Equal Access to Justice Award Luncheon Honors Pro Bono Excellence
ComEd President & CEO Anne Pramaggiore, Discover Financial Services & Kathleen Curtin To Be Recognized
More than 300 leaders of Chicago’s legal community will gather to honor outstanding contributions to pro bono law at the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services’ annual Equal Access to Justice Award Luncheon, taking place from noon – 1:30 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 6, 2015, at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St., Chicago. ComEd President and CEO Anne R. Pramaggiore will be honored with the William H. Avery Award for Equal Access to Justice for contributions to pro bono law and corporate philanthropy.
The luncheon will feature an interview of Pramaggiore by Gloria Castillo, President and CEO of Chicago United, on “Creating Access to Opportunity and Equity through Community Engagement.”
Pramaggiore launched her legal career at McDermott, Will & Emery. She joined ComEd in 1998, rising steadily to become the company’s first female chief executive in 2012. Pramaggiore brings a compelling story of legal excellence, business leadership and advocacy for corporate responsibility and civic engagement.
Awards also will be presented to the Law Department of Discover Financial Services and Kathleen Curtin, Curtin Law, LLC, for outstanding corporate and individual contributions to pro bono law, respectively.
Discover Financial Services’ Law Department has a deep commitment to pro bono service which combines traditional, lawyer-led pro bono work with public interest programs geared for non-legal staff. Discover’s partnership with the Legal Aid Society includes the SNAP Program, which involves attorney and non-attorney advocacy for clients denied state food stamp benefits. Discover’s legal staff also attended training provided by the Legal Aid Society and provide direct client services to the Society’s human trafficking survivors.
Kathleen Curtin is solo practitioner at Curtin Law, LLC in Libertyville, Ill. Since 2009, Ms. Curtin has been one of the Legal Aid Society’s most reliable and engaged pro bono attorneys. Her knowledge of the particularly complicated effective Qualified Domestic Relations Orders processes allows her to fill a significant need in countless divorces.
Additional event presentations will feature the partnership of legal and social services, made possible by the Legal Aid Society’s connection with Metropolitan Family Services, to provide multiple services such as counseling, financial assistance, credit repair, job readiness and child care. Addressing the full scope of clients’ challenges through “wraparound” services empowers clients to truly succeed.
Event tickets are $200 and can be purchased here.
Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services
The Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services (LAS) pioneered the concept of equal access to justice more than 125 years ago. LAS provides critical legal services to low-income families in the Chicago area, protecting them in cases of domestic violence, elder abuse, housing and consumer issues, and human trafficking. Today LAS serves more than 8,000 families and individuals each year.
LAS is part of Metropolitan Family Services, which has been empowering Chicago-area families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities since 1857.