scales of justice
The Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee on Thursday announced new subcommittee chairs and the creation of a new subcommittee.
Committee members are judges, lawyers from several disciplines, the law librarian and self-help personnel, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Catholic Charities Legal Assistance, and the Public Interest Law Initiative. The subcommittee chairs coordinate continuing legal education speakers and encourage attorneys from many legal areas to participate in pro bono efforts.
“The chairs of the subcommittees coordinate all the hands-on efforts of the pro bono committee and keep their attorney members interested and involved in pro bono efforts,” said Judge Barb Crowder, chair of the Third Circuit Pro Bono Committee. “Their help is crucial to the services we provide.”
Angela Potter Donohoo will serve as chair of the Family Law Subcommittee. Donohoo is a partner at Levo-Donohoo LLC in Troy. She received her license to practice law in 2003 after graduating from Tulsa University, where she completed her undergraduate work and her law degree. Donohoo’s practice includes family law, guardianship, adoption, divorce, custody, and traffic law. The Family Law subcommittee provides legal education to the public and coordinates volunteers with Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation.
Judge Martin Mengarelli will serve as the new chair of the Veterans Subcommittee. Mengarelli received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University-Chicago and received his law degree from Northern Illinois University Law School in 1993. He served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1987 and has assisted military veterans with disability claims and other legal matters pro bono before becoming a judge.
The pro bono committee has created a new subcommittee on civil practice that will help cover more areas of civil litigation in which low-income residents need assistance. The Civil Practice Subcommittee will be co-chaired by Eric Carlson and Tanja Cook. Carlson is a partner at Byron Carlson Petri & Kalb LLC in Edwardsville. He earned a bachelor of liberal arts and sciences cum laude from the University of Illinois. He received his law degree, magna cum laude, from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1995. Carlson’s practice includes wrongful death, medical malpractice, products liability, and vehicular accidents.
Tanja Cook, co-chair of the civil subcommittee, is an associate at Lueders, Robertson & Konzen in Granite City. Cook earned both her bachelor’s and law degrees from Southern Illinois University and was admitted to practice in the state of Illinois in 1999. She handles a wide range of municipal law issues as an assistant city attorney for Granite City and has experience in real estate law, contracts, and transactional matters.
The Young Lawyers Subcommittee and the Madison County Internship Program Subcommittee have been merged to form the Young Lawyers/High School Outreach subcommittee. The previous chairs of the two subcommittees will co-chair the new subcommittee. The co-chairs are Jo Anna Pollack, Rebecca Hausman and Tim Chartrand. This newly formed subcommittee will encourage young lawyer participation in pro bono and also in outreach to high school students who may be interested in the legal system or careers in law.
“The work of these subcommittees helps provide information to the many self-represented litigants that have civil disputes plus the subcommittees help educate attorneys who can take pro bono cases from the legal assistance organizations,” Chief Judge David Hylla said. “Without these subcommittees and the lawyers who provide the many volunteer services, the court system would not be able to efficiently process many of these matters. The volunteers are truly appreciated.”
The Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee reminds the public that free legal appointments to low-income individuals who do not have attorneys are available by appointment on any legal subject except criminal law, including but not limited to subjects such as family law or areas such as debt collection, landlord-tenant, small claims, or any other civil area of law. The free appointments take place the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The appointments are for those of limited incomes who do not have attorneys and qualifying information will need to be provided. To make an appointment or to volunteer, call (618) 296-4472 or email Lauren Jansen at lljansen@co.madison.il.us.
In addition to the appointments, the Law Library houses the Self-Help Center, where staff can assist people who do not have attorneys in finding forms to file pleadings and other services. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday when the courthouse is open.