CBA Record October 2018

Chicago Bar Foundation Report

Celebrating the Power of Pro Bono Stand by Someone Who Needs You, In a Way Only You Can

By Bob Glaves CBF Executive Director T his year’s Pro Bono Week theme, “Celebrating the Power of Pro Bono,” invites us to think about what that power looks like in real life to someone who is facing a serious legal issue but is unable to afford the legal help they need. As I often do, I am turning to music for my inspiration, echoing the choice of theme song for our Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon earlier this year. That song is “I’ll Stand By You” by the Pretenders, because it captures the critical role lawyers play for people going through difficult times. While Chrissie Hynde was not singing about people with legal prob- lems, a few lines encapsulate the power of pro bono well: When the night falls on you You don’t know what to do When you’re standing at the crossroads And don’t know which path to choose You’re feeling all alone You won’t be on your own I’ll stand by you

For someone facing a serious legal issue, that is a pretty good summation of what it feels like, and how much it means to know a lawyer will be there to stand by them. And the more vulnerable someone is in the system and the higher the stakes they are facing, the more true it is that a lawyer standing by them makes all the difference. It could be someone who is a victim of human trafficking or seeking asylum after fleeing torture in their home country. Or a victim of a serious crime and their family. Someone in custody who isn’t getting the

medical care they need. A homeless young person seeking safety and stability. Or someone who was wrongfully convicted of a crime or is seeking a second chance in life after a long-ago mistake. Those are just a few examples of some of the situations where lawyers have a unique power to make a difference for someone who really needs legal help. And they also happen to be actual examples of some of the people helped by the lawyers honored with this year’s CBA and CBF Pro Bono & Public Service Awards.

22 OCTOBER 2018