1 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
Illinois Legal Aid Resources
for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
Introduction
In response to regular requests for legal services referrals, ICASA
has developed this resource guide that lists the legal aid agencies in
Illinois that serve victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. We
have included contact information, the intake process, and the types of
legal services offered by each agency. The information was confirmed
by ICASA as of October 2021. If you have questions about this
resource, please contact Lori Mitchell at ICASA at 217-753-4117 or 866-
648-2272 or lmitc[email protected]rg.
Table of Contents
Statewide Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 2
Chicagoland Area Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 2-5
Downstate Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 6-8
2 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
Statewide Resources
• Illinois Legal Aid Online
o www.illinoislegalaid.org
o Online tools, forms, and referrals
Chicagoland Area Resources
• Ascend Justice
o www.ascendjustice.org
o 312-325-9155 (Emergency Services)
o 312-971-5932 (Extended Services)
o Intake process: apply for services through the General Intake Form
o Legal services: Orders of Protection (OPs) for victims of domestic
violence; family law cases involving child custody and support;
assistance with Department of Children and Family Services cases;
divorce; finances; employment, housing, and immigration law
• Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern School of Law
o www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic
o 312-503-8576
o Intake process: submit a one-page letter describing the case to
legalclin[email protected]
o Legal services: representation for wrongful conviction;
wrongful conviction of minors; immigration issues;
criminal defense; and human rights
3 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
• Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic
o www.cgla.net
o Intake process: call 312-738-2452, or apply online at
www.cgla.net/get-legal-help
o Legal services: representation for family law cases; housing law
cases; criminal defense; and expungement and sealing of records
•
Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE)
o www.caase.org
o Intake process: call 773-244-2230 ext. 205, or email
o Legal services: protective orders for survivors of sexual assault;
sexual assault cases; victims’ rights representation; employment
law; educational advocacy; general civil litigation; referrals for
private attorneys; clients must be 13 years old or older; no family
law
•
Greater Chicago Legal Clinic
o www.gclclaw.org
o Intake process: 24-Hour Intake Line: 312-726-2938 or apply online
at https://www.gclclaw.org/contact-us or Legal Aid Online
o Legal services: assistance with Orders of Protection (OPs) for
victims of domestic violence; family law; immigration law;
expungement and sealing of criminal records
4 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
•
Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
o www.cvls.org
o Intake process: call 312-332-1624, or apply online at
https://www.cvls.org/get-legal-help/how-to-obtain-our-help/apply-
online/
o Legal services: representation in family law cases; immigration law
issues; housing issues; and contract issues
•
DuPage Bar Legal Aid Service
o www.dupagelegalaid.org
o Intake process: call 630-653-6212, or apply online at
www.dupagelegalaid.org/contact-us.html
o Legal services: assistance with protective orders; family law cases
•
Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services
o www.metrofamily.org
o Intake process: call 312-986-4105
o Legal services: assistance with Orders of Protection (OPs) and
representation for victims of domestic violence; immigration,
housing, and employment law; expungement and sealing of criminal
records; and family law related to domestic violence cases; no
general civil or criminal representation
5 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
• Legal Aid Chicago
o www.legalaidchicago.org
o Intake process: call 312-341-1070
o Legal services: assistance with Civil No Contact Orders (CNCOs)
for victims of sexual assault; Stalking No Contact Orders (SNCOs)
for victims of stalking; Orders of Protection (OPs) for victims of
domestic violence; education cases (K-12); family law;
immigration; housing; employment; and expungement and sealing
of criminal records
•
Life Span Center for Legal Services and Advocacy
o www.life-span.org
o Intake process: call 312-408-1210
o Legal services: legal representation for victims of sexual assault,
domestic violence, and human trafficking; assistance with
protective orders (CNCOs, SNCOs, and OPs); family law cases;
criminal court advocacy; representation and support for Title IX
hearings; immigration assistance for victims of sexual assault and
domestic violence
•
North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic
o www.nslegalaid.org
o Intake process: call 847-737-4042, or schedule an online
consultation at
https://nslegalaid.org/get-help/schedule-a-
consultation
o Serving Lake County and north suburban Cook County
o Legal services: representation for victims of domestic
violence; protective orders (CNCOs, SNCOs, and OPs);
family law; immigration; housing
6 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
Downstate Resources
• Clove Alliance
o https://clovealliance.org/legal-services
o Intake process: Must be a client of Clove Alliance with an
advocate referral to receive legal services. For more information,
please call 815-932-7273, or email [email protected]
o Clove Alliance serves Kankakee, Iroquois, and Ford counties.
o Legal services: Protective orders (CNCOs, SNCOs, and OPs);
contract law; criminal court advocacy; employment law;
expungement and sealing of criminal records; family law; housing
matters; representation and support for Title IX hearings
•
Immigrant Assistance Program
o www.immigrationproject.org
o Intake process: call 309-829-8703 (Central Illinois), 618-452-
7018 (Southern Illinois), or email [email protected]
o Legal services: representation for immigrant survivors of crime or
trauma, domestic violence, and family law; the program does not
represent people in detention or in employment-based immigration
cases
7 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
•
Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation
o https://lincolnlegal.org
o Intake process: call 877-342-7891 (Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to
4 p.m.; Friday: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.); or apply online
o Agency serves 65 counties in central and southern Illinois:
click for map
o Legal services: representation of victims in domestic violence
and sexual assault cases; Civil No Contact Orders (CNCOs),
Stalking No Contact Orders (SNCOs), and Orders of Protection
(OPs); housing, employment, contract, and family law;
expungement
and sealing of criminal records
•
Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services – Decatur
Office
o https://www.metrofamily.org/legal-aid-society/practice-groups-
2/human-trafficking-initiative/
o Intake process: call 312-986-4105
o Legal services: For victims of human trafficking: assist with
reporting to appropriate law enforcement agency; provide victim
rights’ advocacy including assistance throughout criminal case,
pursuit of no contact or protective orders, restitution,
expungement/sealing/criminal record issues; file civil litigation to
recover wages, damages, costs; assist with necessary and
applicable service referrals; for non-US citizens, assist with all
applicable trafficking victim immigration relief; for victims of labor
abuse or violation: assist with relief for wage and other
workplace violations.
8 Illinois Legal Aid Resources for Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
2021
•
Prairie State Legal Services, Inc.
o www.pslegal.org
o Intake process: call your local office – 11 offices serving 36
counties (click for list and map
); or apply online at
www.illinoislegalaid.org; limited in-person intake at the Kane
County Courthouse Project
o Legal services: civil legal services including domestic violence
and sexual assault cases; protective orders (CNCOs, SNCOs, and
OPs); family law; immigration; housing; employment;
expungement and sealing of criminal records
•
Southern Illinois University School of Law
Domestic Violence Clinic
o https://law.siu.edu/academics/clinics/
o Intake process: Client referrals from rape crisis centers only
o The clinic serves the following counties: Alexander, Franklin,
Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski,
Saline, Union, and Williamson
o Legal services: assistance with protective orders (CNCOs,
SNCOs, and OPs) for victims of sexual assault and domestic
violence
• University of Illinois College of Law Clinic
o https://law.illinois.edu/academics/clinics-experiential-learning/
o Intake process: call 217-244-9494
o Legal services: representation for Department of
Children and Family Services cases; immigration law
