On February 28, 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice hosted its third iteration of the Law Student Leaders Access to Justice Summit, which was graciously hosted by Jenner & Block LLP. The Commission hosted 72 law student leaders from our nine Illinois law schools, Illinois JusticeCorps Fellows, Illinois Court Help Guides, and law school faculty to the Summit. The Summit was attended by members of the judiciary, representing the Supreme Court, Appellate Court, and Circuit Court of Cook County.
The program began with a moving welcome from Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, who was introduced by Melissa Root, Managing Partner of Jenner & Block’s Chicago office.
The event included numerous panels and discussions from distinguished faculty. Samira Nazem from the National Center for State Courts provided an overview of state courts and access to justice initiatives and strategies. A diverse group of panelists representing various professional pathways then spoke on career paths for access to justice. The discussion involved mentorship and relationship building, pro bono work in private practice, barriers legal aid clients face in achieving access to justice, and tips on managing self-care in the legal profession.
Attendees then heard from Justice David Overstreet, the Supreme Court’s liaison to the Commission, who gave an inspiring lunch keynote. Justice Overstreet was joined by Justice Joy Cunningham, who participated in the networking lunch. Attendees were assigned to lunch tables organized in six general areas ranging from big law, criminal defense, legal aid, government, clerkships, and solo practice. Numerous judges and attorneys volunteered to participate in the lunch programming.
The afternoon included a panel on technology and access to justice, which focused on how technology can help increase access to resources for SRLs, how court systems use technology to manage processes and assist stakeholders, the use of technology by legal aid organizations to streamline work, the ways in which pro bono attorneys can be trained and work more efficiently using technological innovations, and the professional responsibility and ethical implications of AI.
The afternoon programming concluded with a self-represented litigant simulation and debrief led by Judge Jorge L. Ortiz, Chair of the ATJ Commission, and Jill Roberts from the AOIC’s ATJ Division. The simulation explored the reality of someone living in poverty who is experiencing housing insecurity and involvement in the court system. Attendees went through the simulation and then participated in an engaging discussion about procedural fairness, bias, and what they might be able to do in their future legal career to help close the justice gap.
More information about the Summit, including the agenda and photos, can be found on the Commission’s website.