2026 Awardees
Honorable Scott Tzinberg
Court of Honor
Hon. Scott Tzinberg
Court of Honor Award
Presiding over Maywood’s Domestic Relations Court, the Honorable Scott Tzinberg has a courtroom with a large proportion of self-represented litigants. Patient, empathetic and kind, he has helped hundreds of these parties resolve their family law cases. He is equally patient and kind to the pro bono attorneys who appear before him.
This award celebrates his compassion, his exceptional commitment to pro bono and his dedication to making the court system accessible to all.
American Immigration Lawyers Association Chicago ("AILA Chicago")
Sponsor Award
American Immigration Lawyers Association Chicago ("AILA Chicago")
Sponsor Award
American Immigration Lawyers Association Chicago ("AILA Chicago") is the recipient of this year’s Sponsor Award in recognition of its extraordinary and sustained commitment to pro bono service and its longstanding partnership with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services.
Since 1995, AILA Chicago has partnered with CVLS to host a monthly immigration clinic staffed by hundreds if not thousands of dedicated volunteer attorneys, creating a reliable and impactful access point for low-income immigrants seeking immigration legal assistance.
This collaboration has resulted in a highly coordinated, scalable model that not only delivers high-quality legal counsel to clients during the monthly clinics but also fosters mentorship and professional growth among immigration attorneys at all levels of experience.
Beyond the clinic, AILA Chicago attorneys demonstrate an unwavering commitment to justice by serving vulnerable populations across Chicago. In every respect, AILA Chicago exemplifies what it means to be a distinguished organization, and CVLS is proud to honor its enduring leadership, collaboration, and profound impact on access to justice.
DePaul University College of Law
Partner Award
DePaul University College of Law
Partner Award
CVLS honors DePaul University College of Law for upholding its Vincentian tradition through its commitment to social justice, with faculty and staff Shaye Loughlin, Katie Liss, and Elizabeth Boe teaching students the clinical skills and ethical foundations that promote pro bono and making the court system accessible to everyone to all.
2026 Honor Roll Inductees
Every year CVLS honors volunteers who have distinguished themselves in providing pro bono services to low-income clients. These volunteers exemplify Chicago Pro Bono.
Junru Chen
CASL
Junru Chen
CASL
Junru Chen: has worked with the Chinese American Service League (CASL) legal services program for 1.5 years. She first volunteered at CASL's pro bono legal clinics in 2023 and then committed to full-time legal service with CASL starting in October 2024. In 2025, Junru served more than 300 clients in areas including IL family law matters involving domestic violence, U and T visa applications, estate planning for older adults, and more. Through her work, CASL can serve more low-income Chinese Americans and immigrants and help them access legal justice. Her contributions to legal aid in the Chinese community are significant.
Valerie Chu
CASL
Valerie Chu
CASL
Valerie Chu has been a dedicated legal volunteer at the Chinese American Service League (CASL) since 2020. She initially served as a volunteer interpreter, assisting attorneys in communicating with clients who spoke Cantonese and Mandarin at the CASL's Saturday pro bono clinics. After graduating from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Val expanded her commitment by volunteering in estate planning. She has delivered presentations on advanced directives and estate planning to hundreds of elderly clients at CASL and has provided legal consultations and services regarding powers of attorney (POAs), living wills, last wills, and transfer-on-death instruments (TODIs). Val's contributions to CASL’s legal services program and the broader Chinese community are both significant and impactful.
Tracey Duval
PCAP
Tracey Duval
PCAP
Tracy Duvall is recognized by CVLS for her distinguished service in the Probate Court Assistance Program (PCAP). Tracy is a zealous advocate for our client and through her work negotiated a large estate claim on one of her cases so that the surviving spouse and minor heir remain the property of the decedent. Tracy is creative, collaborative, and committed to pro bono.
