Illinois Judges Association

Pro Bono Spotlight - July 2022

Judge Julie Katz is currently an Associate Judge in St. Clair County, Belleville, Illinois. She presides over a Major, Civil Non-Jury, Chancery & Miscellaneous Remedies call. She has been serving on the bench since November of 2010.

 Prior to her judicial service and while working in private practice Judge Katz was a regular pro bono volunteer. She acted as free counsel on numerous cases through Land of Lincoln Legal Aid from 1985 through 2010, where she also served on the Board of Directors from 2001 to 2010 and was Board President in 2009 and 2010.

Her legal service to low income Illinoisian’s has been recognized by the Illinois State Bar Association from whom she received an Honorable Mention for The John McAndrew Pro Bono Service Award, and the Land of Lincoln Joe Bartylak Award.

Judge Katz’s tireless efforts to promote pro bono legal assistance are truly reflected through her service as chair of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee since it was established in 2018.  The Twentieth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee is composed of lawyers and judges that strives to enhance equal access to justice by encouraging and promoting pro bono work in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

In addition to the Pro Bono Committee, Judge Katz has remained active as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association where she serves and has Chaired its Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services, is a member of the ISBA’s Task Force on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, the Bench and Bar Section Council and served as the Chair of the Family Law Section Council and Chair of the Standing Committee on the ARDC.

Judge Katz is active in her judicial community and is a member, director and current Treasurer of the Illinois Judges Association. She is past Chair of its Pro Bono Committee, where she promoted efforts that judges can take to give back to their communities while serving on the bench and pro bono opportunities in retirement. Additionally, she supports judicial education through her commitment as a member of the Illinois Judicial College Committee on Judicial Education. 

As can be plainly seen, Judge Katz is a hero when it comes to supporting pro bono in Illinois. We encourage you to listen to Judge Katz describe, in her own words, the importance of pro bono and the story of her own experience as a pro bono attorney here: https://pili.org/twentieth-judicial-circuit-celebrate-pro-bono-virtual-event/