On September 24, 2025, almost 200 business leaders, entrepreneurs and strategic partners gathered together at Rivers in Chicago to connect with friends and colleagues old and new and support a wonderful and impactful cause. The occasion was the 22nd Mix-and-Mingle event for Chuhak & Tecson’s award-winning Women Helping Women program. This groundbreaking initiative has fostered professional empowerment and strengthened bonds among professionals while partnering with nonprofit organizations to provide resources and expand opportunities for women in need throughout Chicagoland.
At this year’s event, Women Helping Women welcomed its latest nonprofit partner, The Period Collective. Grounded in the belief that menstrual equity is a fundamental human right, this Chicago-based 501(c)(3) organization strives to create a world where everyone has access to menstrual products, regardless of their income or living situation. To that end, The Period Collective collects and provides menstrual products to local shelters, transitional housing facilities, schools and food banks. Since its inception, the organization has distributed more than 3.3 million menstrual products to a range of social service organizations. Having access to these essential products allows women and girls to manage monthly stresses with more comfort, ease and security.
The guests who gathered at this year’s Mix-and-Mingle contributed over 500 boxes, bags and individual menstrual products and almost $2,600 in cash donations — all to support deserving women.
Ida Melbye, executive director of The Period Collective, was both thrilled by the success of the event and grateful for the overwhelming support shown by Chuhak & Tecson and those in attendance.
“We are honored that The Period Collective was chosen as this year’s beneficiary,” Melbye says. “Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of donors and attendees, we will be able to provide essential menstrual products to individuals in need throughout our community. This support ensures that more people can attend school, go to work and participate fully in daily life without interruption or shame. We are grateful to this incredible group of professionals for recognizing the vital role menstrual equity plays in ensuring educational and economic opportunities for all. The Women Helping Women event is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we all come together with purpose.”
Over the past 17 years, Women Helping Women has brought together thousands of local attorneys, business leaders, entrepreneurs, decision-makers and strategic partners at its annual Mix-and-Mingle gathering. Over delicious food and drink (including the bespoke “Don’t Cramp My Style” cocktail created for the event), these accomplished professionals forge bonds, exchange ideas, generate new business and share laughter and conversation, all while bringing hope, assistance and opportunities for women facing an array of personal and economic challenges.
Chuhak & Tecson principal Mallory Moreno, leader of the firm’s Elder Law practice and an active participant in the Women Helping Women program, says it was a privilege to help bring more resources and awareness to The Period Collective and its important work.
“Being part of an event where women come together not only to elevate each other but also to uplift those in need is nothing short of inspiring,” Moreno says. “Our partnership with The Period Collective underscores the immense power we hold when strong and driven individuals join forces to address challenges that affect women across the globe. Menstrual poverty is an issue that many face in silence, but by empowering ourselves to help women, we are breaking that silence and making a tangible difference.”
Attendees echoed Moreno’s ecstatic feelings about the Mix-and-Mingle event and took similar joy in the opportunity to connect and give back to the community:
- “I just wanted to tell you what a fun, wonderful evening I had tonight at the Women Helping Women event!! The turnout was wonderful, the cause was special and important and so many people, me included, stayed past the end of the event to continue talking and connecting.”
- “I’m so grateful you extended an invitation to join the Women Helping Women event last night! It was energizing to say the least. My type of night!”
- “The charity supported last night – The Period Collective – is quite apropos for Women Helping Women.”
- “It was particularly great to connect with new friends. I very much appreciate your intentional introductions.”
- “It looks like your partnership with The Period Collective was a success, and I can’t wait to see the impact you make in 2026!”
- “Such a great event. Thanks also for making all those connections!”
- “Thank you so much for inviting us and for hosting tonight. It was a great evening! We had such a wonderful time, and The Period Collective is a fantastic cause.”
- “What a beautiful evening of connection and giving back. I truly enjoyed every part of the event and the wonderful conversations I had. Thank you so much for inviting me!”
For its creative, integrated approach to professional growth and community service, Women Helping Women was previously honored with an IDEA award from the Association of Legal Administrators, which recognizes new practices that deliver great value and transformational impact through innovative achievement.
