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Eric S. Donahue, Business Manager. Purdue University, (B.A., Political Science and History 1997). Eric, who joined CVLS five years ago after working as a business manager for Indiana law firms, coordinates all of CVLS’ business and operational tasks, including contracts and purchases, insurance and internal organization. He manages the 403(b) retirement plan and other aspects of CVLS human resources. In addition, he handles all day-to-day bookkeeping including accounts receivable and accounts payable and client accounts. Currently he is enrolled at Keller Graduate School of Management, working towards his MBA/CPA.
His talent with training has given him the responsibility of overseeing the summer student program. His rapid response to welfare reform legislation in 1998 gave rise to statewide demand for his materials and speaking engagements at Judge Timothy Evan’s luncheon Seminar and the Young Lawyer’s Section Family Law Committee. A former chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Legal Aid Committee, he currently sits on their Matrimonial Law Committee. Phil was the chair of the subsection of the legal service’s consortium which has both created pro-se family law forms and materials and assisted with the creation of the Domestic Relations Division’s Self-Help Center. He also is the Legal Content Editor of the Family Law practice area of the Illinois Technology Center’s website and co-chair of the Clerk of the Circuit Court Pro Se Litigants Advisory Committee. Phil, a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, is a former ISBA Assembly and current member of the ISBA Family Law Section Council. In its annual supplemental edition in 2004, Phil was selected by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of the “40 Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois to Watch”.
Amanda F. Fayne, Staff Attorney, Chancery Court Access to Justice Program. University of Wisconsin, Madison (B.A., English, 1999). Chicago Kent College of Law J.D., 2002). Amanda joined the CVLS staff in 2006 after practicing law in the private sector for over four years. While in private practice, Amanda tried over 30 jury trials to verdict. Amanda is a part of CVLS’ new joint project with the Chicago Bar Association and the Chancery Court, in which CVLS accepts appointments from the court to represent low-income pro se litigants in danger of losing their homes. CVLS staff and volunteers represent clients in mortgage foreclosures, Chicago Housing Authority terminations, title fraud, mortgage fraud, and predatory lending cases. Amanda, experienced in property damage, personal injury, declaratory actions, CHAC administrative hearings and mortgage foreclosure surplus cases, handles many of these housing cases herself in addition to providing support to volunteers. In addition, Amanda was an adjunct faculty professor at Chicago Kent, teaching advanced legal writing. Terri Hooker, Panel Program Administrator. Terri, who has worked with CVLS volunteers since 1973, adjusts Panel Referral Program policies to meet shifting client needs and volunteer capacity and places cases with more than 1,000 volunteer lawyers. She takes particular delight in finding specialists to handle cases that regular legal aid programs rejected as beyond their expertise. She also recruits and orients Panel lawyers and continuously surveys volunteer and client satisfaction. In addition to her panel duties, Terri spends hours working closely with the staff attorneys appointed as guardians ad litem over problematic minor’s estates by investigating and overseeing guardians and older minors requesting withdrawals from their bank accounts. Terri completed 2 years of Loop College and graduated from Roosevelt University’s Certified Paralegal program in 1985. Phillip J. Mohr, Deputy Director. University of Illinois, Champaign, (B.A., Economics, 1987). De Paul University College of Law (J.D., 1991). Formerly a CVLS volunteer, Phillip joined staff in 1991, became the Family Law Director in 1996, and was named the Deputy Director in 2006. In addition to being Deputy Director, Phil also continues to direct our Family Law Program. His own large caseload and the work of his American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers panel does much to meet our greatest need: representation of clients on contested family law matters. In addition to trial work, he has gained experience with appellate work as well. In 1999, along with a CVLS volunteer, Phil argued before the Illinois Supreme Court. As an experienced family law practitioner, Phil spends many hours tutoring young volunteers, both individually and through seminars, gradually guiding them from simple to complex cases. 48
Patricia M. Nelson, Director, Chancery Court Access to Justice Program. University of Illinois, Champaign (B.A., Economics, 1990). DePaul University College of Law J.D., 1996). Patty is the Director of our new joint project with the Chicago Bar Association and the Chancery Court Access to Justice, in which CVLS accepts appointments from the court to represent low-income pro se litigants in danger of losing their homes. CVLS staff and volunteers represent clients in mortgage foreclosures, Chicago Housing Authority terminations and victims of title fraud, mortgage fraud, and predatory lending. Patty handles many of these complex housing cases herself. She also actively recruits, trains and supports volunteers as well as arranges ongoing seminars and training workshops in these areas. Patty has been a featured speaker on the issues of title and mortgage fraud for Metropolitan Family Services and the Illinois Paralegal Association. She is also the co-author of an instruction manual for landlords wishing to evict their tenants. Previously, Patty spent eight years as our utility attorney. She is experienced in probate, landlord tenant, contract disputes, adoption, DCFS administrative hearings and guardian ad litem in contested custody disputes. Patty is the co-author of a training manual that is used to train all new guardians ad litem. She has spoken and presented seminars on that topic at CVLS and for the Chicago Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. Patty also has experience drafting legislation, lobbying for its passage, and testifying in support of that legislation to the Illinois House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Patty, past co-chair of the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity, trained to conduct seminars on prejudice reduction through the National Coalition Building Institute. Currently, she serves on the CBA’s Legal Aid and Real Estate Law Committees and is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association. Matthew Pollock, Community Relations & Development Coordinator. Arizona State University, (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2005). Before joining CVLS in July 2007, Matthew worked as a mechanical engineer for 6 years in Chicago and Phoenix. While toiling in the world of big business he developed a desire to give back to the community and found his way to CVLS. Working closely with the executive director to target new sources of funding, Matt coordinates Race Judicata®, and composes press and marketing materials as well as CVLS’ monthly newsletter. In his spare time he manages the new and improved CVLS website that he designed to be an easy, accessible gathering point for volunteers and clients alike. 49