Community Investment - Archive
Partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
In addition to our annual outreach programs with the Chicago Public Schools--Principal for a Day, School Supplies Drive and My Joyful Heart Foundation holiday drive--the firm and individuals of the firm participate in various programs to support Dvorak Academy and CPS.
2009
We hosted a Dvorak Local School Council member and parent who brought her son to a luncheon where we gathered the donations for our annual school supply drive. Mother and son impressed and warmed the hearts of our employees as they spoke of their experience at Dvorak and appreciation for the firm's support. Our interactions with Dvorak Academy bolster an appreciation for the unique challenges of urban education and the remarkable ability of dedicated principals, teachers and staff to impact positively the lives of children.
2008
During the winter holiday season, we provided donations to students of Dvorak Academy through My Joyful Heart Foundation. We sponsored 24 Dvorak students providing clothes, blankets, books and toys based on each child’s wish list. Members of the firm, collectively and individually, sponsored an additional 12 students for the entire year so that their school supply, clothing and toiletry needs were met, as well as providing gifts for their birthdays and holidays year-round.
On October 30, 2008, the firm sent a team of six attorneys to serve as "Principals" at Dvorak, as part of the CPS Principals For A Day program. We enjoyed a truly delightful morning! First, administrators, faculty and community volunteers treated us to a hot breakfast, musical talents and slideshow presentation about the school and their new technology grant. Next, Principal Thompson had us present the Pledge of Allegiance and other morning announcements over the intercom. After a tour of the school, we split up and each "principal" visited a classroom where we talked to older students about career opportunities or read stories with younger students. We enjoyed meeting the students and staff and furthering our relationship with Dvorak.
(Left to right: Katie Schreiber, associate; Scott Metcalf, associate; Amy Dickerson, associate; Dawn M. Spivey, Community Investment Officer; Luke Glisan, associate)
In September 2008, we were pleased to provide Dvorak with 20 boxes of school supplies for Dvorak students, including 33 sturdy book bags, 151 notebooks, 72 packages of pens, 185 two-pocket folders, and a host of paper, pencils, crayons, markers, calculators, protractors, dictionaries, staplers, rulers, construction paper and other supplies.
Service Projects & Philanthropy
In previous years, Franczek Radelet's summer service project was conducted through the Chicago Cares Serve-A-Thon. As part of Chicago Cares, team Franczek joined approximately 8,000 Chicagoans for the annual full-day service event to provide much-needed service to our City’s schools, parks and social service agencies. Over the years, Franczek Radelet has sponsored additional various commuity events, including renovation projects at Gilda's Club Chicago, a support community for men, women and children living with cancer, and their families.
In June 2008, firm volunteers spent the day at Niños Heroes Academy for Learners where they created incredible wall murals designed to encourage reading and to curb violence and also repainted the steel railings and concrete steps in the school’s stairwells. (Left to right: Dave Radelet, partner; Ron Hein, managing partner)
In June 2007 as part of Chicago Cares, a busload of Franczek Radelet volunteers contributed the day’s effort to painting a Chicago Public School, Lakeview High School.
In 2006, firm volunteers learned how to “glean produce,” at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. That is, we reviewed individual pieces of cucumbers, zucchini, avocados and peppers to sort the “good” from the “bad” from box after box of donations by produce distributors in order to provide the “good” stuff to local agencies to distribute in their fight against hunger. Our worthwhile work was messy, stinky, slimy and rancid, but we had a great deal of fun and managed to refrain from starting any food fights. Most important, firm volunteers processed 9,000 pounds of produce! Other years have witnessed firm volunteers processing and packaging 2,720 pounds of pretzels and pounds and pounds of beans, all for distribution to local food pantries, homeless shelters and agencies. (Left to right: Amelia Lopatin, Director of Technology and her husband, Josh)
Franczek Radelet frequently participates in the annual Women Everywhere service project, joining hundreds of others from the legal community who have chosen to give back to the community by devoting part or all of a workday to helping out at a community service agency dedicated to serving women and children in need. Firm volunteers have also performed yard work and painting at local women’s shelters on the south side and in Bucktown, through the Chicago Abused Women Coalition.
