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Legal Council for Health Justice

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Chicago, IL
Legal Council for Health Justice

We protect the rights of people with chronic, disabling & stigmatizing health conditions with the law

We use the power of law to secure dignity, opportunity, and well-being for people facing illness and disability.

08/27/2026

Last week, we gathered for our Summer Soirée—and what an evening. 💛

We celebrated our incredible community, the people who make our work possible, and three extraordinary honorees whose leadership and commitment continue to move health justice forward: John Peller, Dr. Pamela Vergara-Rodriguez, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).

We are so grateful to everyone who joined us, supported the evening, and continues to stand alongside Legal Council. Your generosity helps ensure that people across Illinois can access the health care and protections they need and deserve.

And, of course, no Legal Council event would be complete without the team behind the work. Please enjoy this extremely normal and dignified staff photo.

Thank you for making the 2026 Summer Soirée one to remember. We’ll see you next year on May 20—when we celebrate 40 years of Legal Council. 🎉

08/17/2026

At our event on Thursday, w will present the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (ICIRR) with this year's Kimball & Karen Anderson Community Award. Named for longtime Legal Council supporters and champions of justice, the award recognizes community partners whose leadership and collaboration have helped remove barriers to health and opportunity for low-income individuals and historically underserved communities.

ICIRR has been an extraordinary partner in advancing health justice across Illinois. Through its visionary leadership and coalition-building, ICIRR has brought organizations together to respond to urgent threats facing immigrant communities and ensure that every person can access the care and protections they deserve.

Over the past year, ICIRR has led the collective response to escalating immigration enforcement actions, convening advocates—including Legal Council—to meet this moment with urgency and purpose. We are especially proud to have partnered on the Healthcare Sanctity and Privacy Law, landmark legislation that will strengthen privacy protections for patients across Illinois while helping ensure healthcare remains a safe and trusted space for everyone.

Join us on Thursday at the Summer Soirée to celebrate ICIRR and all our awardees.

08/12/2026

We are honored to recognize Dr. Pamela Vergara-Rodriguez with this year's Ann Hilton Fisher Advocate Award. Named for Legal Council's former Executive Director, the award honors extraordinary advocates whose leadership and partnership have advanced our mission and strengthened our communities.

Dr. Vergara-Rodriguez has been an invaluable partner to Legal Council through her work at the CORE Center, where her collaboration, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to patients have helped countless clients access the care and support they need. Her partnership has made our work—and our impact—stronger, and her career reflects a deep belief that compassionate, comprehensive healthcare is essential to achieving health justice. We are proud to celebrate Dr. Vergara-Rodriguez's extraordinary leadership, partnership, and lasting impact on the lives of so many.

07/31/2026

Legal Council for Health Justice recently submitted formal comments opposing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) proposed Medicaid work requirement regulations. Our clients' experiences show that these rules would create unnecessary administrative barriers, overwhelm providers and state agencies, and cause eligible people to lose lifesaving health coverage.

Our comments urged CMS to reject burdensome documentation requirements, protect people with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and people living with HIV, and ensure states have the time and flexibility needed to implement any changes without disrupting care.

Health care coverage should be determined by need—not paperwork.

07/29/2026

This year, we're celebrating three extraordinary champions whose leadership, partnership, and advocacy have helped advance health justice across Illinois. 💙

At the 2026 Summer Soirée, Legal Council for Health Justice will recognize:

🏆 John Peller with the James Monroe Smith Founder Award
🏆 Dr. Pamela Vergara-Rodriguez with the Ann Hilton Fisher Advocate Award
🏆 Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (ICIRR) with the Kimball & Karen Anderson Community Award

Their work has strengthened communities, expanded access to care, advanced meaningful policy change, and helped ensure more people can live with dignity, opportunity, and well-being.

Over the coming days, we'll be introducing each of our honorees and sharing more about the incredible impact they've made. We hope you'll join us on Thursday, August 20, at Sidetrack as we celebrate their achievements and support Legal Council's mission.

🎟️ Get your tickets today: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/legalcouncilforhealthjustice/event/2026summersoiree/

07/27/2026

Every student deserves an education that recognizes their individual strengths, needs, and potential.

We’re proud to see Legal Council for Health Justice and our colleague Barb Cohen included in this important story about the growing need for special education services in Chicago Public Schools. As Barb explains, students with disabilities should be supported in the least restrictive environment—and placement decisions should be based on what each child needs, not on gaps in staffing, training, or resources.

Families should not have to navigate these complex systems alone. Legal Council works alongside parents and caregivers to protect students’ rights, remove barriers to education, and ensure children receive the services and support they are legally entitled to.

This is why we do this work: because access to the right support can shape a child’s education, well-being, and future.

Read the article here: https://www.wbez.org/education/2026/07/18/cps-special-education-chicago-public-schools

07/24/2026

If you are an Illinois resident living with HIV (age 12 or older), we encourage you to complete the new HIV Stigma Survey from AIDS Foundation Chicago. Your anonymous responses will help inform policy and advocacy efforts to address the stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV across Illinois.

The survey is voluntary, confidential, and takes an important step toward building a more equitable future. Participants may also choose to enter a raffle to win one of two $100 eGift cards.

📅 The survey is open through September 30, 2026.

Take the survey here: https://aidschicago.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9N8K2LTzOonyqwu

Together, we can help shape policies that advance dignity, equity, and justice for people living with HIV.

07/17/2026

Are you passionate about health justice and advocating for those in need? Legal Council is hiring for two attorney positions: a Health Policy Attorney and a Staff Attorney.

Visit our website (www.legalcouncil.org) to read the full job postings and learn how to apply!

07/15/2026

Get your early bird tickets! 🎟️

Join us for Legal Council’s Summer Soirée on Thursday, August 20 at Sidetrack! Enjoy an evening of connection, celebration, and impact—with great food, an open bar, and powerful stories from the front lines of the fight for health justice.

🌟 Early bird tickets are just $125 through July 21—grab yours before prices go up!

Every dollar raised supports Legal Council’s mission to advance dignity, equity, and opportunity for children and adults with life-changing health conditions.

Visit bit.ly/26soiree to secure your spot today!

07/08/2026

61 years ago, Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law, a landmark promise that every American deserves access to care. Today, that promise is under attack.

Washington is coming after Medicare and Medicaid with cuts that will devastate our communities. Corporate greed is driving up costs and gutting the care Illinois families depend on. Insurance deductibles have skyrocketed by more than 50% over the last decade and nearly 20 million people are drowning in medical debt.

On July 30th, the anniversary of that historic signing, Chicagoans are joining a statewide day of action to defend what we've won and demand more. Join Legal Council and our partners, community members, and elected champions as we rally together for the real reform Illinois families deserve.

Address

17 N. State Street, Suite 900
Chicago, IL
60602

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13124278990

Website

http://www.legalcouncil.org/

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