2026 Outstanding Community Pro Bono Honorees
Each year, PSLS recognizes an outstanding individual from each PSLS Office. These honorees work to make access to justice a reality by volunteering their time and talent within their local community.
This year, our Outstanding Community Pro Bono Honorees are:
Bloomington: Michael Nichols
Michael Nichols first accepted a case in 2023, and has been consistently serving clients ever since. He is willing to take on full representation in divorce cases, serving clients in McLean and Woodford Counties. In fact, last year he took on an additional case, even though he was still representing another client in a contested dissolution matter. Not many volunteers say yes to these requests, and Michael took on that challenge willingly. In addition to taking on cases himself, he has also helped to recruit an additional volunteer from his firm when he learned PSLS was looking for attorneys with bankruptcy experience. That willingness to go the extra mile where the need is greatest helps more clients access justice and multiplies the impact of his work. We are grateful for Michael’s service to our community.
Galesburg: Jack Ball
Jack Ball accepted his first pro bono case for PSLS in 2015. Since then, he has continued to provide pro bono representation to PSLS clients seeking a divorce and to seniors in need of a will or advance directive. Most recently, Jack provided representation to a survivor of domestic violence to obtain a divorce from her alcoholic and abusive husband. Remarkably, Jack was able to obtain the judgment within 12 weeks of PSLS referring the client to him. For a client in crisis, that kind of speed can make all the difference, and it reflects the dedication Jack brings to every client he serves, particularly those who have few places to turn. Jack provides excellent legal services to clients who live in rural communities identified as “legal deserts,” where there are too few attorneys to serve the community. It can often be difficult to retain a lawyer in legal deserts, even for those who can afford to pay the full fee. This makes pro bono attorneys in these areas even more vital to ensuring the community’s legal needs are met.
Joliet: Alonzo Zahour
Alonzo Zahour has been a dedicated volunteer with PSLS for more than 30 years, receiving an outstanding pro bono volunteer award in 1990. All these years later, he continues to be an outstanding pro bono volunteer serving clients in Will County. He is willing to take on divorce and family law cases, sometimes spending up to 100 hours on a single case. Many of the clients we refer to Alonzo are survivors of domestic violence, and he never hesitates to accept these. These cases often involve safety concerns, high emotional stakes, contested proceedings, and clients who are frightened and in crisis. Alonzo brings patience, skill, and compassion to this work. He has been working on his current referral for almost three years, and we know he will be a zealous advocate at trial. Alonzo is recognized for his decades-long commitment to PSLS and his exceptional pro bono service to our clients.
Kankakee: George Cuonzo
George Cuonzo has been an active volunteer with PSLS for over 20 years, accepting his first case in 2005. In that time, he has accepted over 40 cases, representing clients in a variety of cases, including adoption, minor guardianship, custody and divorce. Recently, he completed representation in a custody case that had been ongoing since 2024. Remarkably, George lives in Iroquois County for only a fraction of the year, yet that has never diminished his commitment to the clients he serves. He stays engaged with his cases year-round, arranging his schedule and working across distances so that clients are never left without an advocate, even when he is away. That kind of steadfast dedication is rare, and it ensures that families in a rural community with limited access to attorneys continue to receive the representation they need. Throughout his many years volunteering, he has continued to provide much-needed pro bono services to our clients in Iroquois County.
McHenry: Robert Windon
Robert Windon is a newer volunteer to PSLS, accepting his first case in 2025. In that short time, he has made an amazing impact in McHenry County, giving his time and dedication to our clients. Robert has been proactive about assisting with pro bono cases, reaching out to take a case without waiting to be asked. Robert currently has three open cases with PSLS, assisting clients with divorce, domestic abuse, and adult guardianship matters. He has made it his mission to serve PSLS clients, and his commitment shows in the results he achieves. The most recent client we referred to Robert is a survivor of domestic violence who had been on the waitlist for a volunteer attorney to assist her with a divorce. Robert secured both the divorce and a plenary order of protection, providing safety and stability for our client and her children. We are grateful to Robert for his enthusiasm and dedication.
Moline: Jennifer Kincaid
Jennifer Kincaid is not only an outstanding pro bono volunteer, but also a pro bono leader in the community. Jennifer has volunteered with PSLS since 2009, taking on more than 20 cases and supporting our fundraising efforts, which helps us grow our capacity to serve more clients. What sets her apart is not only the number of cases she accepts but the range of work she is willing to do. In the past year alone, she took on four adult guardianship cases, a demanding area of law that protects some of our community’s most vulnerable members. Beyond full representation, Jennifer also volunteers in our clinics, where she offers advice and brief services to clients who might otherwise have nowhere to turn. Whether through a single clinic appointment or a case that unfolds over many months, she meets clients where their needs are greatest. Her leadership extends beyond her own caseload as well. Jennifer currently chairs the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, where she helps plan pro bono clinics and build new volunteer opportunities within the community.
