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Recently, CDEL client George went to our weekly embedded community clinic at BUILD in the Austin neighborhood to get some documents executed. BUILD is such a neighborly space for community members and that is no different for George. While waiting to meet with CDEL staff attorney Marlo, he told us: “I felt a tap on my shoulder, and my niece’s fiancé was here too! He came to BUILD to work on his art in the studio. He’s a wonderful and talented man. I was so happy to see him and learn about all the services available at BUILD, including my estate documents that I did with CDEL!”
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George was delighted to learn all of the things BUILD has to offer. CDEL’s embedded community clinics are a great example of how being in the community of our clients creates an accessible, welcoming environment for clients, in addition to helping them make connections with neighbors and introducing them to community resources. |
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Please Welcome Eli Ackerman to CDEL's Team! |
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Please join us in welcoming Eli Ackerman to the CDEL team! Eli (he/they) joins CDEL as a staff attorney for CDEL’s Early Resolution Program (ERP.)
"I am excited to join CDEL and to work with populations that are overlooked at times within our field. This role is so important to me, as helping folks of intersectional, underrepresented backgrounds is vital to our overall community. I look forward to helping with basic human rights and needs such as housing and cannot wait for the future!" -Eli
Learn more about Eli and the rest of the CDEL team at CDEL’s website: https://www.cdelaw.org/cdel-team |
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CDEL Reflects on 2025-2027 Strategic Plan Progress |
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Over the past year, CDEL made meaningful progress advancing its strategic priorities focused on expanding community impact, advocating for systemic change, investing in people, and building long-term organizational sustainability. Across all areas of the strategic plan, CDEL continued enhancing the lives of older adults and people with disabilities while strengthening infrastructure to support future growth. |
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CDEL Holds Transfer on Death Instrument Workshop for Homeowners |
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Earlier in May, CDEL held a Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) workshop at William Leonard Library in Robbins, IL. Transfer on Death Instruments are great tools for homeowners and their loved ones to ensure homes are passed down without the worry of lengthy and costly court proceedings. At the workshop, CDEL helped our clients draft 9 TODIs. Thank you to William Leonard Library for hosting us! |
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CDEL Honors LGBT Older Adults Day with a POA Workshop at Center on Cottage Grove |
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| In honor of LGBT Older Adults Day on May 16th, CDEL held a Power of Attorney workshop last week at the Center on Cottage Grove. The Center on Cottage Grove is a hub for LGBTQ organizations in the Woodlawn community serving primarily Black and Brown communities to collaborate on community initiatives, programs, and events. Volunteers from Transunion joined CDEL to help our clients with their documents. |
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Because of a lifetime of experiences, including discrimination, invalidation, and ongoing legal marginalization, many LGBT+ older adults experience disparities while aging compared to non-LGBT+ older adults and are more likely to have legal concerns. However, many LGBT+ adults lack access to culturally responsive resources to address these needs to help clients with their documents. CDEL’s Proud to Thrive for LGBT+ Elders program addresses this inequity by providing legal services and implementing monthly legal clinics in LGBT+-affirming locations.
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CDEL Receives Merit Award from Impact Grants Chicago |
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Over the past 6 months, CDEL participated in a competitive process to receive a coveted Impact Grant Award. Wednesday night was the culmination of that process, with more than 350 Impact Grant Committee members voting to award CDEL, one of just 7 grantees, a $40,000 Merit Award. CDEL Executive Director Michael Stone and Supervising Attorney for CDEL’s Adult Guardianship Program Cheryl Lipton gave a fantastic presentation, and staff members Stephanie Ridella Vittands, Mike Wyne, Trevor Otis, Jeanette Ruby and adult guardianship attorney volunteer Catherine Cappell fielded member and guest questions before the vote. Sincere thanks to Impact Grants Chicago for an inspiring event and for the honor of being a grantee, and a callout to the other six organization grantees for the incredible work they do.
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CDEL Staff Spotlight: Stephanie Ridella Vittands |
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This month we are excited to highlight long-time CDEL staff member Stephanie Ridella Vittands who became CDEL’s Legal Director in February of this year. She has had a long and storied career here and was first introduced to CDEL at the 2012 Winter Awards Benefit. Soon after, she began volunteering regularly during law school. In August 2014, she joined CDEL once again as an AmeriCorps VISTA and was hired in 2015 as a CDEL staff attorney. Five years later in 2020, she became a Supervising Attorney and held that role until being named as Legal Director earlier this year. In 2021, she became the recipient of The Honorable Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Public Interest Law Award.
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Outside of CDEL, Stephanie has been very involved in important committee work for both the CBF and CBA. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Foundation’s Pro Se Advisory Committee. For the past year, she has also served as the vice chair of the CBA’s Mental Health & Disability Law Committee. In 2024-2025, she was a co-chair of the CBA’s Young Lawyer’s Section Serve our Seniors committee. Family is very important to Stephanie. She has been actively involved in parent organizations for her children like the University of Chicago Charter School North Kenwood Oakland Campus Family-Teacher-Community Organization.
Please join us in celebrating Stephanie and all the amazing contributions she has made to CDEL and the Chicago legal community! |
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Thank you to all of our pro bono and community partners who have volunteered with us in May! Because of you, we are able to reach and serve more of our clients in the communities they live.
Thank you to our Pro Bono Partners who have volunteered with us: Accenture
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
JPMorgan Chase
Pro Bono Network
Transunion |
Thank you to our community partners listed below, for allowing us to continue to conveniently and accessibly serve our clients in the communities in which they live. |
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Bloom Township Senior Services
BUILD, Inc. Center on Addison
Center on Cottage Grove
Chicago Methodist Senior Services
Cook County Clerk's Office
Dolton Park District
ECHO Academy for Learning
EZRA Multi-Service Center
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| Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation
Oak Park Library - Maze Branch
Richard J. Daley Center
Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
Solutions for Care
University of Chicago Law School
William Leonard Public Library |
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