L to R: Anne Helms, Marcus Ferguson, Jennifer Rubin and Gary Wachtel. Photos courtesy of DLA Piper, Allstate and Discover Financial Services.

Typically, Marcus Ferguson can be found at his desk in Allstate Corp.'s Northbrook, Illinois, headquarters helping his company navigate its way through insurance-related bills and regulations. But as of late, he's spent a fair amount of time in a very different kind of environment—at a local courthouse helping victims of domestic violence.

In his first visit to volunteer with the Rolling Meadows Domestic Violence Help Desk, Ferguson helped an individual obtain a protective order to ensure the safety of her child who was being abused by the child's father.

“We're there to listen to the victims, get their stories of what happened,” Ferguson said of the attorneys working pro bono at Rolling Meadows. “We're advising them on things to say to the judge when they're seeking an emergency order. In this case, we were able to get a protection order for her child.”

Ferguson is one of several in-house attorneys who volunteer for the four-hour shifts at the courthouse located in the suburbs of Chicago. Typically with the clinic, which was first staffed with volunteer attorneys in September 2016, there are two lawyers helping out at a time.

In-house lawyers at Allstate, Discover Financial Services Inc. and Illinois Tool Works Inc. all provide their pro bono services, along with lawyers from DLA Piper, who organized the pro bono project for the companies.

Domestic violence agency Between Friends has an office within the Rolling Meadows Courthouse, but workers have to shut down the office for several hours per week when they need to attend court or other meetings. By bringing in volunteer attorneys, the office can make certain victims have someone to help them successfully file a protective order from their abuser, often a spouse or partner.

It's important they aren't greeted with an empty office, said Anne Geraghty Helms, pro bono counsel at DLA Piper, because this is such a critical moment for them. “When the survivors are walking into the courthouse, they are doing something that is really brave. They're walking in … and saying, 'I've had enough. I'm going to leave my abuser.' You've got to be there when they make that decision.”

Volunteer attorneys are largely there to help victims complete their paperwork, give thorough descriptions of the abuse that occurred and guide them through the court process.

Jennifer Rubin, director and senior legal counsel with Discover Financial Services, feels that this particular service “improves access to justice” for the victims coming into the courthouse seeking protection. “I personally love using my law degree for a good, special purpose. You're actively listening to people and letting people know they have a voice, a strong powerful voice,” Rubin said. “And we're there to tell the court what is going on and why they need help.”

Rubin's colleague at Discover, Gary Wachtel, senior director of law, described the pro bono work with Rolling Meadows as “one of the most rewarding things I can do as an attorney.”

“The people you're helping are in crisis mode. They have literally just fled a very dangerous and scary situation,” he said. “You're getting them help right there on the spot.”

As rewarding as it is, Wachtel said it's often “a heart-wrenching experience.” “You are hearing these terrible stories, real stories of people deciding whether to flee their home to protect their children from an abusive partner or spouse,” he said. “It's tangible. This protective order could potentially put them on a better path forward.”

L to R: Anne Helms, Marcus Ferguson, Jennifer Rubin and Gary Wachtel. Photos courtesy of DLA Piper, Allstate and Discover Financial Services.

Typically, Marcus Ferguson can be found at his desk in Allstate Corp.'s Northbrook, Illinois, headquarters helping his company navigate its way through insurance-related bills and regulations. But as of late, he's spent a fair amount of time in a very different kind of environment—at a local courthouse helping victims of domestic violence.

In his first visit to volunteer with the Rolling Meadows Domestic Violence Help Desk, Ferguson helped an individual obtain a protective order to ensure the safety of her child who was being abused by the child's father.

“We're there to listen to the victims, get their stories of what happened,” Ferguson said of the attorneys working pro bono at Rolling Meadows. “We're advising them on things to say to the judge when they're seeking an emergency order. In this case, we were able to get a protection order for her child.”

Ferguson is one of several in-house attorneys who volunteer for the four-hour shifts at the courthouse located in the suburbs of Chicago. Typically with the clinic, which was first staffed with volunteer attorneys in September 2016, there are two lawyers helping out at a time.

In-house lawyers at Allstate, Discover Financial Services Inc. and Illinois Tool Works Inc. all provide their pro bono services, along with lawyers from DLA Piper, who organized the pro bono project for the companies.

Domestic violence agency Between Friends has an office within the Rolling Meadows Courthouse, but workers have to shut down the office for several hours per week when they need to attend court or other meetings. By bringing in volunteer attorneys, the office can make certain victims have someone to help them successfully file a protective order from their abuser, often a spouse or partner.

It's important they aren't greeted with an empty office, said Anne Geraghty Helms, pro bono counsel at DLA Piper, because this is such a critical moment for them. “When the survivors are walking into the courthouse, they are doing something that is really brave. They're walking in … and saying, 'I've had enough. I'm going to leave my abuser.' You've got to be there when they make that decision.”

Volunteer attorneys are largely there to help victims complete their paperwork, give thorough descriptions of the abuse that occurred and guide them through the court process.

Jennifer Rubin, director and senior legal counsel with Discover Financial Services, feels that this particular service “improves access to justice” for the victims coming into the courthouse seeking protection. “I personally love using my law degree for a good, special purpose. You're actively listening to people and letting people know they have a voice, a strong powerful voice,” Rubin said. “And we're there to tell the court what is going on and why they need help.”

Rubin's colleague at Discover, Gary Wachtel, senior director of law, described the pro bono work with Rolling Meadows as “one of the most rewarding things I can do as an attorney.”

“The people you're helping are in crisis mode. They have literally just fled a very dangerous and scary situation,” he said. “You're getting them help right there on the spot.”

As rewarding as it is, Wachtel said it's often “a heart-wrenching experience.” “You are hearing these terrible stories, real stories of people deciding whether to flee their home to protect their children from an abusive partner or spouse,” he said. “It's tangible. This protective order could potentially put them on a better path forward.”