The Chicago Bar Foundation

08/20/2026

The words we use matter, especially when we’re talking about access to justice.

In his latest Bobservation, Bob looks at the jargon, acronyms, and outdated language that can make our work harder for people outside the legal community to understand. Clearer language helps build trust and brings more people into the conversation about creating a fairer, more accessible justice system.

Some helpful new research just came out on improving how we talk about access to justice issues: the IAALS Justice Narrative Project. Before jumping into the practical tips this new report gives us to communicate more effectively, which I will tackle in next month’s post, I thought this would be a...

08/10/2026

The Investing in Justice Campaign is about more than giving. It's about making a lasting impact while connecting with colleagues and having fun along the way.

For 20 years, Chicago's legal community has come together to fund legal aid, expand access to justice, and change lives. See how people are having fun, building connections, and giving back through the Investing in Justice Campaign.
Learn more: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/blog/doing-well-and-having-fun-by-doing-good/

08/04/2026

The Above the Line Network (ATLN), a joint project of (IAALS) Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System and the CBF, launched the Nonprofit/Sliding Scale Law Firm Webinar & Workshop Series to introduce participants to nonprofit and sliding scale law firms—a proven, sustainable model for effectively serving people who are at or above the income eligibility line for free legal aid. Led by nationally recognized leaders and innovators, these sessions will help organizations explore nonprofit and sliding-scale law firms.

Register for FREE for the second webinar in the series on August 11, which will explore the practical "nuts and bolts" of building and scaling these models.

✅ Register here: https://iaals.du.edu/events/launching-scaling-nonprofit-and-sliding-scale-law-firms

➡️ Learn more about ATLN here: https://abovethelinenetwork.org/

07/31/2026

At this year's Pro Bono & Public Service Awards Luncheon, we celebrated the lawyers, judges, and legal organizations whose work strengthens our community and expands access to justice.

In his latest Bobservation, Bob Glaves reflects on that celebration in the broader context of our nation's 250th anniversary, exploring the ideals that define our democracy and the legal community's role in bringing those ideals to life.

Read more:

As our legal community honored seven amazing lawyers in our community earlier this month at the annual CBA & CBF Pro Bono & Public Service Awards Luncheon, we continued the recent tradition of kicking things off with a song to help set the stage for the event. While this was not Bruce Springsteen.....

07/24/2026

Thank you to everyone who helped make the CBA & CBF Pro Bono & Public Service Awards Luncheon a success. Your support reflects the legal community's shared commitment to expanding access to justice.

Congratulations to this year's inspiring award recipients, and thank you to our sponsors, volunteers, presenters, and everyone who made the event possible.

Read more and see photos from the day: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/blog/a-proud-day-for-our-legal-community/

07/09/2026

Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the Thomas H. Morsch Award Public Service Award: Lawrence Wood of Legal Action Chicago.

"Throughout his career, Larry has played a leading role in shaping housing law for the better. He is a meticulous litigator, crafting numerous appellate wins establishing good precedent for low-income tenants—and, just as importantly, avoiding the creation of bad precedent. Larry is also creative. In Oliver v. Chicago Housing Authority, Larry tackled a problem that had stymied housing advocates for years, achieving a settlement that completely changed an illegal CHA policy and awarded retroactive rent credits to affected class members"

Learn more: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/recipients/2026-lawrence-wood/

07/08/2026

Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the Leonard Jay Schrager Award of Excellence: Theresa Ceko of Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

"A lifelong educator, Professor Ceko’s impact is further magnified by the values and passion she instills in her students. She has mentored generations of law students, teaching them not only courtroom skills but also the power of compassionate, client-centered advocacy. Thanks to Professor Ceko’s guidance, her former students enter the profession with a passion for pro bono and public service."

Learn more: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/recipients/2026-theresa-ceko/

07/07/2026

Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the Maurice Weigle Exceptional Young Lawyer Award: Christina Lopez of Jenner & Block.

"Christina’s pro bono work centers on serving individuals navigating challenging legal landscapes. In partnership with the National Immigrant Justice Center, Christina secured asylum for two clients fleeing LGBTQ+ persecution — one an affirmative case spanning six years through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the other, a defense matter for which Christina developed the case theory, led direct examination in immigration court, and successfully advanced the client’s hearing date. "

Learn more: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/recipients/2026-christina-lopez/

07/06/2026

Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the Justice Thomas L. Kilbride Public Service Award: Renata Stiehl of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

"A near-constant presence at the domestic violence courthouse, Renata strives to make equal access to justice not just theoretical but attainable for all. She does this through a unique blend of everyday service and visionary systemic reform work. Renata often serves as a liaison between the judiciary and the communities impacted by domestic violence, educating judges on the real-world impact of landmark legal changes such as the Pretrial Fairness Act and Karina’s Law."

Learn more: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/recipients/2026-renata-stiehl/

07/02/2026

Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the Edward J. Lewis II Pro Bono Service Award: Joshua Vincent of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP.

"In Josh’s own words, “True access to justice requires meaningful appellate review.” Appellate forms are often filled with complex legal language and procedures, making them extremely difficult for people representing themselves to understand or complete successfully. As chair of the Appellate Forms Subcommittee, Josh tackled this problem with infectious enthusiasm, developing plain language forms that unpresented litigants can easily understand. This was, as one person put it, “nothing short of a revolution of the legal system as we used to know it.”

Learn more: https://chicagobarfoundation.org/recipients/2026-joshua-vincent/