Many people in Illinois, and across the country, need help with legal problems but can't afford it. Or they don't know their problems can be solved via the legal system. Michelle O'Neill reports that's why the Illinois Supreme Court is working with the American Bar Association on a Pro Bono Survey of attorneys in the state.
Lawyers must report time spent on pro bono or volunteer work to qualify for a license to practice law. Illinois Supreme Court Justice, Tom Kilbride, says the need for more attorneys to participate is enormous.
One goal of the survey is to identify ways to expand services, or create new ones, to help more people. Justice Kilbride says lots of attorneys take pro bono cases as part of their civic responsibility, and for the privilege of practicing law. Others may not know how to put their area of expertise to good use.
Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission would like as many attorneys as possible to take the survey. Registered lawyers should have received an email about it early this month. And the survey (here) will be open through March 10th.
The Access to Justice Commission's partners on the project are the Illinois and Chicago bar foundations and the Public Interest Law Initiative.
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