CBA Record September-October 2025

PRESIDENT’S PAGE BY JUDGE NICHOLE C. PATTON From the Bench: Why Pro Bono Work Matters More than Ever

The Chicago Bar Association www.chicagobar.org President Judge Nichole C. Patton First Vice President Trisha M. Rich Second Vice President Kathryn C. Liss Secretary Andrew W. Vail Treasurer Jonathan B. Amarilio Immediate Past President John C. Sciaccotta Executive Director Beth McMeen BOARD OF MANAGERS John C. Ellis Kevin Gerow Noah Graf Martin D. Gould Judge Kenya A. Jenkins-Wright Michael S. Kozlowski Francine D. Lynch Sari W. Montgomery Judge Thomas A. Morrissey Ryan M. Nolan Brandon E. Peck Gavin Phelps Justice Rena Marie Van Tine Judge Andrea R. Wood Daniel J. Berkowitz James V. Campell Elizabeth Carpenter Gina Crumble Steven R. Decker Nishá N. Dotson

sentencing options that could preserve their livelihoods. In County Division, the stakes often involve life-changing matters like adop tion; marriage of minors; annexation and de-annexation of land to a tax body; elec tions; inheritance taxes; mental health proceedings; real estate taxes; municipal organizations; forfeiture of seized prop erty; name changes; and many others. Each case represents someone’s fundamen tal rights. In Law Division, where civil suits exceed $30,000, I preside over personal injury cases, medical malpractice claims, and complex contract disputes. Here, unrepresented plaintiffs often face well funded defendants with experienced legal teams. This creates stark imbalances that compromise the integrity of our adversar ial system. The contrast between represented and unrepresented parties is immediate and profound. In Traffic Division, I regularly see defendants who plead guilty to charges they don’t understand, accepting penalties that could have been reduced or avoided with proper legal guidance. A DUI con viction carries consequences far beyond fines—professional licensing restrictions, employment barriers, and insurance com plications that can affect families for years. In County Division, I have watched prospective adoptive parents struggle through complex paperwork that could delay or derail family formation. Mental health proceedings particularly concern me, as people facing involuntary commit ment often cannot effectively advocate for less restrictive alternatives without skilled

A fter seven years as a Circuit Judge in Cook County across the Traffic, County, and Law Divisions, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of pro bono legal representation. From that vantage point, the difference between represented and unrepresented parties is not merely procedural—it is the difference between meaningful access to justice and a system that can fail those who need it most. Courtroom Consequences Without Pro Bono Representation In my tenure across three distinct divi sions, I have observed how the absence of legal representation affects people facing vastly different circumstances. In Traffic Division, I see defendants grappling with DUI charges that could result in license suspension, job loss, and cascading finan cial consequences. Many arrive unaware of available defenses or alternative

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