Lawyer in the Library offers free 20-minute meetings to assist you with legal coaching, document review, referrals to additional community services, e-filing court documents, and legal questions. CPL’s Lawyer in the Library program occurs once or twice a month, depending on lawyer availability. Bring paperwork that relates to your legal matter.
CPL’s LIL program is now by appointment.
There are two types of appointments offered:
Assisted Appointments
Assisted appointments take place in the library’s meeting room. They are usually held once a month on a Thursday between 12pm and 2pm. The Attorney meets with patrons via Zoom. CPL provides a laptop, document camera/scanner, and technology help.
Solo Appointments
Solo Appointments are held on your own device at your own location via Zoom. They are usually held once a month on a Wednesday between 5pm and 7pm. If you do not have a device or space to meet virtually with the Attorney, CPL may be able to provide these dependent upon space and staff availability.
Note: CPL offers general technology assistance on most Wednesdays 10am-1pm. Check the Open Tech Help schedule at carbondalepubliclibrary.org/techhelp
About CPL’s LIL Lawyers
Attorney Christine Heins earned her J.D. at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1993. After graduation, she clerked for the Honorable William Lewis of the Fifth District Appellate Court. Subsequent to that clerkship, she has been engaged in the practice of law, including working as a contractual Formal Hearing Officer for the Illinois Secretary of State, deciding hundreds of cases of petitioners who wanted the return of driving privileges. She is in private practice in Murphysboro where she concentrates her practice on Driver’s License Reinstatement, DUI/Criminal Defense, Traffic, Zero Tolerance Hearings, and other Secretary of State matters. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, The Traffic Law Section Council, the National College of DUI Defense, and the Jackson County Bar Association. christineheinslaw.com
Attorney Gene Turk is the owner of Law office of Gene Turk. Turk is a former SIU adjunct instructor who studied economics & philosophy at Iowa State University before going on to study law at Yale. His practice areas include civil litigation, contracts, & government and administrative. turklawoffice.com
Questions about the program? Contact Programming & Outreach Librarian Elizabeth Hartman: ehartman@carbondale.lib.il.us The Lawyer in the Library program was initially launched with a Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator Grant through Access to Justice Division, AOIC; Brenda Sprague, Coordinator, Office of the Chief Judge, First Judicial Circuit. Free consultations are provided by volunteer attorneys.