PrintDina Merrell
Associate Director
Dina Merrell joined The Chicago Bar Foundation in October 2004 as Associate Director. Merrell oversees the CBF’s grants program, which provides grants to over 40 legal aid and public interest law organizations in the Chicago area. Her other responsibilities at the CBF include: (1) managing the nomination, review and grant process for the CBF's various pro bono and public service awards, public interest law fellowships and scholarships; (2) coordinating and representing the CBF in a number of projects and initiatives to address barriers to access to justice and emerging issues; (3) promoting pro bono work and (4) providing staff assistance to the Chicago Bar Association’s Legal Aid Committee. Recently, Merrell co-authored a statewide study of recruitment and retention trends and challenges in Illinois' legal aid community, Investing in Justice: A Framework for Effective Recruitment and Retention of Illinois Legal Aid Attorneys. In her role as Associate Director, Merrell also assists the Executive Director with management of staff and volunteers, including overseeing human resources,
Prior to joining The Chicago Bar Foundation, Merrell served as Director of the American Bar Association Center for Pro Bono, a national support center providing technical assistance and means for encouraging pro bono activity to pro bono programs, bar associations, law schools and other segments of the legal profession. She began her service at the ABA in 1999, first serving as an Assistant Staff Counsel until 2002 and then serving as the Center's Director from 2002-2004. From 2001-2003, Merrell also served as Counsel to the ABA Commission on Loan Repayment and Forgiveness, which was established in August 2001 by then-ABA President Robert Hirshon to examine law graduates' debt burdens and the extent to which debt impedes graduates' ability to pursue and remain in public service legal careers. During her tenure at the ABA, Merrell developed and presented many trainings and programs focused on promoting and supporting pro bono and public service efforts by lawyers and law students. She also oversaw the development of many ABA publications designed to promote and enhance pro bono and public service law within the private bar and law school communities.
Prior to joining the ABA staff in 1999, she served as Special Counsel to the Guardian of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and as a Staff Attorney at Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. Merrell graduated with honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1995 and in 1987, earned a B.S. from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). She has resided in Chicago since 1989.
Prior to joining The Chicago Bar Foundation, Merrell served as Director of the American Bar Association Center for Pro Bono, a national support center providing technical assistance and means for encouraging pro bono activity to pro bono programs, bar associations, law schools and other segments of the legal profession. She began her service at the ABA in 1999, first serving as an Assistant Staff Counsel until 2002 and then serving as the Center's Director from 2002-2004. From 2001-2003, Merrell also served as Counsel to the ABA Commission on Loan Repayment and Forgiveness, which was established in August 2001 by then-ABA President Robert Hirshon to examine law graduates' debt burdens and the extent to which debt impedes graduates' ability to pursue and remain in public service legal careers. During her tenure at the ABA, Merrell developed and presented many trainings and programs focused on promoting and supporting pro bono and public service efforts by lawyers and law students. She also oversaw the development of many ABA publications designed to promote and enhance pro bono and public service law within the private bar and law school communities.
Prior to joining the ABA staff in 1999, she served as Special Counsel to the Guardian of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and as a Staff Attorney at Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. Merrell graduated with honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1995 and in 1987, earned a B.S. from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). She has resided in Chicago since 1989.