Mission: PBN aims to provide legal services for those in need by marshaling the talents of lawyers, mostly mothers, who have left full-time careers and bringing them into legal volunteerism. Secondarily, we aim to provide a professional outlet for women to volunteer and provide services that take full advantage of their high level of education and experience while taking time off from salaried work. We have attorneys from all stages of their careers including men and full-time attorneys.
Results: Since its beginning in February 2011 to August 2014, PBN has recruited over 100 attorneys. These volunteers have helped over: 30 victimized undocumented persons apply for legal residency; 100 seniors obtain powers of attorney, wills, etc. ; 60 low-income debtors with pre-court counseling; 10 domesticviolence victims attain orders of protection; 50 tenants with landlord disputes; and 200 children through representing 115 incarcerated mothers in securing guardianships, benefits and other necessities. It has also taught numerous civics classes to urban public school children, performed legislative research to help identify bills that affect the homeless, and provided election protection at the polls. It is now adding expungement, social security benefit appeals, and divorce to its list of offerings. PBN is especially valuable in its ability to bring services to new areas. It secured donated space for one agency to open a senior clinic in a very impoverished area and has brought domestic violence representation to a courthouse that had none. Threeagencies created projects specifically to use the PBN's wealth of volunteers, reaping new efficiencies.
Target demographics: bring pro bono legal representation to the thousands in need.
Direct beneficiaries per year: over 200 indigent clients.
Geographic areas served: Illinois
Programs: an innovative model to bring the untapped resource of the stay-at-home attorney to legal aid. We do this by providing local opportunities that are convenient to where the attorneys live. As of 8/2014, we have had over 100 attorneys volunteer who were not doing so until PBN was created in 2011.
Results: Since its beginning in February 2011 to August 2014, PBN has recruited over 100 attorneys. These volunteers have helped over: 30 victimized undocumented persons apply for legal residency; 100 seniors obtain powers of attorney, wills, etc. ; 60 low-income debtors with pre-court counseling; 10 domesticviolence victims attain orders of protection; 50 tenants with landlord disputes; and 200 children through representing 115 incarcerated mothers in securing guardianships, benefits and other necessities. It has also taught numerous civics classes to urban public school children, performed legislative research to help identify bills that affect the homeless, and provided election protection at the polls. It is now adding expungement, social security benefit appeals, and divorce to its list of offerings. PBN is especially valuable in its ability to bring services to new areas. It secured donated space for one agency to open a senior clinic in a very impoverished area and has brought domestic violence representation to a courthouse that had none. Threeagencies created projects specifically to use the PBN's wealth of volunteers, reaping new efficiencies.
Target demographics: bring pro bono legal representation to the thousands in need.
Direct beneficiaries per year: over 200 indigent clients.
Geographic areas served: Illinois
Programs: an innovative model to bring the untapped resource of the stay-at-home attorney to legal aid. We do this by providing local opportunities that are convenient to where the attorneys live. As of 8/2014, we have had over 100 attorneys volunteer who were not doing so until PBN was created in 2011.
7115 W. North Ave #253, Oak Park, IL 60302
312-508-3355
Others
Oak Park
