Chicago Bar Foundation Marovitz Scholarship Awarded

$40,000 Scholarship for First-year Law Student Offsets Law School Cost for Public Interest Law Minded Student

Chicago, IL – Last night The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) presented the 2010 CBF Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Public Interest Law Scholarship to Joseph Gietl, a first year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. As the 2010 Marovitz Scholar he will receive $40,000 in financial assistance payable over his law school career which will enable him to pursue a career in public interest law with a significant portion of his tuition and related expenses paid.  Read more. . .

CBA and CBF celebrate sixth annual Pro Bono Week
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

This week is Pro Bono Week in Chicago to honor the work of thousands of lawyers who provide free legal help to the needy, and to recruit more lawyers to this work and to educate the public about it.

The Chicago Bar Association and Chicago Bar Foundation are offering four events for lawyers this week about pro bono opportunities.   Read more. . .

Our deeds determine us
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

As an attorney facing trial, would you expect to be able to pick your opposing counsel? What kind of impact might this have on the litigant's ability to cooperate during trial? What if your choice of opposing counsel was made halfway through the trial because the original attorney could no longer continue in the case?   Read more. . .

Legal aid groups get windfall from class-action lawsuit
The Chicago Tribune

Funds come at a crucial time for many charities, which have seen funds dwindle but demand increase under tough economy.

The Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago received a $550,000 windfall last week, but it won't be enough to prevent budget cuts amid a climate of declining resources and increasing demand for free legal services.    Read more. . .

Unclaimed settlement money a windfall for legal aid
The National Law Journal

Unclaimed class action settlement money is good news for legal aid groups in Illinois and other states.

The Chicago Bar Foundation announced this week that $3.62 million of the $93 million settlement in Miller v. Royal Maccabees Life Ins. Co. has been awarded to 111 legal aid groups across the country. The case, which involved life insurance rate increases, was filed in Cook County, Ill. Circuit Court and settled in 2008.    Read more. . .

Chicago legal aid groups share in $3.62M windfall
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

Organizations that help provide legal services to the poor in Illinois and legal aid groups around the country will receive $3.62 million in unclaimed funds from a nationwide class-action settlement involving a rate increase on life insurance policies.

This week, five legal aid organizations and foundations serving Illinois are expected to receive a total of more than $1.8 million of the unclaimed funds from the $93 million settlement.  Read more. . .

$3.62 Million Award Provides Key Support to Legal Aid

Unclaimed Funds from $93 Million Portion of Class Action Settlement to Support Legal Aid Organizations in Illinois and throughout the Country

Illinois’ pro bono and legal aid system received a critical boost this week as several organizations received a total of more than $1.8 million from unclaimed settlement funds in the nationwide class action case of Miller v. Royal Maccabees Life Ins. Co. in the Circuit Court of Cook County.   Read more. . .

Chicago Bar Foundation Announces New Officers and Directors for 2010-2011

Kirkland & Ellis Partner Stephen R. Patton to lead a distinguished group on CBF Board from throughout Chicago’s legal community

The Chicago Bar Foundation announced its new slate of Officers for 2010-2011 as well as its new and continuing members of its Board of Directors. Read more...

September 2010 CBF Newsletter

"Your Money at Work" has a profile of Denis Pierce of Pierce and Associates about the gift they made to the CBF in partnership with Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund (ATG) and Codilis & Associates to support several pro bono and legal aid organizations that are working with the courts to help the growing number of people facing foreclosure.

Seven extraordinary lawyers were recognized and honored at The Chicago Bar Association and Chicago Bar Foundation’s 12th Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon held on July 13th. Read more...