Lauren Falk
Minor GAL
Lauren Falk
Minor GAL
Lauren and Kevin, partners at Kirkland and Ellis, likely have very little free time, yet somehow both make time to serve as dedicated, empathetic, and skilled child advocates through CVLS’ Minor GAL Program. In addition to their pro bono service, Lauren and Kevin are committed to promoting the GAL program at Kirkland. Their enthusiasm has inspired new teams of associates to get involved in this important work. We are grateful to Lauren and Kevin for their own excellent pro bono work and for being strong ambassadors of CVLS.
Kevin Frank
Minor GAL
Kevin Frank
Minor GAL
Lauren and Kevin, partners at Kirkland and Ellis, likely have very little free time, yet somehow both make time to serve as dedicated, empathetic, and skilled child advocates through CVLS’ Minor GAL Program. In addition to their pro bono service, Lauren and Kevin are committed to promoting the GAL program at Kirkland. Their enthusiasm has inspired new teams of associates to get involved in this important work. We are grateful to Lauren and Kevin for their own excellent pro bono work and for being strong ambassadors of CVLS.
Arno Gerbrecht
Chancery Appointment Program
Arno Gerbrecht
Chancery Appointment Program
Arno Gerbrecht: It’s rare to find an attorney who’s as comfortable drafting contracts as he is arguing a motion in court. Lucky for CVLS and its Chancery and Probate clients, Arno Gerbrecht can do both, and much more, if it will help his client. Arno was a long-time, here and there, volunteer with CVLS, dating to 2011. Since 2022, however, Arno has taken on substantially more clients (five!), all with complicated and labor-intensive legal problems. These include senior citizens and survivors of domestic abuse, both of whom Arno guided through contentious partition suits. They also include a bankruptcy client for whom Arno secured a debt discharge, and a decedent’s estate matter in which Arno had to open two estates before being able to transfer the deed into his client’s name. The breadth of Arno’s abilities is impressive, but most impressive is his patience and kindness with all of his clients, all of whom rely on him to explain some of the more esoteric and multi-step legal services that CVLS volunteers provide.
David Gotzh
Minor GAL
David Gotzh
GAL for Minors
A pro bono veteran and repeat award winner, David Gotzh truly goes above and beyond for CVLS in multiple ways, year after year. In addition to taking pro bono cases in the areas of family law and minor guardianship, David recently navigated two pro bono appeals, his area of expertise, and has twice personally raised funds for CVLS by writing and selling expert practice guides for attorneys. David is greatly admired by CVLS staff for his superhuman memory, attention to detail, impeccable legal work, and sincere generosity.
Diana Gramenos Dowd
HEL.Las
Diana Gramenos Dowd
HEL.Las
She has been an exceptional volunteer attorney for Hellenic Legal Assistance Services (Hel.LAS), consistently demonstrating a deep commitment to serving individuals who might otherwise be unable to access legal representation. Through her work with Gramenos Law Group, Diane has generously accepted referrals from Hel.LAS and provided compassionate, diligent representation in complex Social Security disability matters. One recent example includes her successful advocacy on behalf of a client whose disability claim took more than five years to resolve, ultimately resulting in approval for Supplemental Security Income benefits after a hard-fought hearing. Diane’s dedication, professionalism, and willingness to assist whenever called upon embody the spirit of pro bono service and make a meaningful difference in the lives of the clients our organization serves.
Regina "Ricki" Harris
SIJS
Shenita Johnson
Child Rep & Adult GAL
Shenita Johnson
Child Rep & Adult GAL
Shenita Johnson has been a volunteer with CVLS since 2019. She has taken on a wealth of pro bono cases, including divorce, custody, minor and adult GAL, and decedent’s estate cases, but her biggest contribution has been to the Child Representative program, where she takes some of our most complex court appointments. As a member of the Justice Entrepreneurs Project, Shenita has always been dedicated to providing low-income clients with affordable and pro bono legal services. Having taken her first Child Rep case almost seven years ago, Shenita has continued to volunteer with us even after becoming a member of the Domestic Relations Division’s paid panel. It is always a pleasure to see Shenita in front of Domestic Relations judges on CVLS and other matters because of her professionalism when working with self-represented litigants.