To learn more about Women Helping Women, or to suggest a nonprofit partner for upcoming events, contact Sydney Iglitzen, Manager of Marketing & Communications, at 312.201.3437 or siglitzen@chuhak.com.
Lindsey Paige Markus, shareholder and leader of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C.’s 25-attorney Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice, presented a timely and significant program titled ”Estate Tax Planning: The topic no one wants to address…but we can’t afford not to!” on September 26, to the Financial Planning Association’s 2025 Annual Conference at Morningstar, 22 W Washington Street, Chicago. Markus addressed the importance of talking about the topic of estate tax planning with one’s family sooner rather than later. With rising asset values, changing tax laws, increasing complexity in wealth transfer and an Illinois exemption of only $4 million, proactive planning has never been more critical. Markus provided insights into minimizing tax exposure, leveraging gifting strategies and preparing for legislative changes. Often uncomfortable but essential to discuss, she stressed the realities of estate taxes and the need for strategic approaches to preserving wealth for future generations. She cautioned, though uncomfortable, silence can be costly!
Chuhak & Tecson congratulates Missy Turk Firmage, principal in the Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation practice, who has been honored as one of the “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch” by Law Bulletin Media. The award recognizes excellence, talent and successful attorneys from across the state.
Missy focuses her practice on contested and routine guardianship matters, estate and trust litigation and administration, breach of fiduciary duty claims and fiduciary defense, elder law and trust and estate-related appellate work.
Her colleagues describe her as a passionate advocate for her clients. “Missy is a brilliant attorney,” said Rachael Gould, national head of the guardian and special needs trust administration with BMO. “She is a fabulous litigator. She is insightful, creative and compassionate.”
Missy received the Chicago Bar Foundation 2025 Maurice Weigle Exceptional Young Lawyer Award celebrating the initiative, commitment and exceptional contributions of young lawyers to the profession, the organized bar and the community. Also in 2025, Missy was named to the Chicago Volunteer Legal Service (CVLS) Honor Roll in recognition of her commitment to pro bono work. She currently serves as a junior board member of CVLS, an organization founded more than five decades ago that provides pro bono civil legal aid services in the Chicago area.
Meg Benson, executive director of CVLS said, “When it comes to community service and pro bono, Missy walks the walk. What really sets Missy apart and makes her truly unique and exceptional is the compassion she brings to these cases …. Her dedication to her work and clients have endeared her to CVLS, her colleagues in the Probate Division and to the Court.” Benson remarked, “Admired throughout the Probate Division for her skill and kindness, Missy is an extraordinary attorney and generous, effective champion of our legal profession.”
As a passionate and dedicated child welfare advocate, she serves youth in foster care as associate board vice president for Court Appointed Special Advocates, an organization she has been involved in for over a decade. Missy also serves as a guardian ad litem for children in problematic or contested minor guardianship cases where her compassion is exceeded only by her tenacity for advocating for the best interests of her child-clients.
Mitch Weinstein, president of the firm, announced the 2025 – 2026 appointment of Missy as the firm’s pro bono publico chairperson. The chairperson implements the firm’s pro bono publico policy, tracking among other things, the firm’s pro bono hours and opportunities to serve. On appointing Missy, Weinstein said, “We are proud of Missy and know that she will be an extraordinary leader of our pro bono publico efforts.”
Recognizing that professional growth, personal satisfaction and a collective sense of responsibility and ownership are indispensable elements of a successful law firm, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is excited to announce that it has named Gillian Mace as the firm’s director of talent development and employee engagement.
Transitioning into this new role from her current position as director of human resources, Mace will focus her efforts on supporting the firm’s efforts to attract and retain top professional talent and provide attorneys, paralegals and staff with an unmatched employee experience and a collaborative, collegial and inclusive workplace.
Chuhak & Tecson chief operating officer Michelle Schadler says that Mace’s human resources experience and her intuitive understanding of the firm, its values and its people make her particularly well-suited for a position that emphasizes the firm’s commitment to being the employer of choice for legal professionals in Chicagoland.
“Gillian appreciates the many elements — professional and personal — that make a law firm an attractive place to work,” Schadler says. “She’ll now be able to direct all of her energies towards ensuring that every person here feels valued and heard, that their contributions are acknowledged and appreciated and that they have the resources they need to grow and thrive.”
