Preventive Law ​Initiative

CAL works to offset injustice by providing a more holistic approach to legal problems.

CAL provides income-based legal services to individuals between 0% and 400% of the federal poverty line, aiming to return justice to the hands of those who can’t afford traditional legal fees. CAL started the Preventative Law Initiative (PLI) to help fill the gaps in access to support and community resources that strengthen families and prevent and mitigate court involvement.

CAL powers this initiative by providing workshops, seminars, and clinics to help individuals navigate legal problems before they arise. Our programming is free of charge for schools, colleges, community health, and social service organizations in Cook County, IL.

By expanding access to legal knowledge, skills, and supportive resources in communities of color, CAL helps families navigate court matters and supports healing and access to resources across generations. CAL’s key goals for the PLI are to strengthen families, build community, and offer accessible legal services for youth (ages 13–17), young adults (ages 18–25), soon-to-be unmarried couples, non-custodial unmarried fathers.

PLI Goals

Strengthen Families 

  • By offering engaging activities and resources for children aged 0–6.

  • By organizing parent-child playgroups and play space for interactive growth and community building.

  • By hosting parent support groups for discussing concerns, sharing insights, empowering each other, building community, and reducing isolation.

Build Community

  • We offer play-based classes where community members can share skills and knowledge with the children in their community.

  • We provide informative sessions, including preventive law classes.

  • We offer high school and college students valuable learning experiences in our legal clinic.

  • We offer know your rights workshops on different areas of the law. 

  • We offer preventative law workshops. 

Accessible Legal Services 

  • Pro Bono Legal Aid

  • Income-Based Services

  • Supervised Visitation

  • Mediation

  • Parenting Planning Workshops

Program Information

The Community Program

The community program focuses on providing PLI at community organizations and educational institutions.

The Provider Program

The provider program focuses on training community and social service providers to understand and identify psychosocial issues that could result in legal problems.

Eligibility

To be eligible for free PLI workshops, organizations must:

  • Provide the space for the workshop.

  • Have at least 10 participants.

  • Advertise the event.

Contact Us 

Phone: (312) 801-5918
Email: pli@chicagoadvocatelegal.com or cneal@chicagoadvocatelegal.com

Areas of Expertise

Life Transitions

  • It’s never too early to start family planning, and the PLI is here to support you on your unique journey. Legal counsel gives your family the opportunity to develop and outline a cohesive plan for the future. From pre-parenting and counseling classes to co-parenting, divorce and separation, or moving in or out, we offer workshops, counsel, and essential resources for life transitions.

  • Take parenting classes! Parenting and counseling classes are about more than learning how to be a parent. They teach you how to co-parent, financial planning, mental health support, and so much more.

    Additional resources:

  • It takes a healthy dynamic to raise a child, so it’s important to ensure that each party is on the same page and your child is being raised in a healthy environment.

    If you aren’t married, write out a co-parenting plan and agreement:

    • Parents can enter the agreement formally in court by initiating a case.

    • Parents can sign and notarize the agreement but not enter it in court.

    • An agreement that is not filed with the court but is signed by both parties can still have a legal effect.

    • The co-parenting plan and agreement function similar to a contract.

    • Parents can put together the agreement themselves, or they can have friends or family members help them draft the agreement.

    • Parents can also have a non-related, neutral third party (e.g., a lawyer, social worker, or counselor) help with the agreement.

    If you aren’t married, fill out a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (VAP):

    • The VAP is a legal document that allows unmarried parents to establish a father-child relationship.

    • Both parents must sign the VAP form and have a witness or have it notarized.

    • The form can be signed at the hospital upon birth of the child or can also be done at your county clerk's office or health department.

    • If there are doubts about the biological father, DO NOT fill out or sign a VAP. DNA testing is a better option before legally establishing legal paternity.

  • When separating from your partner, it can be helpful to seek legal information and advice early on to help your family adapt to changes in your family.

    Receiving legal counsel can help you:

    • Focus on your child's needs and make decisions that support their best interest.

    • Ensure your child maintains a healthy relationship with both parents.

    • Plan ahead and avoid conflict.

    • Receive information about services that could help your family.

    • Protect yourself, your children, and your finances.

    How can I help my child adjust?

    • Allow your child to love the other parent, even if you have lost love for them.

    • Try to keep them away from conflict.

    • Consider what they want and how your decisions impact them.

    • Try to maintain stability in their life.

    • Protect your child and yourself from domestic violence and get help when you need it.

  • Moving In

    Moving in with someone can be a big decision that can impact the dynamics of your family, finances, and relationship. Your child may have questions or curiosities about this new person entering their space that parents should be prepared to answer and explain.