The firm is a proud contributor each winter to the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Sun-Times Judge Marovitz Program (affiliated with the Chicago Bar Association and other organizations) by coordinating donations of gloves, hats, scarves and coats for needy children in Chicagoland.
Charitable Contributions
Franczek Radelet's charitable contributions aim to reach those in our community in need. Over the years, the firm has contributed to numerous organizations, including:
- Access Living Gala
- After School Matters
- American Heart Association
- Anti-Defamation League
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Brady Foundation
- Center for Conflict Resolution
- Chicago Bar Foundation
- Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation
- ECHO Foundation
- ED-RED
- Equal Justice America
- Golden Apple Foundation
- Heartland Alliance
- Midtown Education Foundation
- Miguel del Valle Youth Leadership Development Foundation
- Misericordia Heart of Mercy
- New Leaders for New Schools
- Public Interest Law Initiative
- SGA Youth and Family Services
- United Negro College Fund
Pro Bono Work
2009
Revisions to Illinois School Code
In August 2009, the firm drafted Illinois Public Act 96-0689 in anticipation of building closures necessitated by the H1N1 pandemic, in order to ensure that state aid was not jeopardized. The Public Act created a new section (5/18-12.5) of the Illinois School Code allowing school districts to claim a full date of attendance on days that one or more of their buildings (but not the entire district) is closed due to a health emergency closure.
Attorney: Darcy L. Kriha
Flournoy v. Ghosh
In March 2009, one of our partners was appointed to represent the plaintiff in Flournoy v. Ghosh by Judge Joan B. Gottschall. We are representing Illinois Department of Corrections inmate, Johnnie Flournoy, Jr. in Section 1983 action against his medical director, Dr. Partha Ghosh, and former Stateville warden, Terry McCann, alleging deliberate indifference in the denial of medical care. The case arises from the defendants negligently denying the plaintiff access to his required glaucoma medications, thereby causing the plaintiff’s eye sight to decline rapidly and require him to undergo multiple surgeries. The case is currently pending before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, although the firm has successfully defeated motions to dismiss filed by the Warden and Dr. Ghosh.
Attorneys: Darcy L. Kriha, Deidra Norris
Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva
The firm represented the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva in proceedings before the Property Tax Appeal Board, relating to an application for a religious exemption on some newly purchased land. We also provided legal advice and negotiated the separation of an Associate Minister.
Attorney: Bill Pokorny
Burnham 2.0 – Education Reform
In 2009, the firm participated in the Burnham 2.0 project, meeting regularly with a group of Illinois business, education, political and philanthropic leaders working to design a comprehensive plan for statewide education reform. Our attorneys traveled to the State Capitol to present the final Burnham 2.0 plan to an audience of state legislators.
Attorneys: James C. Franczek, Jr.; Luke Glisan; Amy K. Dickerson
Advance Illinois
The firm assisted Advance Illinois, a group of Illinois policy leaders from all walks of life working to craft a comprehensive plan for education reform. Our attorneys reviewed and analyzed proposed education reform legislation for Advance Illinois, and advised them on the legal and practical implications of the legislation and other proposed reform measures.
Attorneys: James C. Franczek, Jr.; Luke Glisan; Amy K. Dickerson
The New Teacher Project
The firm handled research and provided The New Teacher Project (TNTP) with an analysis of the teacher tenure statutes throughout the 50 states, including an analysis of whether each state permits teachers to be terminated for lack of student progress.
Attorneys: James C. Franczek, Jr.; Amy K. Dickerson
Pillars
The firm has assisted Pillars, a not-for-profit social services organization that aims to keep communities healthy and strong by providing quality, comprehensive, community-based social services for more than 10,000 individuals and families annually in 36 communities, with various employee benefits matters.
Attorneys: Andrew A. Malahowski
Green Initiatives
Franczek Radelet has already replaced many of our consumable goods with compostable and recyclable alternatives. The firm has switched from bulky plastic cups, utensils and other kitchen products to corn and potato-based compostable products that quickly break down in a landfill. And we make sure our everyday office supplies, such as copy paper, legal pads, envelopes and even our batteries are made from recyclable materials wherever possible. The Green Initiative Committee is also bringing additional recycling measures to the office to make sure all recyclable products find their way to a recycle center.