Those defining qualities of Chuhak & Tecson’s #OneFirm philosophy not only benefit those who are already at the firm, Schadler says, but also serve to attract accomplished individuals who want to work at a place that values them not just for their talents but for the people they are.
“The work that Gillian does will supercharge our ability to recruit top-flight employees who want to come here and stay here for a long, long time,” she says.
Reporting to and working closely with the firm’s new chief administrative officer, Mace will develop, implement and oversee a broad spectrum of recruiting, onboarding, professional development and training and employee engagement functions.
Mace has more than 20 years of human resources and law firm experience, stretching from her work at a respected firm in her hometown of Milwaukee while in college to establishing a dedicated human resources department for the U.S. region of a global intellectual property services company and law firm before joining Chuhak & Tecson. She says that her new role aligns perfectly with her commitment to identifying employee talent, nurturing team and individual accomplishments and fostering collaborative employee and organizational relationships.
“I have always been someone who recognizes and loves finding the talents and unique contributions of my fellow employees,” Mace says. “Everything that we do in terms of employee experience starts with that recognition. That’s how you bring out the best in people and that’s how you bring the best people to the firm.”
For 16 years, Chuhak & Tecson’s award-winning Women Helping Women initiative has fostered professional empowerment and strengthened bonds among professionals while partnering with nonprofit organizations to provide resources and expand opportunities for women throughout Chicagoland.
Women Helping Women’s philanthropic efforts are driven by the two-hour Mix-and-Mingle networking events that draw guests from scores of industries across the business and professional spectrum. For each gathering, which consistently brings together over 150 attendees, Women Helping Women identifies and partners with a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women or women and their children.
For its 22nd Mix-and-Mingle, set for September 24, 2025, Women Helping Women will be supporting The Period Collective. Grounded in the belief that menstrual equity is a fundamental human right, this Chicago-based 501(c)(3) organization strives to create a world where everyone has access to menstrual products, regardless of their income or living situation. To that end, The Period Collective collects and provides menstrual products to local shelters, transitional housing facilities, schools and food banks. Since its inception, the organization has distributed more than 3.3 million menstrual products to a range of social service organizations. Having access to these essential products allows women and girls to manage monthly stresses with more comfort, ease and security.
Mallory Moreno, a principal at Chuhak & Tecson and active participant in the Women Helping Women program, says she is thrilled to help bring more resources and awareness to the organization and the women it serves.
“The products that The Period Collective provides aren’t luxuries or privileges, and women should not be denied their basic human dignity simply because of difficult economic or personal circumstances,” Moreno says. “Access to menstrual products helps alleviate at least one stressor for the women we serve and allows them to focus their energies on moving forward and overcoming the other challenges they face. I am very proud that Women Helping Women is contributing to these efforts.”
For more information about Women Helping Women or to request an invitation, contact Sydney Iglitzen, Manager of Marketing & Communications, at 312.201.3437 or siglitzen@chuhak.com.
Christina Mermigas, attorney in Chuhak & Tecson, P.C.’s Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation and Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice groups, provides recommendations for your Will to stand the test of time in acknowledgement of August Make-a-Will Month.
One of the primary documents in your estate plan should be your Last Will and Testament. Your Will controls the disposition upon death of any asset held in your individual name — not held jointly or in trust or that has a beneficiary designation attached to it.
In Illinois, there are four requirements to create a valid Will. First, the maker of the Will must be at least 18 years of age. The second, and most contested component, is that the maker must be of sound mind and memory. This is what we call testamentary capacity. The testator must have a complete understanding of their property’s extent and nature and comprehend that by signing the Will, they are altering the disposition of that property.
The third requirement is that the Will must be in writing. It can be typed; it can be handwritten; it can even be electronic, but it cannot be holographic and you cannot do a video Will. The fourth and last component of a valid Will requires that the Will must be signed contemporaneously by the maker of the Will and two uninterested witnesses. These witnesses cannot be related to the maker by blood or marriage nor can they be beneficiaries named in the documents.
And that’s it. Those are the four components to a valid Will. It seems straightforward, but there are a few drafting errors that I see from inherited or older documents that should be avoided or corrected.