Ottawa: Eric Frobish
Eric Frobish has been accepting PSLS cases since 2000, and for more than two decades he has been a dependable source of help for clients facing divorce and family law challenges. He has taken more than 15 cases for full representation in both divorce and adoption matters. Many of these overlapped, and several involved long, protracted litigation. Through it all, he has given his clients the steady guidance and stability they need during some of the most uncertain times in their lives. His commitment carries special weight in the Ottawa area, where few attorneys are willing to accept pro bono cases. In a community with limited legal resources, one dedicated volunteer can make the difference between having an advocate and facing the court system alone. Without Eric’s willingness to serve, many clients there would go unrepresented. We are sincerely grateful to Eric for more than 20 years of service and for the lasting impact he has had on families in our community.
Peoria: Abigail Fleming
This year marks 10 years of Abigail Fleming volunteering with PSLS. In that time, she has represented 20 clients with a variety of legal issues, including guardianships to provide stability for disabled adults, name changes to help clients start a new chapter in their lives, criminal records relief cases to help clients have a fresh start, and wills and advance directives to bring peace of mind to seniors and their families. In addition to accepting full representation cases, Abigail has volunteered for multiple Sealing and Expungement Clinics and has been the driving force in setting up an annual Wills and POAs Clinic at the Peoria Public Library. Abigail also serves on the Pro Bono Committees of the 10th Judicial Circuit and the Peoria County Bar Association, which she chaired for the 2025-26 term. Her leadership in developing our community’s pro bono capacities is driven by her belief in equal access to justice.
Rockford: David Vogt
David Vogt is an associate with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP and has been involved with the Pro Bono Attorney Order of Protection Court Project in the Winnebago County Domestic Violence Coordinated Court since 2022. Over the past year, David provided approximately 50 hours of representation to a PSLS client who was a survivor of domestic violence in a complex order of protection case. He also provided advice and guidance in two associated family law matters for this client. David’s thoughtful, thorough, and compassionate representation in order of protection cases consistently helps PSLS clients achieve favorable outcomes. In addition to his outstanding service to clients, David recently recruited another associate from his firm to participate in the project and has committed to mentoring him through his first case. David’s dedication to pro bono service, his willingness to take on complex matters, and his commitment to expanding the pool of attorneys willing to serve survivors of domestic violence make him a valued member of the project.
Telephone Advice: Gina Leahy
Gina Leahy approached PSLS last spring to volunteer and was immediately interested in the telephone advice project because the potential variety of cases, personal interaction with clients, and convenience of remote volunteering balanced well with her busy private practice. Since joining the telephone advice project in June 2026, she had taken at least one advice case each week, focusing on consumer and eviction issues. Gina is service minded and solution driven, responding quickly to client questions and concerns in an efficient and timely manner, providing concise, complete advice to answer the client’s questions and concerns. Gina is an outstanding volunteer and a great addition to our pro bono team.
Waukegan: Greta Berna
Greta Berna has been consistently volunteering with PSLS since 2018. PSLS can always count on her whenever a client needs assistance with a family law case. She does not shy away from challenging or long-term cases, spending over 180 hours on five cases she has closed in the last several years, and currently has two cases open. Greta is willing to represent survivors of domestic violence, and while many attorneys shy away from post-decree matters, Greta has assisted with obtaining orders for enforcement of child support. She is very responsive to the client’s needs and is dedicated to giving back, both to PSLS and to Lake County as a whole. Thank you, Greta, for your dedication to vulnerable members of our community.
West Suburban: Otto Hurtado
Otto Hurtado has been a dedicated pro bono for over 15 years. He is consistently willing to take on complex, lengthy family law cases, representing survivors of domestic violence. Additionally, he accepts cases for Spanish-speaking clients, which are often hard to place with pro bono volunteers. Language barriers can leave non-English-speaking clients especially vulnerable, and unable to navigate the court system. By representing these clients and using his bilingual skills, Otto removes an obstacle that would otherwise keep many clients from getting help at all. Currently, he is handling two divorce cases, one in Kane County, and one in Kendall County, both of which appear to be heading for trial. His dedication to serving clients escaping domestic violence provides safety and stability when clients are most in need. PSLS clients are fortunate to have an advocate like Otto, whose generosity brings real legal help to people who would otherwise face the system alone.