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A Small Step Towards Reopening Chicago, A Big Step for Honoring Unsung Heroes of our Profession
New CBF Senior Manager of Advocacy & Programs Opportunity
Skate Where the Puck is Going, Not Where It Has Been
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March 15, 2021
JEP Applications are Now Open
The CBF Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP) is seeking entrepreneurial and social justice-minded applicants for its next class of participants who will begin the program in June 2021.
Interested in obtaining the skills and resources necessary to build an innovative and successful law practice? Interested in making a positive impact on your community as a social entrepreneur? The JEP is an […]
Tags: JEP read more ...March 15, 2021
New Supreme Court Rule Expands the Use of Electronic Signatures
When the pandemic arrived last March, we quickly learned how much could be done remotely – remote court, remote school, remote happy hour. However, the pandemic also shined a light on some of the outdated court rules and procedures that prevented basic tasks from working well remotely.
One stark example was the limits on the use of electronic signatures on court documents. In the best of times, this would be an inefficient roadblock to access to the courts, but during the pandemic, it often forced people to put their own health and the health of others at risk or be effectively shut out of the system even in matters that could be critical to their safety and independence.
Tags: Courts | Future of the Profession | Pro Se Advisory Committee read more ...March 3, 2021
Gil Soffer to Chair 2021 Investing in Justice Campaign
The CBF is excited to announce that Gil Soffer, managing partner at Katten Muchin & Rosenman LLP, will lead the CBF’s 15th Annual Investing in Justice Campaign. The Campaign is the CBF’s annual initiative that rallies Chicago’s entire legal community around our common cause of ensuring that everyone has access to necessary legal help, not just […]
Tags: Investing in Justice Campaign read more ...February 24, 2021
Start With Why
You may recognize that as the title of one of the all-time great business books by Simon Sinek. While I highly recommend the book if you have not read it (as well as his TED Talk on the subject), I borrowed his title for this month’s post, because it offers a great roadmap for the next chapter in my 2021 Resolution series: building a better new normal for offices, conferences, and trainings.
Tags: Future of the Profession read more ...February 22, 2021
Thank You Elena and Good Luck!
February brought the bittersweet news that our Director of Development & Communications, Elena Dennis, is going to be leaving us at the end of the month for a new position with LINK Unlimited Scholars. LINK Unlimited is an impressive organization helping African American youth to succeed in high school and beyond, and Elena will have […]
Tags: CBF Staff read more ...February 15, 2021
2020 Selected Legal Aid Highlights
In January, the Chicago Bar Association Legal Aid Committee celebrated the impressive achievements of 25+ legal aid organizations here in the Chicagoland area in 2020. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, these dedicated institutions have demonstrated tremendous innovation and have continued to serve the legal needs of underrepresented communities.
Tags: Legal Aid Committee | Legal Aid Organizations | Success! read more ...January 26, 2021
Cy Pres Awards Continue to Advance Access to Justice Through the CBF
Cy pres awards have played a big part in the CBF’s growth and impact over the years, and this past year was no exception. These awards come from residual funds in class action cases (and sometimes other types of proceedings) that, for any number of reasons, are unclaimed or cannot be distributed to the class […]
Tags: Cy Pres read more ...January 25, 2021
Sustainable Solutions to the Student Debt Crisis
Amidst the welcome national attention and commitments in the new Administration and Congress to tackle the student debt crisis, the CBF held a briefing this month to discuss long-term and sustainable solutions to this overarching problem.
As recent law graduates are fully aware, lawyers often leave school with significant amounts of debt. For those choosing higher-paying […]
Tags: Advocacy | Loan Forgiveness | Student Debt Reform read more ...January 23, 2021
Sixteenth JEP Cohort Kicks Off 18-Month Program
On January 11, the CBF Justice Entrepreneurs Project welcomed its sixteenth cohort into the program. Similar to our last cohort, these four attorneys—Daniel Bruce, Amy Cook, Terra Gross, and India Rios—are eager to take on the immense challenges and need created by COVID-19 by starting innovative, socially conscious practices helping everyday people and small businesses. The new JEPers join over 60 attorneys currently in the JEP Network.
Tags: JEP read more ...January 21, 2021
New Chatbot Offers 24/7 Information and Referrals for Pandemic Related Legal Issues
COVID Housing and Economic Loss Prevention (COVID HELP) is a new online navigation tool designed to guide Illinois residents to up-to-date information and referrals for common COVID-related legal issues including housing, debt, unemployment, bankruptcy, and guardianship issues. Through the website, users can connect 24/7 with a team of chatbots designed and created by legal aid experts to provide answers to common questions and automated referrals for more complex legal issues.
Tags: Legal Aid Organizations | Legal Innovation | Self-Help Resources read more ...