1) A missing self-proving affidavit. The self-proving affidavit is a notarized affidavit that is signed by the maker and the witnesses that allows the Will to be admitted to probate on its terms. If the Will lacks this affidavit and needs to be admitted to probate, then your loved ones are stuck trying to locate the witnesses so they can provide testimony. The problem? Good luck trying to locate witnesses from 20 years ago or who you do not know. This “prove-up” step wastes time and money and can easily be avoided by having this affidavit attached to your Will.
2) No waiver of bond or surety. In probate, the court can require the executor to obtain a probate bond, a type of insurance policy, before appointment to protect the estate’s assets for the heirs. The Will can specifically waive this requirement saving your family a great deal of time and money from having that unnecessary insurance expense.
3) Not being specific about the powers of your executor. Although these provisions may seem like boilerplate, they are essential provisions. If your Will does not contain or outline those executor powers, then your executor is stuck asking the judge for approval of specific actions like selling real estate, which again is unnecessary attorney fees and expenses.
4) Handwriting modifications to your Will. You cannot simply just cross out or type in a modification to your original Will. The changes to a Will must meet the same four requirements outlined above. To create a valid Will. To be valid, a Will modification requires a separate document to be drafted by an estate planning or elder law attorney.
Please review your Will to ensure that it avoids these pitfalls and it withstands the test of time. Consider contacting one of the experienced estate planning or elder law attorneys at Chuhak & Tecson.
Client alert authored by Christina M. Mermigas, (312 855 4354), principal.
This Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. communication is intended only to provide information regarding developments in the law and information of general interest. It is not intended to constitute advice regarding legal problems and should not be relied upon as such.
Chuhak & Tecson proudly announces that Missy Turk Firmage, principal in the Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation practice, has received the Chicago Bar Foundation 2025 Maurice Weigle Exceptional Young Lawyer Award celebrating the initiative, commitment and exceptional contributions of young lawyers to the profession, the organized bar and the community. Missy has built a successful fiduciary probate litigation and administration practice and is being recognized for her leadership and service to the bar and commitment to pro bono work. This award in part recognizes the countless hours Missy contributes every year to her pro bono cases with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) where she serves as Guardian ad Litem for minors and adults with disabilities.
According to the Chicago Bar Foundation “Missy exemplifies the highest ideals of the legal profession. Missy’s commitment to pro bono and community service and the organized bar are not a footnote to her career — they are central to it. Her efforts reflect a deep, sustained engagement with the most vulnerable people in our community, far beyond the obligations of her professional role. Missy indeed is an exceptional lawyer and leader and an ideal recipient of this year’s Exceptional Young Lawyer Award.”
Active in the Chicago Bar Association, Missy recently served as the legislative liaison of the Mental Health and Disability Law Committee and previously chaired and vice chaired the Probate Practice Committee. As Judge Daniel B. Malone, presiding Judge of the Probate Division of Cook County, stated, “Missy has done more to further education, youth empowerment and the legal community in Chicago in eight years than many veteran attorneys accomplish in their entire career.”
Within her firm, Missy also dedicates her time to mentoring younger attorneys. Mallory Moreno, principal and leader of the firm’s Elder Law practice, said, “Throughout her career, Missy has modeled the highest ethical standards and has shown a deep respect for the role of lawyers as both advocates and public services. She is widely admired for her thoughtful approach to practice, her collaborative spirit and her consistent efforts to elevate the profession. Missy has consistently gone above and beyond her job responsibilities in her dedication to pro bono work.”
This sentiment was echoed by Ray J. Koenig III, member at Clark Hill who wrote in support, “Missy is not only an exceptional attorney; she is a leader, mentor, and advocate who embodies the mission and values of the Chicago Bar Foundation. She continually uplifts the profession through her service, leadership, and unwavering belief that legal practice can — and must — be a force for dignity and justice.”
Earlier this year, Missy was named to the CVLS Honor Roll in recognition of her commitment to pro bono work. Meg Benson, Executive Director of CVLS said, “When it comes to community service and pro bono, Missy walks the walk. What really sets Missy apart and makes her truly unique and exceptional is the compassion she brings to these cases. Her compassion for the troubled families she encounters is exceeded only by her tenacity when advocating for the best interests of her child-clients. She never shies away from a difficult or lengthy case or a challenging family dynamic. Her dedication to her work and clients have endeared her to CVLS, her colleagues in the Probate Division and to the Court. She really and truly illustrates the ideals of our profession.”
