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The Justice Thomas L. Kilbride Public Service Award

Award Criteria

A nominee…

  • Must be an attorney or judge who has dedicated a significant portion of their legal career to the public sector;
  • Must be employed by a local, state, or federal government entity serving the Chicago area on the date nominations are due; and
  • Should be a member of The Chicago Bar Association.

 The recipient will be selected based on one or more of the following criteria:

  • Excellence in the quality of the nominee’s work throughout their career;
  • Leadership and involvement in efforts that improve access to justice and make the court system fairer and more accessible;
  • Contributions in improving the legal profession and helping the overall community; and
  • Lack of public recognition for their dedicated efforts. The selection committee has a strong preference for unsung heroes whose work may not be widely known. Judges in higher profile leadership or other prominent roles and elected officials typically are not considered unsung, although those individuals may be nominated for the CBA/CBF Justice John Paul Stevens Award.

How to Nominate

To nominate someone for this award, submit the online form below together with any of the following documents by Friday, May 1st, 2026:

  • A narrative stating why you are nominating this individual. This narrative should include a summary of how the nominee meets the criteria for the award for which they are nominated including the following: excellence in the quality of the nominee’s work throughout their career; leadership and involvement in efforts that improve access to justice and make the court system fairer and more accessible for all; contributions in improving the legal profession and helping the overall community; and lack of public recognition for their dedicated efforts.
  • A current copy of the individual’s resume or biography
  • A maximum of three support letters
  • Any relevant information about the nominee, such as newspaper articles or blog posts.

If you have any questions or would like to submit additional materials, please contact CBF Director of Pro Bono & Training, Sarah Blair, at sblair@chicagobarfoundation.org.  

Nomination Form