Marcus Jones
Panel
Marcus Jones
Panel
CVLS is honored to recognize attorney and business owner Marcus C. Jones. Marcus has been a CVLS volunteer since 2010. Marcus has handled a variety of case CVLS types that include adoption, foreclosure/mediation, adult guardianship, decedent estate/probate administration and estate planning. Marcus is an enthusiastic CVLS volunteer, always eager to take on a new case. In Marcus’ private practice, he helps people with their estate plan needs that include will preparation, trusts and powers of attorney. He has also had experience in helping people with DUI/DWI matters as well as expungement of criminal records to give people a new start in life. CVLS is honored to have Marcus as a volunteer and looks forward to working with him for years to come.
Michael Karnuth
Chancery Court and Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation
Michael Karnuth
Chancery Court and Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation
If it weren’t for Michael Karnuth, the Al-Din family (a pseudonym) would have been run out of their condominium years ago. Like many mothers coming out of a divorce, Mike’s client found that without her spouse, and three children to raise, paying her mortgage and assessments was tough. In 2018, the bank filed to foreclose on her home, but Mike stepped up and defended the case for nearly four years, by which time his client qualified for a loan modification, and was able to bring the mortgage back into good standing. But in the meantime, the client’s association sued her for back assessments, and threatened to evict her. There too Mike stepped up and negotiated a settlement agreement with the association that required the association to waive certain fees it should have never assessed the client in the first place. Then, in 2024, the association once again filed to evict the Al-Din family for non-payment of assessments. Yet again, Mike stepped in, and defended the eviction case for over a year, including up through a bench trial in October 2025. While the judge ultimately found that the Al-Din family owed some money, Mike was successful in reducing the judgement to 25 percent of what the association was claiming. Most importantly, Mike stood by the Al-Din family for seven years, stepping up and pushing back on every attempt to push them out of their home. Rare is the volunteer with the tenacity and commitment that Mike demonstrated on behalf of the Al-Din family.
Joanna Krystowczyk
Amicus Poloniae
Joanna Krystowczyk
Amicus Poloniae
Joanna Krystowczyk first came to Amicus Poloniae as a client. Inspired by the compassion, guidance, and impact of the clinic's work, she chose to come back and volunteer. 10 years later, she remains a dedicated and essential member of the team, helping to bridge language barriers and using her professional skills as an executive assistant to support the clinic in various administrative tasks. One of the things that makes Joanna so valuable at the clinic is her understanding of what needs to be done and willingness to jump in and figure it out. Additionally, she is always willing to listen to clients and offer them compassion through their difficult situations, making her one of our most outstanding volunteers at Amicus Poloniae.
Jennifer Lin
Amicus Poloniae
Jennifer Lin
Amicus Poloniae
Jennifer Lin is recognized by Amicus Polonaie for her outstanding service at the Amicus Polonaie Legal Clinic. Jennifer originally came to the clinic seeking pro-bono work in her local community. Since then, she has become one of our volunteer lawyers who can always be counted on to show up. During her time at the clinic, Jennifer demonstrated a remarkable level of compassion. She is always open to speaking to clients and does it in a way that makes them feel heard and respected. It is also clear that Jennifer sees the work she does at Amicus Polonaie as rewarding and important. Her dedication and attitude have made her an outstanding volunteer and a clear example for others at the clinic.
Melissa Ludington
Adult GAL
Melissa Ludington
Adult GAL
Melissa Ludington is recognized by CVLS for her distinguished service in the Adult Guardian ad litem program (Adult GAL). Melissa brings her social work education and experience to her legal role as GAL. This combination makes her an excellent resource for complex cases and cases with pro se litigants. Melissa is dedicated and consistent and a true advocate of pro bono services.
