Ted Jadwin and Ellen Morris were honored for their outstanding service to the JUF Community Legal Services (JCLS) program. The couple received the Distinguished Service Award from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services in December, the first time a husband and wife received this distinction jointly.

“They are committed and passionate about providing pro bono legal services to the Chicago area’s underserved population,” said Sima Blue, JCLS clinic coordinator.

Jadwin and Morris first joined the clinic when it was under the auspices of the American Jewish Congress. In 2007, AJC faced budgetary hurdles following the Madoff scandal, and left the Chicago area. Jadwin and Morris realized that this was exactly when the services to the underserved were most critical. In 2008, they determined that the clinic should continue to serve the Jewish community, The Generations Fund-Morris’ family foundation of which both Jadwin and Morris are members-provided the seed funding for the clinic to be housed at JUF. Jadwin, together with Steven Baron, the clinic chair of the legal clinic, negotiated the terms and in 2009, the JUF Community Legal Services was born.

Jadwin worked in the corporate sector for 30 years as a real estate attorney, including 19 as a partner of the firm for D’Ancona and Pflaum. After leaving the firm in 2003, he became general counsel for Trizec Properties, a real estate investment trust (REIT). In 2006, Jadwin started his legal counseling practice and began his pro bono work with AJC, specializing in real estate cases. “Philanthropy is a principle that is woven into Ted’s family tapestry across several generations,” says Blue. Jadwin is the great grandson of Bernard Horwich, the first president of the Federated Jewish Charities, and the namesake of Bernard Horwich JCC.

Morris has a general practice and concentrates in juvenile law and real estate. Working for many years as a staunch and tenacious advocate for clients’ rights, she is a champion of the underdog. Through her own practice, she is accustomed to clients with financial struggles. It is this experience that makes her a sought after and valued attorney at JCLS. “We have a deep commitment to serving the Jewish community and taking care of our own. In our lives, we feel extraordinarily privileged and fortunate, and it’s important to us to assist the most vulnerable among us who would otherwise not receive legal representation,” Jadwin and Morris said when describing the importance of the legal clinic and helping others.

They have continued to provide crucial financial support to the clinic. Blue said, “Ted and Ellen have championed our program and remain among its greatest supporters both professionally and philanthropically.”

Attorneys who work for the clinic are volunteers with diverse legal backgrounds who supply pro bono legal assistance in civil matters. Cases include housing issues, employment problems, wills, public aid, predatory lending, family law, and landlord-tenant conflicts. The clinic currently has 121 active volunteer attorneys, representing a growth of more than 300 percent since JUF took over the clinic in 2009. n

JCLS is actively recruiting attorneys to take on the backlog of cases. If interested, contact (847) 568-1525 or email [email protected].