Legal Aid Chicago

Congratulations to our Consumer Practice Group Director, Ainat Margalit, on being named an American College of Bankruptcy Fellow! This honor recognizes her excellence and contributions to the bankruptcy and insolvency field. Fellows are selected for their leadership, professionalism, and commitment to advancing the practice and supporting their communities. The 36th Class of Fellows will be inducted at the College’s Annual Meeting in March 2025 in Washington, D.C.

It is illegal to discriminate against rental applicants and existing tenants because of their status as survivors of domestic violence. In addition, the federal Violence Against Women Act protects survivors in federally subsidized housing programs (such as public housing or the Housing Choice Voucher program) from termination or eviction due to their status as survivors. Access to housing without discrimination is a right protected by the law! At Legal Aid Chicago, our Housing team protects the rights of low-income families in Cook County. If you think you have been the victim of housing discrimination, call our fair housing hotline at, 312-423-5909.

Congratulations to our Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Kate Shank, on receiving the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Social Justice Impact Award. This award honors alumni who have exemplified leadership in their use of the law to ensure individuals and groups receive fair treatment and share equitably in the benefits of society and in access to justice. Kate is pictured with Dean Hari M. Osofsky at the ceremony which took place on October 16, 2024. Please click here to learn more about this year's awardees! https://bit.ly/3NEMpwh

HAPPENING TOMORROW! Join Pro Bono Week Co-Chair, Melissa Picciola, tomorrow Thursday, October 24th, from 12-1:30 PM, for a live event alongside LSC's Mytrang Nguyen and CDEL's Caroline Manley. Learn more about the many ways pro bono can help people in need in Chicago and in the suburbs, and build stronger connections with your pro bono colleagues. Register here: https://bit.ly/3zJhXhr

For at least a decade, judges at the Domestic Violence Courthouse have routinely refused to consider child support in Orders of Protection cases. As a result, our clients and other litigants have had to file separate child support cases outside of the Domestic Violence Division, a process that can take months and leave survivors vulnerable to further abuse. This is exactly what happened to our client, who obtained a plenary order of protection against her partner, but was denied temporary child support by the trial court. We appealed, and we won! CBS Chicago covers her story here: https://bit.ly/4fg3lF4

Are you interested in working for Legal Aid Chicago? Click the link to learn about our current opportunities! https://bit.ly/4cYTmUD

HAPPENING TODAY! Join us at 12:00 for our online panel discussion, "Safe Futures: How Financial Security Supports Long-Term Stability for Domestic Violence Survivors and their Families.” This panel will highlight the recent Martinez First District Appellate Court decision on child support for domestic violence survivors. We hope you can join us today at noon to celebrate the huge appellate win! https://bit.ly/3NnT3a1

Legal Aid Chicago and Pro Bono Week Co-Chair, Melissa Picciola, invite you to The Chicago Bar Foundation's 20th Anniversary Pro Bono Week! Live-hybrid events are happening throughout the city during the week of October 21-25. This year’s programs and events will center around the theme, Pro Bono in Motion. You can learn more about each event and register at the link below. https://bit.ly/4eJK0fD

International Pronouns Day celebrates the importance of respecting, sharing, and using people’s correct pronouns to create inclusive spaces for everyone. Let’s honor individual identities and make inclusivity the norm—today and every day. At Legal Aid Chicago, we celebrate all pronouns!

Indigenous People's Day honors the history, culture, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and their ancestors. Legal Aid Chicago will be closed on October 14 in observance of this holiday and will reopen on Tuesday, October 15.