Volunteer Attorney Opportunities 

LAF is one of the premier legal services programs in the nation. We represent senior citizens and people living in poverty throughout Cook County. In some specific areas of law, like our work with immigration issues and migrant farmworkers, our reach is statewide. Our agency is divided into five Practice Groups: Children and Families; Consumer; Housing; Public Benefits; and Immigrant and Worker Rights.

LAF has a long history of utilizing the talent and good will of the private bar to help meet the need for civil legal services to Chicago’s poor. Attorneys who volunteer with LAF receive the training and support necessary to provide high quality services to our clients and are covered by our malpractice insurance. To meet the many diverse needs of our clients, LAF currently supports a variety of pro bono initiatives:

Special Education/School Discipline Pro Bono Project

Volunteer attorneys in LAF’s Special Education and School Discipline Pro Bono Project represent children and their parents in advocating for special education services and against school expulsions. Attorneys in the project receive extensive training and support and act as the primary counsel for children asserting their rights in order to receive a full education as provided under the law. Volunteers must maintain a license to practice law in good standing and commit to taking at least one case per year. No prior experience in education law is required.   

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Project

Volunteer Ombudsmen visit nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and skilled living facilities regularly in order to investigate and resolve complaints. In some cases, Ombudsmen work with residents, facility staff and outside agencies to respond to specific complaints and improve the resident’s quality of care and life. Ombudsmen also help on a systemic level when multiple residents of a facility are facing a problem. Ombudsmen educate residents, family, staff and the community about residents’ rights. Extensive training and support are provided. Volunteers need NOT be attorneys, but must make an ongoing commitment to serve as Ombudsman in one facility.

VAWA Project

Volunteer attorneys in LAF’s VAWA Project help immigrant victims of domestic violence rebuild their lives in the United States by filing for permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”). Volunteer attorneys take a case from the initial client interview and investigation stages through the process of filing the petition and through the adjustment of status interview, if desired. Volunteers receive training from LAF immigration attorneys and are supported by LAF staff that is available to assist and answer questions.  No experience in Immigration Law is required. Volunteers must have an active license to practice law in the U.S.

U.S. District Court Pro Se Assistance Program

LAF provides assistance to federal court pro se litigants through our award-winning Pro Se Assistance Program at the Dirksen Building. Volunteers assist the program’s two part-time attorneys by interviewing and assisting clients within in the Courthouse.  On-site training and mentoring from our experienced staff attorneys is provided. Volunteers MUST be licensed to practice law in Illinois, have some federal court experience, knowledge of employment discrimination law, patience to explain law and procedure to clients, and at least one free three-hour period per month.

Pro Bono Panel

LAF’s Pro Bono Panel includes hundreds of the area’s most dedicated attorneys. Volunteers from all aspects of Chicago’s legal community participate; from large corporate law firms, government offices, small and medium sized firms to in-house counsels and solo practitioners. LAF regularly communicates with the Panel to provide opportunities to co-counsel cases with LAF attorneys or take on a case (or part of a case) pro bono.  Volunteers must maintain a license to practice law in Illinois and provide a working email address.

Food Stamp & Medical Assistance Advocacy Pro Bono Projects

These projects provide telephone advocacy on behalf of food stamp and medical card recipients who are having problems receiving their benefits. Volunteers receive cases by fax or email, assess the problem and advocate on behalf of the client. Most of the cases can be resolved in one or two short telephone conversations. For cases that cannot be resolved over the phone, volunteers have the option of providing continued representation. Training, including reference manuals, is provided and volunteers always have an LAF staff person available for support and to answer questions. No prior experience in public benefits law is required.

Pro Bono Bankruptcy Help Desk at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse

Through collaboration with volunteer attorneys, LAF runs the Bankruptcy Help Desk at the Dirksen Federal Building. Every day, the Help Desk assists up to ten walk-in clients who are filing bankruptcy pro se. Volunteer attorneys and staff help clients fill out forms, draft motions and answer questions about bankruptcy in general, or the client’s case in particular. Volunteer attorneys must have at least one year of experience with practicing bankruptcy law and maintain a license to practice law. The time commitment is completely up to the volunteer. Training is provided online and can be done at the volunteer’s own home or office.

Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic

LAF organizes a monthly two-session clinic for low-income individuals filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy pro se. After a presentation on bankruptcy during the first session, volunteer attorneys meet with individual debtors to discuss their specific cases and answer lingering questions about the process and implications of filing bankruptcy. During the second session of the clinic, attorneys meet with individuals to review the clients' bankruptcy forms and any questions they had while filling out the forms. The clinic cycle runs once a month, though volunteers' time commitment is flexible. Volunteers must maintain a license to practice law. Volunteers need not have any experience in bankruptcy and will receive training about Chapter 7 bankruptcy basics for pro se debtors.

Pro Se Divorce Clinic

The LAF Pro Se Divorce Clinic helps pro se litigants prepare to represent themselves in uncontested dissolution of marriage cases. The mission of the clinic is to prepare and organize pro se litigants for court, and to relieve court personnel of some of the burdens felt when working with pro se litigants. Taught in two sessions during the evening hours, the participants receive instruction in basic divorce terminology, assistance in the completion of court forms, and information about how to file for divorce. In subsequent sessions, volunteer attorneys meet with clinic participants to address individual concerns and review the client’s documentation. Volunteer attorneys must be licensed to practice law in Illinois, but family law experience is not required. A one-hour training session for new volunteers is provided and an LAF attorney is always present during the clinic to provide supervision and support. Sessions in Spanish are provided separately for mono-lingual clients and Spanish-speaking attorneys are highly desired for this project.

Micah Legal Aid Clinic

Micah Legal Aid (MLA) is a free legal advice clinic staffed by volunteer attorneys. Located in Logan Square and in operation for over four years, MLA is collaboration between LAF, Legal Aid Bureau (LAB), and the New Community Covenant Church. The goal is to educate clients about their rights and legal options, and help them navigate the legal system pro se. The clinic is one of the only places in Chicago where clients can sit down with an attorney for one hour and get face-to-face legal advice, for free. MLA takes place one evening and one Saturday per month. Volunteers receive training and on-site supervision during the clinic and are required to attend a minimum of one clinic every three months.

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