The Self-Help Resource Center (SHRC) is a student-run help desk located on the sixth floor of the Circuit Court of Cook County at the Richard J. Daley Center. It is designed to serve as a starting point for litigants who must navigate an unfamiliar and complex court system on their own.
The SHRC has computer workstations that provide self-represented litigants of all technical skill levels access to user-friendly legal information from Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), which provides information about various legal issues and the court's procedural requirements. Student volunteers from Chicago-Kent are available to help self-represented litigants use the computers and answer questions about forms and the court.
The SHRC is open based on volunteer availability. Please visit the help desk to see the latest version of the schedule.
Please note that the SHRC does not provide legal advice or representation. For information about a potential consultation with an attorney, please visit the page for the C-K Law Group: The Law Offices of Chicago-Kent, the law school's clinic.
SHRC Services
Using Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO)
Document assembly with A2J Guided Interviews®
Looking up case information
Finding representation
Answering general questions
Volunteers
Law students gain valuable real-life experience at the SHRC, which promotes public interest law and pro bono work. Through their volunteer work, students learn the value of assisting those who do not otherwise have access to legal help. Volunteer work at the SHRC can be applied toward the Chicago-Kent Certificate of Service, which is awarded to law students who complete 50 hours or more of community service.
For more information on volunteering at the SHRC, email shwc@kentlaw.iit.edu.
