Welcome to

Prairie State Legal Services 

Since 1977, Prairie State Legal Services (PSLS) has fought to achieve equal justice for people living in poverty across 36 counties in Northern and Central Illinois. We operate 11 offices, with locations in Bloomington, Galesburg, Joliet, Kankakee, Moline, Ottawa, Peoria, Rockford, Waukegan, West Suburban (West Chicago), and Woodstock. PSLS celebrates more than 45 years of service to those in need.

Our Work

We dedicate our work to individuals and families who have depleted resources for basic human needs, ultimately securing safe housing, food, income, and personal safety. More than 16,000 cases are represented by our staff of 125 attorneys and more than 300 pro bono volunteers every year.

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Safety

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Housing

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Financial Stability

Client Victory Stories

Leah*, a minor with a criminal record, wanted her record sealed or expunged. She is a high school dropout with a single charge on her record that was holding her back from finding a job. However, after caring for an ail…

Pursuing Justice for Leah

Monica got married young to her high school sweetheart. Monica thought she knew this person, but things changed over time and after the birth of their young son, she began to endure physical and verbal abuse from her hus…

Monica's Story

Julia grew up in a small rural Illinois town. She graduated high school and attended Northern Illinois University to pursue her dream of studying analytical chemistry. While at Northern Illinois University, she became a…

Julia's Story

Cristina is a proud mother of her son. Little did she know, she was in the midst of an ongoing emotionally abusive relationship with his father. This tension culminated when he acted out and committed violence on her son…

Cristina's Story

Huma immigrated to Illinois from Pakistan in 2003 with her now ex-husband. Huma and her husband lived throughout Chicago and the northern suburbs, raising two daughters, when the abuse from her ex-husband started. For th…

Huma's Story

Prairie State Legal Services successfully increases Social Security benefits for Maria* Maria* was in her mid-40s when she came to Prairie State, but she had been struggling with disabilities, such as schizophrenia, sinc…

Increasing Social Security Benefits for Maria

Prairie State Legal Services saves Lawrence’s* subsidized housing benefits A local Housing Authority terminated the Housing Choice voucher of a 70-year-old man, Lawrence.* The voucher enabled Lawrence to live in an…

Saving Lawrence's Subsidized Housing Benefits

Prairie State Legal Services preserves utility services and child’s health Joan*, estranged from her ex-husband due to domestic violence, found employment at a bank, but lost her job when an injury left her unable…

Preserving Utility Services and Child's Health for Joan

Prairie State Legal Services prevents eviction by obtaining a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act Linda* was a resident of a section 8 project-based housing complex for over 20 years. While struggling wit…

Preventing Linda's Eviction

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Prairie State Legal Services provides free legal help to people who need it most and can afford it least.

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