Drinker Biddle Recognized at Domestic Violence Legal Clinic Pro Bono Program Reception

Drinker Biddle was among the law firms recognized at a reception sponsored by Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans and Presiding Judge Sebastian Patti on November 14, 2013. The firm was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for participating in Domestic Violence Legal Clinic (DVLC) Pro Bono Program. The program is sponsored by the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence Division and the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides free civil legal assistance to individuals in Cook County. Through the program, the firm’s volunteer attorneys assist victims of domestic violence who are seeking orders of protection against their abusers. To date, Drinker Biddle attorneys have obtained 20 emergency orders of protection and 13 plenary orders of protection for victims of domestic violence.

With heightened attention to court-based pro bono efforts by the Illinois Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission, the DVLC Pro Bono Program has gained renewed attention as a model effort. Vice President Joe Biden has applauded the successes of the program in expanding access to justice in Chicago.