Latest News
Chicago Council of Lawyers Condemns Trump’s Proposed Defunding of the Legal Services Corporation
On May 2, 2025, President Trump proposed a new 2026 budget that would eliminate funding to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the country’s largest funder of civil legal aid. In Illinois, LSC provides $18 million [...]
CHICAGO COUNCIL OF LAWYERS STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF ORDINANCE TO ENHANCE INDEPENDENCE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Inspectors general at the federal, state, and local levels exist to provide independent and objective oversight to promote accountability, transparency, and integrity in government. In Chicago, the powers and duties of the Office of Inspector [...]
Introducing the 2025 FJLOC Cohort’s Ambitious Social Justice Projects
Felix Mitchell, Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago Program Coordinator The 2025 Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago (FJLOC) officially began on their program January 11, 2025, marking another year of committed student engagement in pressing legal [...]
STATEMENT: Chicago Council of Lawyers Condemns Trump Administration’s Attack on Trans People
During its first 100 days in office, the Trump Administration has issued over 100 Executive Orders (EOs). At least seven of these orders have specifically singled out the transgender community in this country, seeking to [...]
The Justice Department’s Retreat on Police Accountability is a Dangerous Step Backward
The recent announcement that the Justice Department is dismissing lawsuits against police departments in Louisville and Minneapolis and ending investigations into systemic unconstitutional policing practices is nothing short of a catastrophic retreat from justice. This [...]
BREAKING – SB 108 Passes, Making the Current Cook County Specific, Partial Traffic Fee Waiver Program Permanent
Congratulations to the Illinois Fines & Fees Coalition and its partners for the passage of SB108, the Traffic Fee Waiver Sunset Elimination bill! SB108 makes the current Cook County specific, partial traffic fee waiver program, [...]
SB 2447: Advancing Fairness in Illinois Court Costs, Assessments, and Fees
Chicago Appleseed has long fought for fairness in court fines and fees, a source of systemic inequity in the Illinois legal system. These financial penalties impact low-income residents, contributing to cycles of debt and poverty. In 2018, [...]
Illinois Supreme Court Pilots Limited CLE Credit for Pro Bono Legal Assistance
On April 1, 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Executive Committee on the Practice of Law announced proposals to amend and create three new rules, effective July 1, 2025. One of these [...]
The Chicago Council of Lawyers Joins the American Bar Association and 50+ Others to Speak Out in Support of the Rule of Law
On March 26th, 2025, the Chicago Council of Lawyers joined more than 50 state, local, and specialty bar associations, including the American Bar Association (ABA) in a letter to “defend the rule of law and [...]
Celebrating 55 Years: Looking Back at the History of the Collaboration for Justice
On June 12th, 2025, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers will be hosting our annual summer social—this year celebrating the 55th anniversary of the Fund for Justice. As we gear up for that anniversary party, we’re looking back and the almost six decades of collaboration between our two organizations.
