‘Help Those People’: Chicago-Kent Celebrates Public Interest at 19th Annual Awards

According to the Law School Admission Council, a not-for-profit organization that is committed to promoting quality, access, and equity in law and education, 49 percent of 2024–25 LSAT takers were pursuing legal studies to help others. The organization also said that an additional 37 percent wanted to become lawyers to advocate for justice. 

In fact, according to its 2024–25 Knowledge Report, those were the top two reasons students go to law school. 

That inspiration was on full display at Chicago-Kent College of Law’s 19th annual Public Interest Awards on April 22, 2026, where Chicago-Kent honors students, pro bono leaders, and a public interest partner who have devoted their time to public interest legal work.

Michelle M. Vodenik, director of Chicago-Kent’s Public Interest Center, shared updates during the ceremony about the volunteer work that was undertaken by Chicago-Kent students over the past year. She revealed that 81 percent of the 2025–26 entering class took the Pro Bono Pledge, which is a commitment to undertake at least 50 hours of community service during their time in law school.

Students are following up on those promises. Student engagement in pro bono work increased 9.5 percent from 2025, with 311 students logging pro bono hours. Students also recorded 6,021 volunteer hours, up 8.2 percent from last year.

According to Chicago-Kent’s volunteer tracking software, Paladin, the graduating class of 2026 logged 10,182 hours of volunteer work in their communities during their time at the college. Aside from helping others, students say that they have gained valuable legal skills from their public interest work, including client intake and interviewing, legal research and writing, drafting court filing, case management, and advising clients.

The ceremony wrapped up by honoring Chicago-Kent students and partners for this work.

Chicago-Kent students who complete at least 50 hours of community service receive the Public Interest Center Certificate of Service. This year, 47 students earned the honor, including 11 who completed more than 250 volunteer hours and also earned the Dean’s Distinguished Public Service Award and eight others who logged more than 400 hours and also earned the Dean’s Exemplary Public Service Award.

As the graduating student with the most volunteer hours, Tashi Gordillo ’26 was the recipient of the Pro Bono Student Leader Award. They completed the bulk of their 687.5 service hours with the Illinois Prison Project, a nonprofit working for a more humane prison system throughout the state.

The Alumni Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award was presented to Enrique Espinoza ’21, a staff attorney at the Chicago-Kent Immigration Clinic, where he acts as a tireless advocate to numerous clients seeking respite from the immigration courts.
Ella Robinson ’28 and Sara Schlecht ’28 received the Justice John Paul Steven Public Interest Summer Fellowship, a scholarship that is awarded annually to two outstanding law students who have obtained unpaid summer positions at public interest organizations. Robinson will spend her summer with Impact for Equity, a public-interest law and policy center combating racial, economic, and social injustice. Schlecht will work for the Illinois Human Rights Commission, a state agency that promotes freedom from discrimination as defined by the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Gabriela Treviño-Gutiérrez ’26 was awarded the Vivien C. Gross Pro Bono and Public Interest Leadership Award, which recognizes a graduating law student who has made outstanding contributions to public interest law through pro bono work and leadership. She dedicated 403 hours to more than 23 different organizations.

“A majority of people in the civil justice system are unrepresented—people facing eviction, lack of access to public benefits, and the incredibly daunting immigration system,” Treviño-Gutiérrez said in her acceptance speech. “Our education carries great power, and it’s up to us to advocate for marginalized communities.”

The final honor of the night, the Ronald W. Staudt Public Interest Partner Award, recognizes an organization that makes outstanding contributions to public interest law and provides opportunities for Chicago-Kent students to gain meaningful experience in public interest practice. This year the award was given to the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services, which provides legal assistance on family law, elder law, and other issues to those who can’t otherwise afford it. 

Chicago-Kent has partnered with the Legal Aid Society to provide volunteer opportunities to students since 2013.

Loren Gutierrez ’17 accepted the award on behalf of the organization. She started volunteering there as a Chicago-Kent student and now serves as its deputy director.

“I do have to say that Chicago-Kent interns are always our favorites,” she said during the ceremony. “I might be biased, but we’ve had some wonderful students volunteer and intern with us lately.”

Chicago-Kent Dean Jason J. Czarnezki wrapped up the ceremony with a call to action.

“When you see injustice in your communities, when you see how you can help people in the public interest, when you see old people who need help, people in this country who are doing their best and need their assistance—help those people,” he said. “We are here to make sure you have the opportunity to do that.”