Pro Bono Network

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Pro Bono Network

We create flexible pro bono opportunities, removing barriers to attorney volunteerism, to serve people in need. https://linktr.ee/probononetwork

More than 85 percent* of the civil legal needs of low-income Americans go unmet every year. The legal aid community cannot meet the large and increasing demand for its services. And many attorneys want to provide pro bono legal services, but they lack a workable model to do so. Pro Bono Network (PBN) provides the link between attorneys who want to help and the needs of the clients and legal aid co

mmunity. We remove barriers and provide the support structure to make it easier for volunteer attorneys to help low-income people receive critical legal services. We work with attorneys, many of whom are taking time off to care for children or elderly family members, have retired, or who work in legal settings unable to provide the support they need. PBN’s model facilitates access to justice for more clients, and access to workable volunteering opportunities for more attorneys.

* The Justice Gap: Measuring the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-income Americans, Legal Services Corporation, 2017. https://www.lsc.gov/media-center/publications/2017-justice-gap-report

06/22/2026

Pro Bono Network staff have had the opportunity to attend a few fantastic events hosted by our partners these past couple of weeks!

Molly MacCready, Sheila Pont, and Katie Dinkel attended Legal Aid Chicago's Annual Luncheon in downtown Chicago, where four (yes, four!) of PBN's volunteers were named 2026 Volunteer of the Year for various legal projects: Robin Spencer for the Austin Legal Clinic, Vani Sahi and Maciej Sokolowski for Divorce Litigation, and Hannah Amundsen for Op Litigation. Staff were so excited to celebrate our wonderful volunteer attorneys.
- To Robin, Vani, Maciej, and Hannah - Congratulations! You are shining examples of the power of attorney volunteerism.
- To King & Spalding - thanks for welcoming us to your table and thanks for your continued support of our mission!

Molly MacCready and Sheila Pont also attended the Justice Celebration of Courage event, and are pictured with Elizabeth Yoo (PBN volunteer and Ascend Justice Senior Attorney) and Angelica Gonzalez-Lopez (Ascend Justice's Managing Director of Immigration and Client Support Division). Molly and Sheila were very happy to celebrate Ascend Justice's incredible work and to connect with so many staff members of Ascend Justice, where we currently have 2 active projects (one within immigration and one within family law).

Our team was grateful to participate in both of these events and loved connecting with more members of the Chicago legal community. We are so proud of these partnerships that make our work possible!

Want to learn more about PBN's partners? Visit https://www.pbnetwork.org/how-we-work for more info on our partnership model and how we collaborate with partner legal aid agencies.

06/19/2026

Today, we honor Juneteenth - a day of celebration, remembrance, and reflection. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

As we celebrate Black freedom and resilience, we also recognize the ongoing work required to dismantle barriers to justice and opportunity. At Pro Bono Network, we believe access to legal help should not depend on race, ethnicity, income, gender, religion, etc. We remain committed to advancing equity by working with our partners to design and deliver legal services that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.

Today, we honor Juneteenth by reflecting on our nation's history, celebrating the progress made, and recommitting ourselves to the work that still lies ahead.

Visit pbnetwork.org/programs to learn more about the projects that help us advance access to justice in our communities.

06/17/2026

Pro Bono Network volunteers spent a wonderful day at a Day in Our Village in Scoville Park on June 7th!

We loved connecting with community members, sharing information about PBN, and celebrating all the organizations that make our Oak Park community stronger. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table to learn more about our work and the impact of pro bono legal services.

A very special thank you to our incredible volunteers and staff who spent the day tabling, answering questions, and representing Pro Bono Network with such enthusiasm and dedication! Your time, energy, and commitment help us advance our mission everyday, connecting more people with the legal help they need.

Want to learn more about our work but couldn't make it to Scoville Park? Visit pbnetwork.org/the-pbn-story to learn more.

06/15/2026

Continuing to recognize our 15th anniversary year, we have a list of 15 on the 15th.

For this month's feature, we're sharing some creative takes on the meaning of the "PBN" acronym inspired by Julie Justicz, Executive Director of Legal Council for Health Justice.

During our recent Celebrate Justice event, Julie was delivering an acceptance speech on behalf of Legal Council for Health Justice for receiving Pro Bono Network's Alliance for Justice award, and she shared the first five from this list. They were such a hit that we couldn't resist keeping the fun going with even more PBN-inspired ideas. Thank you to Julie for your kind and hilarious words!

