Trial Bar Pro Bono Program: Through the Trial Bar Pro Bono Program, members of the Trial Bar are assigned or volunteer to serve as counsel to pro se litigants who cannot otherwise afford to retain counsel. Assignments are made in civil actions only.

• Assignments: All members of the Trial Bar become part of the pro bono pool. Every year, the Clerk randomly selects names of Trial Bar members from the pool to create a pro bono panel. Members of the panel are assigned to pending cases to represent pro se litigants on a pro bono basis. After successfully completing a pro bono assignment, a Trial Bar member will not be selected for the pro bono panel again until all other non-exempt Trial Bar members complete pro bono assignments. However, Trial Bar members may volunteer to join the pro bono panel and to receive case assignments at any time. 

• Deferrals: Trial Bar members may defer a pro bono assignment pursuant to Rule L83.38 by volunteering with any one of the other programs listed below. There is no limit to the number of deferrals that a Trial Bar member may request so long as they have complied with the requirements of Rule L83.83

• Training Requirements: No formal training is required, although the Court hosts regular seminars on prison litigation and related topics. Videos and other resources can be found here.
  
  

• Eligibility Requirements: The Trial Bar Pro Bono Program is limited to members of the Northern District Trial Bar.
  
  

• Litigation Costs and Reimbursement: Volunteers may incur costs in connection with representation, such as travel costs, deposition transcripts, and expert witnesses. Limited funds may be available to reimburse costs associated with the assignments (read more).
  
  

• Contact: For more information, please contact ProBono_Registration_ILND@ilnd.uscourts.gov.

Settlement Assistance Program (SAP): Volunteer attorneys and law students provide limited scope assistance to pro se litigants pursuing constitutional and civil rights claims in federal court. Volunteers may offer advice, engage in settlement negotiations, draft settlement agreements, and represent their clients at judicial settlement conferences. If the settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, volunteers may terminate their representation after the settlement conference; they are not expected to conduct discovery, file or amend pleadings, or appear at trial during this limited scope representation. Malpractice insurance is provided through the program’s legal aid partner, the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights under Law.

• Time Commitment: Varies, but approximately 20-30 hours.

• Training Requirements: There is no required training for Trial Bar members, although they are invited to participate in the training programs held periodically at the District Court. Prospective volunteers who are not Trial Bar members must attend training at the District Court to volunteer. The CLE-accredited training includes a step-by-step program overview, settlement negotiation advice, tips on working effectively with pro se litigants, settlement conference best practices, and a substantive review of either employment law or prisoners’ civil rights. Other training materials are available here.

• Other Requirements: Volunteer attorneys must have a valid Illinois law license (active, inactive, or retired status) and be a member of the Northern District General Bar. Students with valid Supreme Court Rule 711 licenses may volunteer pursuant to LR83.13. Volunteers who have not met the qualifications for admission to the Trial Bar may earn qualifying training units through SAP. Volunteers are not generally expected to travel to correctional institutions when representing incarcerated litigants, as they can communicate with their clients by mail and telephone.
  
  

• Contact: To volunteer or learn more, please contact Cunyon Gordon at cgordon@clccrul.org.

Settlement Assistance Program (SAP): Volunteer attorneys and law students provide limited scope assistance to pro se litigants pursuing constitutional and civil rights claims in federal court. Volunteers may offer advice, engage in settlement negotiations, draft settlement agreements, and represent their clients at judicial settlement conferences. If the settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, volunteers may terminate their representation after the settlement conference; they are not expected to conduct discovery, file or amend pleadings, or appear at trial during this limited scope representation. Malpractice insurance is provided through the program’s legal aid partner, the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights under Law.

• Time Commitment: Varies, but approximately 20-30 hours.

• Training Requirements: There is no required training for Trial Bar members, although they are invited to participate in the training programs held periodically at the District Court. Prospective volunteers who are not Trial Bar members must attend training at the District Court to volunteer. The CLE-accredited training includes a step-by-step program overview, settlement negotiation advice, tips on working effectively with pro se litigants, settlement conference best practices, and a substantive review of either employment law or prisoners’ civil rights. Other training materials are available here.

• Other Requirements: Volunteer attorneys must have a valid Illinois law license (active, inactive, or retired status) and be a member of the Northern District General Bar. Students with valid Supreme Court Rule 711 licenses may volunteer pursuant to LR83.13. Volunteers who have not met the qualifications for admission to the Trial Bar may earn qualifying training units through SAP. Volunteers are not generally expected to travel to correctional institutions when representing incarcerated litigants, as they can communicate with their clients by mail and telephone.
  
  

• Contact: To volunteer or learn more, please contact Cunyon Gordon at cgordon@clccrul.org.