The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) released a call for nominations for two awards, the Jeffrey D. Colman Access to Justice Award and The Hon. Thomas L. Kilbride (Ret.) Judicial Access to Justice Award. These awards are designed to recognize and celebrate exceptional contributions to increasing access to the court system by improving the experience of litigants.
The Jeffrey D. Colman Access to Justice Award is given to a lawyer, paralegal, or courthouse employee who has made a significant or meaningful contribution to improving access to our court system for litigants who are self-represented, limited English proficient, disabled, or otherwise vulnerable.
The Hon. Thomas L. Kilbride (Ret.) Judicial Access to Justice Award
is given to a member of the judiciary who has made a significant or meaningful contribution to increasing access to the court system by improving the experience of litigants.
Nominations are due by October 15, 2025 and must be submitted via an online form at https://forms.office.com/g/MZbEDxtmwU. Award winners will be announced in December and a reception to celebrate the awardees will be held in the spring.
Any questions can be directed to Jill Roberts, Deputy Director, Access to Justice Division at jroberts@illinoiscourts.gov.