Recently, Mitch Weinstein, president of the firm, announced the appointment of Missy as the firm’s Pro Bono Publico chairperson. The chairperson will implement the firm’s pro bono publico policy, tracking among other things, the firm’s pro bono hours and opportunities to serve.
On appointing Missy, Weinstein said, “We are proud of Missy and know that she will be an extraordinary leader of our pro bono publico efforts. Missy’s accomplishments are exceptional and these recognitions are well deserved. Simply put, our firm is stronger having her a part of the team. We know there will be many more recognitions in the future for her and we are excited to see what comes next from Missy in her legal career.”
The Weigle Award reflects the devotion of father and son, Maurice W. Weigle and Maurice S. Weigle, who each exhibited a lifelong dedication to the law and the community. To be nominated, an attorney must be 36 years or younger and be a member of the Chicago Bar Association. Individuals are selected based on their contributions to furthering the ideals of the legal profession, contributions to strengthening the organized bar as an effective force for improving the legal profession and for demonstrating commitment to pro bono and community service.
The 27th annual CBA & CBF Pro Bono & Public Service Awards luncheon was held on Friday, July 25, at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Chuhak & Tecson heartily congratulates Missy for this outstanding and significant award.
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is excited to announce that experienced law firm leader Kimberly Nega has joined the firm as chief administrative officer (CAO). In this new role, Nega will leverage both her extensive knowledge of law firm operations and her innate ability to bring out the best in the people and processes to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the firm’s day-to-day functions and align individual and team efforts with strategic organizational goals.
Michelle Schadler, Chuhak & Tecson’s chief operating officer, says that Nega brings with her the kind of leadership approach that fits perfectly into the firm’s #OneFirm philosophy.
“Kim is a natural consensus builder who knows how to break down silos, raise people up and drive positive change in a way that gets enthusiastic buy-in from all constituencies,” Schadler says. “She has been immersed in law firm culture her entire career, so she understands what makes a firm tick and knows what it takes to get a large, diverse group of legal professionals all pulling in the same direction. I think Kim’s efforts here will help drive our business strategy efforts to transform our support structure.”
Those efforts will involve an expansive portfolio of responsibilities that extend across a broad spectrum of Chuhak & Tecson’s personnel and processes. Nega’s multifaceted role includes managing many high-level human resources functions such as employee benefits and relations, systems, compliance and non-attorney performance, as well as overseeing other support services including recruiting, facilities, office services and secretarial services.
Nega says that her enthusiasm about the opportunity to join Chuhak & Tecson reflects her appreciation of how the firm values and treats its people and its commitment to helping them grow and thrive.
“Effective law firm leadership isn’t a top-down proposition. It comes from recognizing the value of what each person brings to the table and how important it is that they feel heard, supported and respected,” she says. “When that is the case, as it is here, it gives people a sense of personal investment in the firm’s success and makes process improvement that much more impactful.”
Prior to joining Chuhak & Tecson, Kim served as chief human resources officer and legal support & professional personnel manager at two other major Chicago law firms. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from DePaul University and holds a Professional Certification and Strategic Professional Certification from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This July, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. proudly celebrates the 15th anniversary of its industry-leading Condominium & Common Interest Community Association practice group. Though this is a significant and noteworthy milestone, the firm’s condo and Homeowners Association (HOA) attorneys have been providing steady guidance, clear direction and innovative resources for boards throughout Chicagoland for over five decades. During that time, the firm has established itself as counsel of choice for associations of all sizes on day-to-day issues and long-term strategic challenges alike.
Practice leader and Chuhak & Tecson principal David Bloomberg says that the firm’s establishment of a standalone group in 2010 was a reflection not only of the consistent expansion of its condo and HOA representation but also of the sophistication of its work and the intuitive understanding its attorneys have regarding the unique needs and perspectives of board members.
