foundation • Making the courts and legal system more user- AWARDS friendly, fair and accessible for people without lawyers KIMBALL R. ANDERSON AND KAREN GATSIS ANDERSON PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FELLOWSHIP As the charitable arm of the Chicago Bar Association, the Recipient: Sue Pak CBF is the largest voluntarily supported bar foundation in the country. The generous contributions of thousands EXELON OUTSTANDING CORPORATE COUNSEL AWARD of dedicated individuals, more than 200 law firms and Recipient: Sherene Awad Jodrey corporations, and many other committed partners make RICHARD J. PHELAN PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD the CBF’s work possible. Thanks to that strong support, Recipient: Hon. Cheryl A. Starks the CBF awards more than $2 million in grants each year EDWARD J. LEWIS II PRO BONO SERVICE AWARD and plays a lead role in a number of innovative access to Recipient: Steven F. Pflaum justice initiatives. MAURICE WEIGLE EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG LAWYER AWARD Recipient: David Pi LEONARD JAY SCHRAGER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE Recipient: Maureen Kieffer To learn more about the CBF and how you can be a part THOMAS H. MORSCH PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD of our work, visit chicagobarfoundation.org or call Recipient: Lisa Parsons (312) 554-1204. CLOSING REMARKS Bob Glaves, Executive Director, The Chicago Bar Foundation Over the past year, your partnership and strong support of the CBF has continued to make big things possible to improve access to justice in our community. These are just a few Your highlights of the impact and innovation in the CBF’s FY 2019. CONNECTING PRO BONO LAWYERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES IN NEW WAYS Foundation Last October, the CBF and Paladin, different pro bono opportunities a legal tech startup, launched a new organized by subject matter, client online version of the CBF Pro Bono type, and scope of engagement. The Opportunities Guide, a long-time statewide website provides a central pro bono resource for the legal hub for attorneys in Cook County at Work community. The new website (cbf. and beyond to learn about and joinpaladin.com) allows lawyers and connect to the many different ways other legal professionals to easily they can develop their legal skills search through more than 100 and give back to the community. COURT SYSTEM LEGISLATIVE AND ADVOCACY POLICY ADVOCACY Strengthening Innovation in three Key Areas COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP MAKING THE COURTS MORE WELCOMING AND AWARDING MORE THAN $2.3 MILLION IN CBF GRANTS ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS THANKS TO A RECORD-BREAKING 2019 INVESTING IN JUSTICE CAMPAIGN This year’s Investing in Justice $1.56 million, the highest amount Campaign set new records while in the Campaign’s 13-year history. raising awareness and critical Thanks to several dedicated funding for more than 30 pro foundation and government bono and legal aid organizations partners, the CBF was able and related initiatives in Chicago. to leverage those Campaign 150 law firms, corporate legal contributions to make more than departments, and other law-related $2.3 million in grants this year. organizations participated in the These grants will enable tens Campaign, which was chaired by of thousands of people in need Linda Coberly of Winston & Strawn to get critical legal help while LLP. More than 5,200 individual strengthening our community’s attorneys and legal professionals overall pro bono and legal aid joined together to contribute over system for the longer term. As the number of people coming resource for information about into the courts on their own court cases and procedures, the IMPROVING ACCESS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS continues to increase (nearly ¾ fellows have made the courthouse THROUGH THE JEP PROGRAM AND MORE of all civil cases has at least one a more welcoming and navigable unrepresented party today), the environment. The CBF Justice Entrepreneurs a new incubator program, Legal CBF continues to play a leadership The Circuit Court of Cook County Program (JEP) continued to grow Entrepreneurs for Justice, that is role in making the system more Pro Se Advisory Committee and thrive this past year. More modeled in large part on the JEP. welcoming and accessible for continues to work in partnership than 50 lawyers in the JEP network people without lawyers. The Illinois with the CBF to update resources helped over 5,000 clients last year JusticeCorps program helped over and create new ones to better and generated more than $5 million 40,000 courthouse visitors in the connect members of the public with in