About Us
Domestic Violence Legal Clinic (DVLC) is a civil legal service agency focusing on the practice of family law, with a specialization in domestic violence. DVLC, formerly known as Pro Bono Advocates, has a long history of providing legal services to low-income residents of Cook County. DVLC's service delivery, conducted in partnership with the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court, is an on-site, court-based program providing immediate services at no expense to victims in the new Domestic Violence Courthouse.
The Cook County Domestic Violence Courthouse opened in October 2005 as a result of the efforts of community advocates, including state's attorneys, law enforcement, judges and lawyers. The aim was to establish a safe, "user-friendly" system in which to fully serve victims of domestic violence in one unified building. The primary goal of this "one stop" venue approach was to provide victims with the option of filing cases either in criminal or civil court without having to travel outside the confines of the building.
DVLC is privileged to be the only civil legal service agency with permanent space in this building providing emergency services to victims electing the civil court venue. Like our partners down the hall, the Cook County State's Attorneys, we conduct intake every day. We represent clients in emergency orders of protection the same day in the civil courtrooms. Likewise, the state's attorney represents victims in the criminal courts for their orders of protection and for the criminal proceeding against the abuser.
DVLC, however, does not stop with the order of protection: once a married client receives her civil order of protection, those who wish to dissolve their marriages become eligible for services in our divorce division. We have an attorney on staff whose practice is dedicated for that purpose. Although DVLC is focused on the importance of emergency response, the agency is particularly committed to providing more comprehensive services through its divorce division.
