Beermann LLP, “The Family Law Firm that Cares,” is currently celebrating 65 years of service to the Chicagoland Area and is excited to announce that they have partnered with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (“CVLS”) to form the Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic. Chaired by Equity Partner Shana L. Vitek, the Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic will provide pro bono legal services to individuals going through domestic relations proceedings who could not otherwise afford legal representation.

Beermann LLP is the largest family law firm in Illinois and has over 50 attorneys practicing family law exclusively. Additionally, law students who are part of Beermann LLP’s Law Clerk program and have completed 50% of their law school education are eligible to work on family law cases under the guidance of a supervising attorney pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 711.

CVLS is the first pro-bono civil aid legal services provider in the City of Chicago. Although over 2,000 attorneys annually volunteer with the organization, family law cases have faced the highest strain. “Only about 1/5 of our active volunteers are willing to take on family law matters. We are forced to close our domestic relations intake on occasion because of limited resources,” said Kathy Koester, a Clinic Coordinator at CVLS. Previously, the organization would turn away people seeking services for family law cases, as CVLS was overburdened with too many cases and too few volunteers with family law experience.

The Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic aims to narrow this margin, by providing quality legal representation from attorneys at the nation’s premier family law firm. Beermann attorneys are consistently named in such publications as Best Lawyers in America®, Leading LawyersSM, and Super Lawyers®, and the firm is recognized as one of the top family law firms in the country by U.S. News and World Report. The firm intends to share its commitment to excellence with those in need. “We feel strongly about giving back to the community, and given the size of our firm, we are in a unique position to make a big difference for clients who would otherwise go unrepresented in family law matters,” says Vitek.

Attorneys from Beermann LLP and CVLS gathered at Beermann’s Chicago office for training on May 24, 2023. The team discussed clientele, anticipated legal issues, and the unique needs of clients receiving pro-bono services. CVLS acknowledged what an impact the Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic will have on their programming. “We can’t thank Beermann LLP enough. This is a game changer for CVLS and our family law clients. Not only will the Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic allow us to substantially increase our capacity to handle more cases, but as one of the preeminent family law firms in Chicago, our clients will get excellent representation. We assume the Domestic Relations courts will be pleased as well with a reduction in pro se clients that can often entangle the system,” said Phillip Mohr, CVLS Deputy Director.

The Beermann LLP Family Law Clinic will officially open starting in June 2023. Those seeking legal representation in a family law matter can contact CVLS to schedule an intake.

For more information, please visit:
www.beermannlaw.com | (312) 621-9700 | 161 N. Clark Street St, Suite 3000 | Chicago, IL 60601
www.cvls.org | (312) 332-1624 | 33 North Dearborn Street, Suite 400 | Chicago, IL 60602