    Suggested points of discussion:

    • How will you handle housing and other major expenses while living together?

    • Will you share things the other partner brings into the relationship?

    • How will you acquire new property, goods, etc. while living together?

    • How will you handle property and financial issues if one partner dies during the relationship?

    Moving Out

    Moving out of a space that was previously shared with a partner and children can be a stressful experience. Your child may also have questions about this process and why it is happening. 

    Suggested points of discussion:

    • How will you handle housing and other major expenses while not living together?

    • What happens to your home when you and your partner split and/or divorce?

    • Who will handle what bills, debt payments, etc.?

    • How will you provide financial support for each other when the relationship comes to an end?

    • Consider your child’s well-being and best interests throughout these processes. 

    • Make sure your written agreement is legally valid or speak with a lawyer.

Relationships

    • Before you live together.

    • Before you have a child.

    • Before you get married.

    • When your marriage or common-law partnership is ending.

    • When your spouse is dying.

  • Carlos and Renata lived together in Renata’s house for the past two years. Last summer, they got married, and their relationship soured. When they broke up last month, Renata learned that Carlos had a right to a portion of the equity in her house. Renata was taken by surprise.

Money Matters

    • When a service you paid for doesn’t work and you can’t get your money back.

    • Before you sign an offer to buy a house, condo, timeshare, or other property.

    • Before you rent out your property.

  • Luc went to an open house in a new subdivision and fell in love with a house that was being built. He signed an offer to purchase right away. After the sale closed last month, he was not allowed to move in. The building inspector had not signed off on all the permits. Luc was taken by surprise.

Conflicts

    • When you are let go from your job without notice or an explanation.

    • When an insurance company is not paying your claim.

    • When you have a serious disagreement with a neighbor.

  • Mandy had worked for a company for ten years. Last week, when she came to work, her boss told her that her job was gone and asked her to sign a severance package that paid her one week’s pay. She signed. Later, she found out that she was entitled to more money than she’d agreed to accept. Mandy was taken by surprise.

Government

    • When your income benefits are at risk.

    • When the police have taken you to the police station.

    • When you receive a deportation order

  • Jerry lost his job and is collecting employment insurance. He has been looking for work and not having any luck. A few weeks ago, he got a letter asking him to list places where he’d applied. He was busy calling people about work possibilities and didn’t answer them. 

    Today, he got a letter from the government telling him he did not try hard enough in his job search. His benefits are being cut off. Jerry was taken by surprise.

Lawyers Give Legal Advice

Good advice during or after a dispute can save time and money in the long term. A lawyer can help you reach a fair settlement and avoid going to court.

What can lawyers do?

Legal advice can save you money, decrease your stress, and protect your interests.

A lawyer serves as your advocate. They can help explain how laws apply to your situation, advise you on the next best steps, and advocate for you by writing letters, making phone calls, and representing you when you cannot represent yourself.

What can I ask?

  • How much will this cost?

  • What can I do to keep my costs down?

  • What can I do on my own, and what will I need help to do?

Know Your Rights, Know Your Options

Free Dispute Resolution Services and Legal Information

Legal information is available at libraries, community centers, websites, and community legal and pro bono clinics and can help you understand your options.

Find a lawyer for assistance by asking people you know, searching for local Law Society services, or contacting us at CAL.

Dispute Resolution

Life is full of conflicts. Dispute resolution offers ways to deal with them, often for less money and less time than going to court. Please see different types of dispute resolutions below:

  • A neutral facilitator helps resolve a conflict in a way both parties can support. You have more control and are involved in designing the solution.

  • A qualified arbitrator usually provides binding decisions outside of court. It is often used for commercial, contractual, and labor relations situations.

  • Parties commit to negotiating outside of court, each with their own specially trained lawyer at the table. Parties share their documents and make their best efforts to find solutions, while each lawyer protects their client’s rights.

  • Lisa’s noisy neighbor has turned her new condo from a dream home to a real nightmare. A friend tells her about condo mediation to try and fix the problem.

    • Carey has to leave work early again—his dad has fallen. The family disagrees on what to do. A friend recommends a family mediator that helped her family when their mom declined.

    • Jerry tries to represent himself in court, but it’s frustrating and intimidating. He sees a posting for informal mediation available in the courthouse, and the other side agrees to try.

    • Terry and Joe have agreed to separate, but not on how to parent their kids. They try collaborative family law, both with a specialized lawyer at their side, to make a parenting plan.

    • Nancy hates going to work, as her co-worker makes her life miserable. The human resources contact suggests a company mediation process that might help.

    • Ask your local/state law society for lawyers specializing in dispute resolution.

    • Check services offered by community and cultural associations.

    • See options for particular problems, like car manufacturing problems or insurance disputes.

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