Every day, thousands of Illinois lawyers go above and beyond to make an impact in pro bono or public interest law. If you know a lawyer or legal program whose dedication to service, fairness, and justice should be recognized, consider nominating them for a PILI Award.
Each year, the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) presents several awards that celebrate the outstanding public service work of lawyers and legal programs throughout Illinois. The 2021 awards will celebrate the following:
The Distinguished Public Service Award
- The award honors an individual whose commitment to public interest work has shaped a career dedicated to service. Make a nomination here.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards
- The awards recognize one former PILI intern and one former PILI Fellow for outstanding contributions of public interest and/or pro bono work. Make a nomination here.
The Pro Bono Initiative Award
- The award acknowledges a single entity for its significant pro bono work in the community. Make a nomination here.
Nominations will be accepted until Friday, October 1.
The Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Awards
In addition, five Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees will be presenting circuit-wide pro bono awards to one or more lawyers who have provided outstanding pro bono services to low-income individuals and charitable organizations in their respective judicial circuits. These include:
- Third Judicial Circuit (Bond and Madison counties) nominations
- Fifth Judicial Circuit (Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Edgar, and Vermilion counties) nominations
- Sixth Judicial Circuit (Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties) nominations
- Tenth Judicial Circuit (Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, and Tazwell counties) nominations
- Eighteenth Judicial Circuit (DuPage County) nominations
Nominations for the Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee Awards will be accepted until Tuesday, September 7.
The awards will be presented at PILI’s 2021 Annual Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, December 1.
If you have any questions, please contact PILI’s Senior Manager for External Relations Lauren Harper by email or by phone at 312-832-5131.
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