Lisa Marquardt
Immigration
Lisa Marquardt
Immigration
Carol "Lisa" Marquardt: Lisa is being honored with the Immigration Program Award. She served as the guiding force in identifying more than 50 U visa applicants who were victims of notario fraud. She courageously supported them through nearly two years of engagement with the Department of Justice to report the crimes committed against them. With exceptional skill in dialogue and trust-building, she created a safe pathway for survivors to come forward and be heard. She recognized the profound injustice these victims faced and responded with both legal acumen and deep compassion. Grounded in her faith and an unwavering commitment to service, she has transformed the lives of vulnerable immigrants while strengthening the integrity of the system meant to protect them.
Brandon McRoyal
Southeast-New Life Covenant Legal Clinic
Brandon McRoyal
Southeast-New Life Covenant Legal Clinic
Brandon and I crossed paths about two years ago while attending a Cook County Bar Association seminar. After the meeting, I casually asked whether any of the attorneys would be willing to assist with our legal clinic. Brandon stated that he might be able to assist, and a day or so later, we discussed our legal clinic process. Brandon immediately filled out CVLS' Volunteer Form and consulted with several clients at the very next clinic date.
Although I did not know Brandon personally and he does not attend our church, he has been one of our most dedicated and consistent volunteers. Each month, he agrees to consult with clients, and always returns his intake forms promptly. As a general practitioner in private practice, he can assist with almost any case type that comes in. He has rarely missed a clinic date in the last 2 years, and several clients have expressed appreciation for his thorough and informative legal advice. Brandon has been an unexpected blessing to the Southeast Legal Clinic and deserves to be honored for his services.
-Mamie Alexander, Clinic Chair
Hon. Kristi Nelson
Immigration
Hon. Kristi Nelson
Immigration
Hon. Kristi Nelson is being recognized with the Distinguished Award for her exceptional advocacy advancing access to justice for immigrant clients, particularly through her deep commitment to pro bono service. She filed a habeas petition and secured the federal court release of a detained SIJS youth, demonstrating both legal precision and an unwavering focus on our client’s well-being. She has also counseled on complex asylum cases with rigor and compassion, while consistently providing mentorship to CVLS immigration staff. Drawing on her experience as a former immigration judge, she brings extraordinary analytical skill, credibility, and strategic insight to every matter she undertakes. Her leadership and sustained dedication to pro bono advocacy have made a meaningful, system-level impact for immigrant families navigating the legal system.
Alicia Petersen
PCAP
Alicia Petersen
PCAP
Alicia Petersen is recognized by CVLS for her distinguished service in the PCAP program. Alicia is a compassionate attorney and represented our client through both a probate matter and supported her in a foreclosure matter. In addition, after the client moved from Cook County, Alicia went above and beyond to close the probate matter. Alicia is unwavering in her advocacy for our clients.
Blake Roter
JUF / JCLS Community Legal Services
Blake Roter
JUF / JCLS Community Legal Services
Blake Roter, a Partner at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C., has been named to the 2026 CVLS Honor Roll, an honor that reflects both his exceptional legal skill and his unwavering commitment to service. With dedication and determination, Roter has consistently stepped forward to represent low-income clients, handling complex litigation and appellate matters with remarkable precision.
For example, this past year he successfully settled an employment discrimination case rooted in egregious antisemitism, delivering meaningful justice to a client who might otherwise have gone unheard. His work continues at the appellate level in another matter, where he is currently advocating for a wronged employee.
What distinguishes Blake is not just his legal acumen, which is noteworthy, but the compassion he brings to every case. He approaches each client with respect and empathy, ensuring that those most in need receive the same high-quality representation as any other. His professionalism is matched by a value to make this world more just, a belief he puts into action.
In honoring Blake Roter, we celebrate a lawyer whose service embodies the true spirit of pro bono work and the best of the legal profession.