“I think what makes this group special is the way we meet clients where they are, recognizing that board members are volunteering to serve their communities with the best intentions but may lack the knowledge or background to address the legal, financial and interpersonal complexities involved in their roles,” Bloomberg says. “As such, we focus on ensuring that our counsel is practical, actionable and straightforward. Board members get the benefits of our experience and insights but without the jargon or legalese.”
Chuhak & Tecson’s Condominium & Common Interest Community Association practice group provides full-spectrum representation to condo and HOA boards throughout Chicagoland, whether those boards serve a handful of owners or are responsible for governing a high-rise with scores of units. Working seamlessly and collaboratively with boards, the firm’s attorneys answer legal questions as to operations and governance, prepare and review declarations and bylaw amendments, negotiate contracts, develop effective approaches to enforcing an association’s rules and regulations in a timely and efficient manner and analyze insurance policies and coverage. The group also helps new associations transition from developer-controlled boards to those controlled by owners, and consults with boards on how best to meet projected expenditures by borrowing, using reserve funds or levying special assessments. If borrowing is in order, the group has extensive experience navigating the lending process as well as relationships with Chicago-area lenders that focus on loans to associations.
Those relationships reflect both the long-standing presence and well-earned reputation of the firm’s condo and HOA attorneys, Bloomberg says, and is a big part of what makes the group so effective.
“Whether with our clients or our partners in the industry, we put a premium on forging enduring and close working partnerships,” he says. “This allows us to meet our clients’ needs quickly and efficiently while also providing them with resources and trusted guidance they can access with one phone call.”
Bloomberg notes that the group excels at guiding boards through some of the thornier issues that arise in association governance, including disputes with or between unit owners, discrimination claims and delinquent assessments.
“These issues can be both costly and disruptive for the whole community and put board members in really uncomfortable positions with the neighbors they serve, he says. “We strive to relieve them of those burdens with effective dispute resolution approaches as well as our unique, low-cost and turnkey assessment collection procedure. At its core, our job is to make their jobs easier.”
Chuhak & Tecson congratulates all of the talented attorneys in the Condominium & Common Interest Community Association practice group on this noteworthy anniversary.
Over the past 60 years, thousands of attorneys throughout Chicagoland have dedicated their time and efforts on a pro bono basis to Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) and its mission to help people working or living in poverty get access to quality legal representation and services that are all too often beyond their reach. Two of those dedicated lawyers – Chuhak & Tecson’s Missy Turk Firmage and Nicholas Zausch – were recently recognized by CVLS for their years of commitment, compassion and hard work serving as guardians ad litem and protecting the rights, health and well-being of minors and disabled adults.
At an event on June 18, 2025, both Firmage and Zausch will be inducted into CVLS’ 2025 Honor Roll. This distinction recognizes volunteers who have dedicated themselves to providing pro bono services to low-income clients.
Lindsey Paige Markus, leader of Chuhak & Tecson’s Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice group, says that the award is more than well-deserved and reflects both lawyers’ steadfast determination to ensure that those most vulnerable to abuse, exploitation or harm can avail themselves of the protections provided by the legal system.
“Missy and Nick are extraordinary attorneys not just because of the quality of their work, but also because they are so passionate about that work,” Markus says. “In their practice and in their pro bono efforts, they both demonstrate extraordinary empathy and genuine, deeply felt concern for those they represent. We are so proud of them and all they do and contribute to make lives better for others in their community.”
Firmage, whose private trust and estate practice involves a significant amount of guardianship work, serves CVLS clients as a guardian ad litem for minors, often in situations involving serious abuse and neglect allegations. She also serves as Third Chair on CVLS’ Associate Board and has served on the board for the past several years.
Zausch, an experienced probate practitioner, acts in a guardian ad litem capacity for adult CVLS clients while also providing counsel on matters involving estate planning, complex estate litigation and estate tax.
CVLS is the first and pre-eminent pro bono civil legal aid provider in Chicago, leveraging the time and talents of more than 2,300 volunteer attorneys to deliver the most comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective civil legal aid in Chicago.
Chuhak & Tecson congratulates Firmage and Zausch on their induction into the CVLS Honor Roll and for all of the work they do, year in and year out, to ensure that underserved individuals and families in Chicago receive the counsel and support they need and deserve.