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When Cruz married his wife, he went in with an understanding that she and her child from a previous relationship were a package deal. He grew to love his wife's daughter as if she were his own child. After 15 years of taking care of his stepchild, Cruz came to ...

When Diana separated from her husband, she figured filing for divorce was a logical next step. She ran into a roadblock when she realized that navigating the legal system by yourself isn't that simple, especially when you have to address child custody issues, child support, and a less-than-agreeable spouse. Diana ...

Are your colleagues interested in child advocacy? Our attorneys Rebekah Rashidfarokhi and Debi Martin are available to host in-house small group trainings at law firms for attorneys interested in representing the best interests of children in minor guardianship cases. This is an excellent program for anyone, including associates and/or transactional ...

Be an immigration friend of the court CVLS is recruiting Spanish-speaking attorneys, paralegals, legal support staff, and other non-lawyer volunteers to serve as a Friend of the Court (FOTC) for unrepresented immigrants in deportation proceedings.  An Immigration FOTC accompanies an undocumented immigrant to court and participates in the immigration proceedings ...

Christina found herself dealing with two of the most stressful events in one's life: divorce and illness. She had separated from her husband and had recently been diagnosed with an advanced stage cancer. Relying entirely on disability payments, Christina sought help from CVLS to finalize her divorce and obtain spousal ...

How Advocacy and Rental Assistance Kept and 84-Year-Old Chicagoan Housed When "Barbara Jones" found a five-day eviction notice on her door, she was stunned. At 84 years old, she'd lived alone in her Chicago apartment for more than two decades and had always paid her rent. Sometimes she paid in ...

After Debbie's husband passed away, she didn't know how to handle his affairs. Debbie was more concerned with processing her grief than handling the legal and financial hurdles that accompany the death of a loved one. Thankfully, Debbie was able to connect with the Chinese American Service League (CASL) Clinic ...

To our amazing partners and volunteers, we thank and honor you. Every day, CVLS volunteers and partners prove what Chicago pro bono truly looks like in action. Whether serving in the courtroom, staffing a neighborhood legal clinic, mentoring newer volunteers, or taking on complex cases for clients with nowhere else ...

2026 Awardees Honorable Scott TzinbergCourt of Honor Read Bio Preview modal- 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 ...

CVLS Board of Directors Holds Elections for New Members CVLS recently held elections for our Board of Directors, marking both a transition and an opportunity to welcome new leadership. We extend our sincere thanks to the following board members who have completed their second terms and were ineligible to run ...