Lakeyah Scales
Child Rep
Lakeyah Scales
Child Rep
Lakeyah Scales started working with CVLS as a law student at DePaul University College of Law through the Family Law Clinic taught by our very own Phil Mohr and Rob Zielinski. Phil and Rob saw the potential in Lakeyah right away as a Rule 711 law student. She took on divorce, custody, and adoption cases under our supervision and always eager to learn and develop her skills. Since graduating from law school in 2022, Lakeyah has stayed involved at CVLS as one of our most prolific Child Representative volunteers. Over the last three years, she has completed over half a dozen cases and continues to be one of the most active volunteers in the program despite starting her own busy family law practice. We are proud to recognize Lakeyah for her pro bono work and for being able to watch her grow into a seasoned veteran in front of our very eyes.
Madeline Sefton
Beermann Family Law Clinic
Madeline Sefton
Beermann Family Law Clinic
I am pleased to nominate Madeline Sefton for this award in recognition of her outstanding commitment to pro bono service and leadership within our firm’s Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic. Maddie has devoted significant time and energy to assisting underserved clients, consistently providing thoughtful, compassionate, and high-quality legal representation. In addition to direct client advocacy, Maddie has taken on a vital leadership role by mentoring and overseeing law students working on clinic matters, ensuring both strong case outcomes and meaningful educational experiences. Her initiative in developing and implementing new procedures and strategic approaches has improved the clinic’s efficiency and expanded its ability to serve clients effectively. Maddie exemplifies the highest ideals of the legal profession, making her exceptionally deserving of this recognition.
- Shana Vitek, Clinic Co-Chair
Kent Sinson
Amicus Poloniae
Kent Sinson
Amicus Poloniae
Kent Sinson: for his outstanding service as a volunteer attorney with the clinic. Kent has been an active volunteer with the clinic for over a decade. He has demonstrated a consistent commitment to clients and ensuring their voices are heard. Kent is a real advocate for the underdogs and is always willing to fight for justice. This is exemplified by his willingness to always sit down with a client and hear their story and problems. His long-term service at the clinic and focus on enacting real change in clients' lives, makes him an outstanding volunteer and critical part of the work done at Amicus Poloniae.
Paul Stockert
BMO
Paul Stockert
BMO
I would like to nominate Paul Stockert. He has picked up quite a few calls over the last two years and he takes such time and care with the potential clients that he speaks with. I know for a fact that he digs in where he can to help the client have a productive outcome, and he has gone out of his way for some calls to make sure that he understood what was taking place to ensure that the client could obtain the help that was needed. Paul picks up call whenever he can and has been a real help to me in the past.
-Tania Pothel-Worden, Clinic Chair
Masaru Takiguchi
AFLAN
Masaru Takiguchi
AFLAN
A long-time volunteer for CVLS, Masaru Takiguchi has been a trusted and exemplary volunteer for the veteran's program, IL-AFLAN, for multiple years. He has shown a commitment to serving the legal needs of Illinois veterans throughout Cook County. He has executed a number of estate planning documents for CVLS clients, ensuring that their affairs are in order and that their last wishes have been documented. Masaru is both dependable and efficient, which has made him an integral part of our high case placement rate of the last few years. We could not serve nearly as many veterans, without his valuable work. We are proud to present him this honor and thank him for his continued commitment to CVLS and Illinois veterans in need.
Steve A. Wade
AFLAN
Steve A. Wade
AFLAN
CVLS is proud to present volunteer Steven Wade with this honor in recognition of his high-quality work in service of the veteran clientele at CVLS. Steve has been a key part of making sure that the legal needs of veterans across Cook County have been met. Since joining CVLS as a volunteer in 2024, Steve has proven to be willing and dependable. Staff know they can rely on him to meet the clients where they are at and provide them with the pro bon services they seek. We are grateful to Attorney Wade for his commitment to CVLS and our clients. He has played a vital role in ensuring Illinois veteran are provided with legal services in their time of need.