Prairie State Legal honors pro bono work of attorneys

ROCKFORD – Prairie State Legal Services joined the National Celebration of Pro Bono on Oct. 23-29.

Pro Bono Week was a chance to celebrate and acknowledge the work that more than 300 pro bono attorneys and volunteers have contributed to Prairie State and its clients over the past year.

This year, the organization honored 13 members of the legal community who have stood out over the past year.

Attorney Bill Spiro is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Pro Bono Advocacy Award. In only two years, Spiro has provided legal assistance in more than 300 cases including telephone counseling and evictions. He is dedicated to serving clients not only efficiently, but with an effervescent spirit, unwavering patience and endless encouragement, according to the news release.

Other notable recipients include the Outstanding Community Pro Bono Honorees. They are Thomas McClure, Bloomington; Chris Spesia, Joliet; Karren Farmer, Kankakee; Kathy Schlueter, Legal Help for Homeowners; Susan Bursztynsky, Ottawa; Stephen Heine, Peoria; retired Judge Lori Lefstein, Rock Island; Sherri Rudi, Rockford; Elsa Miller, Telephone Counseling, Schlesinger & Strauss LLC, Waukegan; Lidia Serrano, West Suburban; and Linda Cunabaugh, Woodstock.

In addition to more than 725 cases taken by telephone counseling volunteers and more than 800 cases referred to local office volunteers, a new, centralized Pro Bono Unit has been formed to connect even more clients to attorneys through clinics, projects and other volunteer opportunities in the areas of family law, consumer law, criminal records expungement and sealing, evictions and more.

Over the past 12 months, volunteers devoted more than 5,100 hours of their time and expertise to help a significant number of clients in cases that PSLS could not assist.