Which PBN is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, or share additional ideas!

And if you'd like to learn more about how Pro Bono Network works with partners to remove barriers to attorney volunteerism, visit pbnetwork.org/how-we-work.

06/10/2026

Pro Bono Network volunteers, summer is calling, and so is our Summer Social!

Join us at O’Sullivan’s Public Beer House Garden on Thursday, July 9th, from 5:30 - 7:30 for drinks, small bites, great conversation, and even better company as we celebrate our incredible volunteers.

And yes... the legendary Pro Bonkers Awards are back! Inspired by The Office’s Dundies, these completely unofficial (but highly prestigious) awards recognize the memorable moments, hidden talents, and delightful quirks that make our PBN community so special.

Check your email for the RSVP link to RSVP by July 2 - we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

06/08/2026

Exciting news! Pro Bono Network is honored to receive an Illinois Bar Foundation Access to Justice Grant again this year. This investment strengthens our work to expand access to justice by mobilizing volunteer attorneys and connecting more people to the legal help they need to move forward. We are so grateful for the partnership of our good friends at the Illinois Bar Foundation for this support.

If you are interested in becoming a financial supporter of PBN as a foundation, corporation, or individual, please visit the donation page of our website to learn more: www.pbnetwork.org/donate.

06/05/2026

Please join us in welcoming Pro Bono Network's summer interns, Amelia Morrison and Nina Zjalic!

Amelia is a recent graduate of Northeastern University, where she earned a B.A. in History, Culture, and Law with minors in Psychology and International Affairs. Through her academic work and nonprofit experience, she has developed a strong commitment to expanding access to justice and educational opportunities for migrant communities. This summer, she is excited to deepen her knowledge of legal aid systems while building her skills in nonprofit development, volunteer engagement, and program support.

Nina is a rising junior at the University of Toronto studying Organizational Management with minors in Economics and Statistics. Passionate about sports and community impact, she is interested in helping bridge the gap between athletics and underserved communities. This summer, she will support PBN’s legal services initiatives while strengthening her skills in database management, outreach, and nonprofit development.

Throughout the summer, Nina and Amelia will help advance our mission of creating flexible pro bono opportunities, removing barriers to attorney volunteerism, to serve people in need. They will contribute to a variety of PBN projects and community initiatives, across our Program and Development departments.

We are thrilled to have them on the team and look forward to all they will accomplish this summer!

Interested in learning more about PBN's amazing team? Visit https://www.pbnetwork.org/team.

06/03/2026

We’re excited to be part of A Day in Our Village in Downtown Oak Park again this year!

Stop by the Pro Bono Network booth to say hello, learn more about our work, connect with our team, and find out how attorneys and community members can get involved in expanding access to justice.

We can’t wait to spend the day in Scoville Park with our community - see you there!

Interested in hearing more about PBN, but can't make A Day In Our Village? Visit pbnetwork.org/about to learn about our mission, vision, and purpose.

06/01/2026

Save the date!

After the incredible response to our first-ever Pro Bono Network Training Conference last year, we’re excited to bring it back on Thursday, October 1, 2026!

Join us downtown for a full day of learning, connection, free CLE opportunities, and time with the amazing PBN community. Whether you’re exploring a new project, reconnecting with familiar work, or looking to learn in community with fellow pro bono attorneys and legal aid partners, there will be something for everyone.

More details and registration coming soon - for now, mark your calendars!

Interested in being notified when registration opens for PBNTC? Visit pbnetwork.org/pbntc to sign up for updates.

Huge thank you to Chapman and Cutler LLP for being our Lead Sponsor again this year!

05/27/2026

We’re excited to share that Pro Bono Network has been awarded a $9,363 grant from the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice through its “Reducing Barriers to Meaningful Participation in Court” initiative.

This funding will support our work expanding access to attorney-supported legal assistance in family law, immigration, elder law, and expungement matters. We are proud to continue this critical work collaboratively with our partners in the legal aid community.

Thank you to the Commission on Access to Justice for investing in innovative, community-based solutions that help make the legal system more accessible for all.

Address

Oak Park, IL
60303

Telephone

(708) 665-3359

Website

http://www.pbnetwork.org/

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