Crowder
The Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee on March 1 trained 23 attorneys to aid them in giving free legal advice at the Legal Advice Conference Center in the Law Library at the Madison County Courthouse.
Volunteer attorneys have advised 63 low-income residents of Madison County since the Legal Advice Conference Center (LACC) opened last October.
Committee Chair, Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder, said in a statement, "We started the first Circuit-wide Pro Bono Committee in the State of Illinois in order to coordinate programs for those of limited means. We decided that being able to meet with an attorney and ask questions would be a great service for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney."
Speakers at the recent seminar also donated their time and included Gail Donnelly Bader speaking about family law, Tanja Cook on landlord/tenant issues, Brad LaVite on Veterans' issues, Crowder concerning guardianships, Joan Spiegel on consumer issues and Betsy Mahoney on how to use the internet resources in the law library to assist pro se litigants.
The seminar was jointly sponsored by the Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee and the Madison County Bar Association.
The Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono committee would also acknowledged the following attorneys who have already donated at least one hour of pro bono service at the Legal Advice Clinic:
Bradley Allen, William Asa, Gail Donnelly Bader, Robert Bas, Brenda Baum, Leonard Berg, Dale Bode, Andrew Carruthers, Tanja Cook, Jack Cranley, Anthony Dos Santos, Greg Erthal, David Fahrenkamp, Janel Freeman, Don Groshong, Julie Harper, Teri Havron, Jennifer Hightower, Joseph Hill, Christopher Hunter, Katie Hubbard, Kevin Green, Bill Lucco, Kay McClimans, Michael Meehan, Martin Mengarelli, Amy Meyer, Ed Moorman, Todd Neilson, Holly Reese, Barb Sherer, Joan Spiegel, Rick Steiger, Julie Tracy, David Weder, Jeff Weishaupt, Mike Wesley and Leslie Wood.
Legal Advice Clinics take place on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month in the Law Library at the Madison County Courthouse.
Appointments must be made in advance to speak with a volunteer attorney about family or general civil law issues and are limited to individuals of limited means.
To make an appointment, to volunteer to give advice, or to obtain more information, contact Law Librarian Betsy Mahoney at bemahoney@co.madison.il.us or 618-296-5921.