CBA Record September-October 2023

PRO BONO WEEK 2023 – GETTING PERSONAL WITH PRO BONO

because you learn how you can help cli ents whose criminal records have been an impediment to achieving their life goals and opportunities. I get joy and a sense of fulfillment when a client informs me how their expungement/sealing petition will help them get jobs or housing. I’ve had several clients who want to hug me, and some who want to pray with me. While the opportunity to expunge and seal criminal records has expanded in the past 14 years, the process of filling out petitions still requires expertise, and there are many nuances. CGLA has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this area and provides great support to their pro bono volunteers. I have witnessed CGLA’s con tinuous revision of its pro bono training program and expansion of opportunities for pro bono participation. In Ana Maria’s case, CGLA prepared her paperwork and gave me a cover sheet that contained all the talking points to discuss with her. While a basic knowledge of expungement/sealing law was neces

sary to understand what I presented to Ana Maria, CGLA’s preparation of her case enabled me to easily and confidently assist her with preparing her filings. Attorneys can get involved in many ways to help CGLA’s clients. If you want client interaction, you can do that. If you want to do the work behind the scenes, you can do that too. If you want the full experi ence of doing both, that’s available. Working with Chanda has been a bless ing. Everything that CGLA has done has been great. They have helped me in ways that I tried to do on my own, but it was very difficult. I appreciate CGLA because they have given me a second chance at life, and a second chance to help other people who have been through similar struggles. Even though as humans we have made mistakes, CGLA has helped us come back to be a part of the community. Ana Maria CGLA Pro Bono Client

I’ve volunteered with Cabrini Green Legal Aid for over 13 years and served as a Public Interest Law Initiative Fellow at CGLA before that. My work with CGLA has been in the areas of expungement, sealing, and other forms of criminal records relief. The work is very rewarding Chanda Rice Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Global Technology Legal, JPM organ Chase Bank, NA, and Cabrini Green Legal Aid Board Member

The Chicago Bar Association & The Chicago Bar Foundation’s 2023 Pro Bono Week: Oct. 23-27 Getting Personal with Pro Bono.

2023 Pro Bono Week Co-Chairs

The 19th Annual Pro Bono Week is just a few weeks away! All events are complimentary and open to the entire legal community. Check chicagobarfoundation.org for more information.

Susan Shulman, North Suburban Legal Aid

Hon. Mary M. Rowland, Northern District of Illinois

24 September/October 2023