As part of the Public Interest Law Initiative’s Pro Bono Week, the Family Advocacy Clinic was awarded the Community Legal Services Award from the Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee. The award recognizes work supporting the community through outstanding pro bono service, which students provide for parents and children in abuse and neglect cases in Champaign County that goes above and beyond course credit.
Every semester, student workloads far exceed the required 225 hours of service per student; in the year for which this award was granted, Illinois Law students worked 1,190 hours beyond the required hours to provide free legal services in the community.
Clinic director Melissa Frydman and several student clinicians were able to attend a celebratory event and accept the award, during which Frydman said, “This award recognizes all the students’ hard work to serve our clients and provide the best possible legal representation to families most in need. And, it demonstrates the importance of pro bono work and starts our students out on the path to committing to engage in pro bono work throughout their careers.”