Search

• Our People
• What Makes Us Unique
• Our First 100 Years
• Our Clients
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Our Communities
• Pro Bono
• Practice Green

Pro Bono

Print Page

At Chapman and Cutler, we believe that pro bono legal service provides an effective way for lawyers to broaden their legal skills while also supporting the many and varied communities to which we belong. Chapman strongly encourages its attorneys to honor the legal profession’s commitment to justice for all people by volunteering their legal know-how to organizations that serve the public interest and to disadvantaged individuals. We value our relationships with not-for-profit groups, communities, charities, and civic institutions, and we actively seek out and promote opportunities for involvement.

Who We Support

Our attorneys have volunteered with dozens of organizations, fought for many different causes, and helped countless individuals around the world, from neighborhoods across the US to villages in Africa. We are currently supporting a variety of organizations and individuals with pro bono legal service, including:

• American Bar Association Free Legal Answers
• Cabrini Green Legal Aid
• Center for Disability & Elder Law
• Chicago Community Loan Fund
• Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
• Global Alliance for Africa
• Illinois Legal Aid Online
• Legal Aid Chicago
• National Immigrant Justice Center
• Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago
• Wills for Heroes

Awards and Recognition

American Bar Association: Chapman and Cutler was recognized as an American Bar Association (ABA) Free Legal Answers 2018 Pro Bono Leader for the work of our attorneys on behalf of the ABA Free Legal Answers program in Illinois. In addition to Chapman’s firmwide recognition, Associate and Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri was individually recognized by the ABA for her work on behalf of Free Legal Answers. 

Cabrini Green Legal Aid: Chapman and Cutler was named by Cabrini Green Legal Aid as the 2012 Volunteer Law Firm of the Year. Chapman attorneys have been actively involved with CGLA for over 20 years, and have provided hundreds of hours of pro bono work to CGLA clients.

Chicago Legal Clinic: Chapman and Cutler was honored by the Chicago Legal Clinic with the 2019 Pro Bono Service Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the clinic’s mission to provide community-based quality legal services and education to the underserved and disadvantaged.

Gads Hill: Gads Hill, a Chicago-based family resource and educational center, presented Chapman with the 2011 Corporate Partner Award. Chapman has supported Gads Hill since Theodore S. Chapman gave our first donation of $100 in 1922, and the Firm continues to be a regular supporter of Gads Hill through sponsorship, pro bono, and board activities. We are proud to be involved with an organization that does so much for so many.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago: Chapman and Cutler received the Corporate Hero Award from Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) in 2009. NHS was a pro bono client of the Firm at the time of the award, and we are still doing pro bono work for it today. We were humbled to receive such an amazing award from a client that assists low-income families in Chicago.

Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI): Chapman and Cutler was named to the 2019 PILI Pro Bono Roster, recognizing law firms and corporate legal departments for inspiring and life-changing pro bono work performed by attorneys and legal professionals in Illinois. This is the sixth time Chapman has been named to the roster since the launch of the program.