Six students from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago were selected to participate in the Law Student Leaders Access to Justice Summit, hosted by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice.
The day-long event, which was held in the Illinois Supreme Court’s ceremonial courtroom in Chicago, allowed student leaders from all nine Illinois law schools to discuss access to justice initiatives and how those programs might fit into their future career paths. John Marshall was represented by Masayoshi Haynie, Anetha Logitharaj, Jonnesebastian Orozco, Paul Pfeiffer, Sandi Tanoue, and Zike “Ariel” Yang.
At this inaugural Summit, students also learned about obstacles low-income individuals face when attempting to access legal services and how pro bono work can help end this disparity.
Some of the topics discussed were “How Courts are Changing to Expand Access to Justice”; “Making a Difference: How You Can Get Engaged”; and “Does Pro Bono Work? Lessons from the Inside.” Speakers included Illinois Supreme Court Justices, judges, practicing attorneys from myriad sectors, and staff from The Chicago Bar Foundation and the Public Interest Law Initiative.
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice was created by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2012 to “promote, facilitate and enhance equal access to justice with an emphasis on access to the Illinois civil courts and administrative agencies for all people, particularly the poor and vulnerable.”
