Prairie State Legal Services Celebrate 25th Anniversary

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride spoke Saturday at a luncheon kicking off a year long celebration of 25 years of service to the poor and elderly by Prairie State Legal Services. Justice Kilbride knows personally the importance of legal services from the time he spent as a staff attorney in the Rock Island Office of Prairie State Legal Services (1981-1987).

In his comments, Justice Kilbride reflected on his time as a legal services attorney, the commitment of staff, and the leadership of Prairie State's Executive Director Joseph Dailing. He also announced the decision of the Illinois Supreme Court to raise attorney registration fees by $49 which will provide an estimated additional $2 million for legal aid and $400,000 to the Lawyers' Assistance Program Inc., which helps lawyers overcome drug or alcohol addiction and mental illness (related story)

Rockford Mayor Doug Scott welcomed over 100 current and former staff, board members and other supporters of legal services to the anniversary luncheon on October 5^that Cliffbreakers Convention Center in Rockford.

Joseph A. Dailing, Executive Director of Prairie State Legal Services since 1977 also addressed those gathered. “Twenty-five years of access to justice is cause to celebrate” says Dailing in comments made prior to the event. “Every year dedicated attorneys, paralegals, volunteers and support staff change life for the better for thousands of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”

Prairie State Legal Services provides free legal help to senior citizens and low-income persons in thirty-six counties in northern and central Illinois. Ten local offices provide clients legal advice and representation in areas of basic human need such as housing, medical benefits, and freedom from abuse and exploitation. In 2001 Prairie State closed 15,271 cases for households containing 19,591 adults and 20,404 children.

Prairie State Legal Services was created by the merger of five pre-existing legal services programs in Kane, Lake, McLean, Peoria, and Winnebago Counties. Some of these predecessor programs had roots extending back to the early 1950s. The original service area included eleven counties in northern and central Illinois. Over the next three years, services were expanded to thirty counties through mergers with other pre-existing legal services programs or through opening new offices. In July 2001, the counties served by West Central Illinois Legal Aid became part of the service area of Prairie State Legal Services forming the current thirty-six county service area.

During its 25-year history, Prairie State balanced dramatic reductions in federal funding support, new federal regulations, and changing legal needs among clients. “The organization is more complicated than 25 years ago” comments Dailing, “but it remains focused on the critical legal needs of the elderly and the poor.” Reduced federal funding for legal services is being offset by diversification of funding, including local support from United Ways, and the Campaign for Legal Services, a fundraising effort focused on attorneys, law firms and corporations. “More time is spent now gathering the financial resources to provide services,” said Dailing, “but the needs of the client are still the driving force behind our efforts.”

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Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Prairie State Legal Services

PRESS RELEASE Prairie State Legal Services October 8, 2002

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of
Prairie State Legal Services

PRESS RELEASE
Prairie State Legal Services
October 8, 2002