Celebrating Our 40th Anniversary
This year, CDEL is proud to celebrate it’s 40th Anniversary in service to our mission and our clients! We have many exciting things planned for this year to celebrate the success of CDEL over the last four decades. We hope you will join us in learning and celebrating CDEL’s rich history throughout all of 2024.
Blast from the Past
Learn more about the history of CDEL with a Blast from the Past of CDEL’s important stories and milestones throughout the years.
The History of CDEL
By 1994 - CDEL’s 10th Anniversary
2,000+
clients served
By 2004 - CDEL’s 20th Anniversary
10,000+
clients served
By 2014 - CDEL’s 30th Anniversary
30,000+
clients served
By 2024 - CDEL’s 40th Anniversary
54,000+
clients served
1982
The Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association identifies need for more pro bono services for people with disabilities
Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD) is born with a focus on providing free legal services to low-income people with disabilities, and to engage attorneys in Chicagoland to provide the services
1984
Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD) officially opens its doors with a $60k budget and is housed at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).
1987
The American Bar Association (ABA) names LCD as a model project. LCD assists bar associations in Florida and Pennsylvania to open disability focused programs.
1991
The Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities is created. CDEL receives $24,000 to provide legal representation.
1996
The Chicago Cubs settle a lawsuit with clients represented by LCD. At Wrigley Field, the Cubs agree to expand ADA seating, install elevators to the terrace level, and increase accessibility in restrooms, concession stands, and the parking lot in response to the lawsuit.
1997
LCD officially changes its name to the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL).
2002
The ABA honors CDEL with the Hodson Award for Public Service for developing and implementing the Hospice/Homebound Legal Assistance Program and the Predatory Lending Initiative in 2001.
2007
CDEL’s Senior Tax Opportunity Program (STOP) is created in conjunction with the Cook County Assessor’s Office and the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. STOP recruited teams of volunteers to contact senior home owners in Chicago who had unpaid property taxes and advise them on the steps they could take to be removed from the annual tax sale.
2008
CDEL creates the Senior Center Initiative (SCI), which provides power of attorney documents to seniors in a community based setting.
2009
CDEL assumes responsibility for the Pro Se Adult Guardianship Help Desk at the Daley Center.
2010
The ABA’s Young Lawyers Division adopts CDEL’s Senior Center Initiative (SCI) as their 2010-2011 national public service project.
2011
CDEL launches its Senior Legal Assistance Clinics. Within two years, ten clinic locations operate on a monthly basis throughout Cook County to better serve clients close to home.
2019
CDEL launched the Proud to Thrive for LGBT Elders program (PTT). Proud to Thrive aims to provide legal services in affirming locations as well as providing LGBT elder cultural responsiveness training to legal practitioners.
CDEL starts its Housing Preservation Project (HPP). HPP provides legal assistance to cost-burdened senior homeowners with issues including title correction, property tax matters and succession planning.
2021
CDEL is selected as a CCLAHD Early Resolution Program (ERP) partner. ERP gives all self-represented litigants access to an attorney when faced with eviction or consumer debt court.
2024
CDEL celebrates 40 years of service to elderly and disabled residents of Chicago and Cook County.
Since 2013,
CDEL has…
Recorded $22 million dollars worth of donated services.
Completed over 400 CLEs for over 3,500 volunteers
Partnered with hundreds of community partners around Chicago & Cook County