Public Interest Law Awards Program

            CHICAGO -- James P. Chapman will be the keynote speaker at a June 6, 2006 awards ceremony sponsored by the United States District Court and the Chicago chapter of the Federal Bar Association. "We are delighted to have Jim Chapman join us in recognizing the efforts of these dedicated attorneys. He is a leading national figure in the field of law," Chief Judge Charles P. Kocoras said.

            Mr. Chapman is a graduate of Harvard University Law School. He has practiced as a trial and appellate attorney in the state and federal courts of Illinois. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. While maintaining his own law practice for the past 35 years, Mr. Chapman devoted substantial efforts in the low income communities of Chicago. In 1976, he helped organize the Uptown Peoples Law Center in Chicago to work with former coal miners and their families. It has thrived to this day and is a model of its kind being run essentially by people of the community.

            In 1992, at the request of long-term prisoners at Stateville Correctional Center, he organized the Prison Action Committee, to deal with issues of prisoner recidivism. PAC was staffed exclusively by ex-prisoners and half its board of directors were prisoners and ex- prisoners. During its 10 year existence, PAC developed many innovative programs and did much research that dealt with released prisoners and approaches to diminish recidivism.

            In 1998, he founded the Illinois Institute of Community Law and Affairs to concentrate on research into the issues of recidivism. The Institute currently works with other organizations, prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families on these matters. Through the Institute he became a consultant to the Federal Court's appointed counsel project for prisoners who file pro se civil rights suits. He conducts forums, maintains a litigation handbook and consults with appointed lawyers in the Chicago and Rockford areas. He teaches communication skills to prisoners at Stateville Correctional Center and young people on probation at Probation Challenge of Olive Harvey City College.

            He has closed his law offices to concentrate full time on the work of the Institute. He also does some consulting and expert witness work on commercial litigated matters.

            The seventh annual "Awards for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service" is planned for 3:30 p.m. that Tuesday in the James Benton Parsons Memorial Courtroom (2525) of the E.M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St. A reception will follow.

            Seven awards and two special recognitions will be issued to area attorneys for their contributions in helping represent the poor through pro bono and public interest work in matters before the District Court.

            The awards program will also feature written comments from Chief Judge Kocoras and Mary-Lisa Sullivan, president of the Chicago chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Plus, the program will list the names of attorneys who were appointed pro bono by the District Court in civil cases during 2005.

            The program and speech are open to all attorneys and those interested in pro bono and public interest law, and are free of charge.