CBA/CBF Pro Bono Week CLE: Pro Bono with Ascend Justice's Family Defense Program

This CLE is part of the CBA/CBF's 2025 Pro Bono Week Programming.

In Ascend Justice's Family Defense pro bono program, volunteer attorneys represent  wrongly accused parents and child care professionals in appeals of abuse or neglect “indications” findings in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) administrative hearings. These hearings are the first opportunity an individual is given to have a DCFS investigator’s decision to “indicate” an allegation reviewed by a neutral decision-maker (an Administrative Law Judge). 

Training topics include an overview of the DCFS allegation system and underlying investigations, a review of the appeal process, and answers to common questions, including timing, discovery, witnesses, evidentiary issues, and expectations for attorneys handling referred cases. This training is open to all legal professionals and is intended for folks who are interested in taking a family defense pro bono case within the next 6-12 months. 

Registration information to be announced.