2023 Awards for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service - Joseph Dusek
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois held its ceremony for the 2023 Awards for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service. Of the 21 pro bono awards given, eight awards went to our Settlement Assistance Program volunteers!
We had the opportunity to interview Joseph (Joe) Dusek about his experience volunteering for the Settlement Assistance Program and how it feels to win a 2023 Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service Award.
Joe runs his own private practice and has been volunteering for the Settlement Assistance Program since 2021. He first heard of the Settlement Assistance Program through the federal court and quickly met the Director of the Settlement Assistance Program, J. Cunyon Gordon.
Joe has mostly worked on cases representing incarcerated community members who filed lawsuits for civil rights violations they experienced while incarcerated. These experiences include cells being infested with insects, inappropriate medical care, and other unsafe conditions.
When asked what was most challenging about working on these cases, Joe said, “when you’re suing any form of government or large institution, the biggest weapon they have is the ability to sustain litigation indefinitely. That’s really important. They know that inmates are in an incredibly weak position no matter how good of a case they might have.”
Joe understands the importance of this type of pro bono work. Our Settlement Assistance Program helps low-income individuals who file federal civil rights lawsuits without the benefit of counsel.
“I’m one of the few formerly incarcerated attorneys. That’s part of what motivates me. I know how difficult it can be for these men and women. Almost always you’re in prison for a reason, but that doesn’t mean you should be treated inhumanely, and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t maintain your rights,” said Joe.
Our volunteer attorneys help guide these individuals through the settlement of their case and Cunyon ensures the volunteer attorneys are equipped with everything they need to ensure a smooth settlement.
Joe shared, “Pro bono work is important for people who can’t afford attorneys. This is a way of leveling the playing field and giving them representation to get them some sort of settlement.”
Joe described Cunyon’s support as “invaluable” and encourages other attorneys to volunteer for the Settlement Assistance Program, describing it as a good opportunity to learn and gain experience with drafting settlement letters, negotiation, and more.
When asked how it feels to be awarded the Pro Bono Excellence Award, Joe stated, “Definitely an honor! It certainly helps validate the work that I have done. I understand there are many other attorneys who have volunteered their time with the Northern District Court and are not getting awards and that doesn’t mean they are not doing good work. The eight who received awards are just the ones they wanted to put a spotlight on – it felt good to be honored and to try to do some good.”
Congratulations to Joe and the other seven attorneys who were also recognized with this award: Erin McAdams Franzblau, Katlyn DeBoer Krysan, Emma Honora LaBounty, Matthew Lind, Randall Schmidt, Emily Haus Stone and Collette Woghiren.