Ascend Justice

From 10 am to 1 pm at the UIC School of Law, the Start Anew Clinic will offer free legal and professional services, including financial literacy workshops, legal education workshops, criminal record sealing and expungement, a job fair, and other professional resources. Register today & pass it on!

an image of Chicago with the words "Join us for the Start Anew Clinic, September 12, 2025" overlayed and the Ascend Justice logo in the bottom right corner

Join Ascend Justice attorneys and staff at the 2025 Chicago Start Anew Clinic on Friday, September 12! www.startanew.com/clinic/chica...

Governor Pritzker Signs the FAIR Act into Law! - Coalition to End Money Bond Yeseterday, Governor JB Pritzker signed the FAIR (Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation) Act into law. Advocates and public defenders across Illinois are celebrating this meaningful and long ov...

Last Friday, Governor JB Pritzker signed the FAIR Act into law! This historic legislation creates a Statewide Public Defender Office, marking the first major overhaul of the state’s trial-level public defense system since 1949. Learn more: endmoneybond.org/2025/08/16/g...

Ascend Justice supports the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act because it makes pre-release decisions about facts, now how much money you have. To learn more about how the PFA impacts Illinois, see Loyola’s Center for Criminal Justice: loyolaccj.org/pretrial-fai...

The PFA makes it so that our jails are no longer full of poor people awaiting trial for low-level offenses simply because they couldn't make bail.

red background with a white bullhorn and text that reads "The Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act is safer and more just than cash bail systems."

The Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) makes Illinois safer and more fair by eliminating cash bail and requiring pre-trial release for most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.

Connect with like-minded peers who want to do good in the world, help Ascend Justice reach our goals, and have some fun! Recruitment will remain open through the end of August 2025 – so don’t wait! Submit your application today!

#TogetherWeAscend

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Are you under 40 and seeking a new way to give back? Now is your chance to join our Young Professionals Board! We are now accepting applications: www.ascendjustice.org/young-profes...

We are overwhelmed by your generosity! In a single day, we received our entire Amazon wish list! We are so excited for our clients' kids, who will be ready for the new school year because of you. Thank you thank you thank you to every single person who helped out!!

We thank CBF for their continuous funding and support of Ascend Justice. We also appreciate all that Nia has done for Ascend Justice for the past year, as well as the commitment from both her and her new firm at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella to pro bono work.

#TogetherWeAscend

Nia Crosley and Bob Glaves are smiling and holding their awards, the Ascend Justice logo is in the bottom right corner

This past week, recent Ascend Justice fellow, Nia Crosley, received an award from the Decalogue Society. The Decalogue Society is the oldest Jewish bar association in the United States. Bob Glaves, the executive Director of the Chicago Bar Foundation, also received an award.

two kids stand in front of a school bus holding folders and pencils, with text overlay that says "BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE," with the Ascend Justice logo in the bottom right corner

Some of our most vulnerable families need help getting school supplies this year. If you are in a position to help, please check out our Amazon wishlist to purchase items: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/... All purchases go directly to families in need.

#TogetherWeAscend

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Are you an attorney who wants to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking, and/or stalking? Come work with us! We are looking for a staff attorney to join our Incarcerated Survivors Program.

Apply today! www.illinoislegalaid.org/for-legal-pr...

You will work directly with clients seeking Orders of Protection in a supportive environment with compassionate colleagues. Apply today, and let’s make a difference together!

#TogetherWeAscend

a blue office scene background with a white circle and the words "We're hiring!" in the foreground, and the Ascend Justice logo in the bottom right corner

Are you looking for meaningful, impactful work? We’re hiring an Intake Specialist for our Orders of Protection clinic! (Spanish bilingual required).

www.illinoislegalaid.org/for-legal-pr...

As a Sustainer Circle member, your monthly contribution provides survivors with the stability of knowing they can continue to access our free holistic legal services, even during uncertain times. Join us - let’s support our community together.

#TogetherWeAscend

an image of stacked hands with the words "Join our Sustainer Circle" overlayed, with the Ascend Justice logo in the bottom right corner

Looking for a new way to support our community? Join our Sustainer Circle and help us help more people over the long haul. www.ascendjustice.org/sustainer-ci...

Call or text the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 877-863-6338 to be connected with services and resources.

#MeasuringSafety #GBVData

This drastic increase since pre-pandemic 2019 showcases the need for resources and services in the state. Learn more by downloading the #MeasuringSafety2024 Report: The-Network.org/Measuring-Safety-2025

Purple poster that says "Contacts to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline have more than doubled since 2019." Three circle icons are in the center of the poster, one for telephone, one for text, and one for online chat. Then the poster continues "In 2024, the Hotline received 59,704 contacts, a 26% increase from 2023, and a 140% increase from 2019." In small type underneath, it reads "Data Source: Measuring Safety: Gender-Based Violence in Illinois 2024, Volume 3, Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline"

The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline, run by our partner organization The Network, supports anyone affected by gender-based violence across Illinois. As outreach grows, services need funding to meet demand!

Free From is also hosting a discussion on July 23, where you can learn more about what survivors need from the movement. Sign up here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

#TogetherWeAscend

Envisioning an Abundant Movement – FreeFrom

“This project builds on our prior findings to learn more about the valuable knowledge, experiences, and expertise of survivor service providers that we must include in the movement to end GBV.” Read the report here: www.freefrom.org/envisioning-...

Check out this new report about survivors leading the way! The report, from Free From, one of our partner organizations that helped shape and pass the Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Act, details what survivors working in gender-based violence (GBV) organizations need to continue this work.

Thank you to Mary Kate and all of the participants for ensuring survivors have access to legal resources, no matter where they are located!

#TogetherWeAscend

In just three days at Logan, we received more than 200 requests for information about the Gender-Based Violence Resentencing Act, and more than 100 requests for full legal intakes for child visitation, divorce, orders of protection, veterans benefits, guardianships, immigration, and more.

Mary Kate, along with several other Ascend Justice staff members and interns, spent several days inside Illinois Department of Corrections' women's facilities over the past two weeks, assisting with a historic research project led by the Women's Justice Institute.

Over the course of one morning, she was able to teach 73 eager participants about the Illinois law which allows for survivors to request resentencing when information about domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking has not been previously considered in their sentence.

Ascend Justice attorney Mary Kate Winn stands in front of a class of incarcerated women at Logan Correctional Facility

Ascend Justice attorney Mary Kate Winn teaches a class of incarcerated women at Logan Correctional Facility

Last week, Incarcerated Survivors Program attorney, Mary Kate Winn, taught three information sessions about the Gender-Based Violence Resentencing Act at Logan Correctional Center.

YouTube video by Ascend Justice United in Hope - Dominique's Story

This year, our Celebration of Courage honored four women whose work on behalf of survivors is truly inspiring.

Learn more about theses amazing Champions of Justice in our 2025 Celebration of Courage video: youtu.be/uSJqhubwCQQ

We are so grateful to Paige for her incredible leadership over the past 12 years. She helped us grow into the holistic legal services organization we are today, and to say that we will miss her on the Board is an understatement!

#TogetherWeAscend