revenue in the process, further Circuit Court of Cook County available legal and self-help services. underscoring that market-based receive navigational assistance, This past year, new user-centric models are an integral part of the referrals, and legal information, and courthouse signs and referral sheets broader access to justice solution. last year the program expanded its were designed and distributed based The CBF continues to identify operations to a third Cook County on feedback from court partners, and promote promising practice location: the George N. Leighton the legal community, and members models from the JEP in the Chicago Criminal Courthouse. By serving of the public. area and beyond through toolkits, as a friendly face and an accessible trainings, and leadership within the bar. This past year, the CBF partnered with a group of leaders in Colorado and helped them launch A POWERFUL VOICE IN DC, SPRINGFIELD, AND TOP OF THE CLASS: CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF BEYOND THE CBF LEGAL AID ACADEMY For the past ten years, the CBF budgets. This past year the CBF Legal Aid Academy has provided partnered with several law firms free, high-quality training and and other dedicated professionals professional development on Academy programs. Topics opportunities to legal aid included deposition and trial skills, attorneys and staff in the Chicago coping with secondary trauma, and area. This innovative pro bono negotiation skills. The CBF also program harnesses the resources brought in a nationally renowned and expertise of Chicago’s legal expert for an intensive “train-the- community to provide top- trainers” program that will improve notch practice skills training for the legal aid training landscape here legal aid attorneys that would for years to come. otherwise be beyond their limited The CBF’s legislative advocacy work state level, the CBF continued was in high gear this past year, its successful efforts to simplify helping to bring about some positive both statutory language and court changes for access to justice at both processes statewide, advocating for the federal and state levels. On the the removal of unnecessary Latin federal level, the Legal Services and legalese from the Code of Civil Corporation saw an increase in Procedure. The CBF also worked funding thanks in significant with our partners toward a major part to the continued strong, reform to the court fees and fines bipartisan support from the Illinois regime in Illinois. congressional delegation. On the ATTOR HE NE T Y F G O E N E E C I R F A F L O S T A IS T O E N OF ILLI OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF ILLINOIS KWAME RAOUL ATTORNEY GENERAL July 23, 2019 The Chicago Bar Foundation 321 South Plymouth Court, Suite 3B Chicago, IL 60604 Dear Friends, I want to welcome all of those gathered today and sincerely congratulate the Chicago Bar Foundation on the occasion of its 21st Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon. As the charitable arm of the Chicago Bar Association, the Foundation and its many supporters deserve praise for their vital role in helping to ensure Chicagoland’s underprivileged residents have access to our justice system and the legal services they need. The generosity of more than 200 law firms and thousands of individuals make this much-needed service possible. Thanks to Supreme Court Letter their charitable support, millions of dollars have been made available for grants to access-to- justice initiatives. AG Letter Today’s event gives us a chance to pause and recognize the good work done by the CBF as well as the many attorneys who provide pro bono assistance. The Foundation’s support is a key to making possible the outstanding work of Chicago’s legal aid and pro bono attorneys through advocacy, grants and other assistance programs. Thank you, keep up the great work and please accept my best wishes for this important event and your organization’s continued success. Very truly yours, Kwame Raoul ATTORNEY GENERAL 500 South Second Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701 • (217) 782-1090 • TTY: (877) 844-5461 • Fax: (217) 782-7046 100 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601 • (312) 814-3000 • TTY: (800) 964-3013 • Fax: (312) 814-3806 601 South University Avenue, Suite 102, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 • (618) 529-6400 • TTY: (877) 675-9339 • Fax: (618) 529-6416 July 11, 2019 The Chicago Bar Foundation 321 South Plymouth Court, Suite 3B Chicago, Illinois 60604 Greetings! As Governor of the State of Illinois, I am pleased to welcome everyone gathered for the 21st annual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon, hosted by the Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Foundation.