Edward J. Lewis II Pro Bono Service Award

2021 – Andrew W. Vail

Andrew Vail has made pro bono service a central part of his work throughout his career. After graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law with honors in 2003, Andrew began working at Jenner & Block, a firm long recognized for its commitment to pro bono. During his time at the firm, he has opened nearly 90 pro bono matters, totaling over 6,500 hours during his career, and averaging nearly 400 pro bono hours per year. Andrew does not shy away from challenging pro bono cases. Working closely with Northwestern Law’s Center on Wrongful Convictions (CWC), he has contributed thousands of hours to help exonerate the wrongfully accused and wrongfully convicted.

2020 – Ken Schmetterer

A partner in DLA Piper’s Litigation group since 2001, Ken Schmetterer has focused his pro bono service on the challenging and often overlooked area of juvenile justice. Through his pro bono advocacy, he has worked for systemic reform to improve outcomes for children released from Chicago’s temporary juvenile detention center seeking a return to school, examined the impact of bail on juveniles and their families, and encouraged courts to consider the unique vulnerabilities children face in legal challenges to the sentencing of children to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the waiver of Miranda rights of students, and the automatic transfer of children from juvenile court to adult court.

2019 – Steven F. Pflaum

“He just makes everything better.” That’s how one person described the impact of Steve Pflaum’s pro bono service over the last three decades. As a partner at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, Steve co-chairs the firm’s Litigation Department and chairs its Pro Bono Committee. He has also chaired the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee, the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility, and most recently, the Illinois Statutory Court Fees Task Force. Between his pro bono service and his committee activities, Steve has volunteered over 3600 hours over the past nine years alone.

2018 – Linda T. Coberly

Throughout her career at Winston & Strawn LLP, Linda Coberly has been a powerful force for change in pro bono and public service. Since she joined the firm in 2004, she has completed more than 2,000 hours of pro bono service and worked on more than 90 pro bono cases. She shapes immigration policy, advocates for the equal rights of women, and defends the rights of the accused and imprisoned—all while serving as the Managing Partner of the Chicago office.