Ascend Justice
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ascendjustice.org
Ascend Justice
@ascendjustice.org
Our mission is to empower individuals and families impacted by gender-based violence or the child welfare system—we strive to help people achieve safety and stability through holistic legal advocacy and system reform.
Ascend Justice is proud to celebrate Black History Month and reaffirm our commitment to racial equity and equal protection under the law.

#BlackHistoryMonth
#TogetherWeAscend
February 2, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Ascend Justice has signed on to Keep Our Republic's Principles for the Independence of the Legal Profession. We firmly believe that the rule of law and the independence of the legal system are key pillars of American democracy. If you are a lawyer, join us: keepourrepublic.org/.../initiat....
January 27, 2026 at 4:07 PM
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. If you want to learn more about forced labor in our community, check out this free event at the Harold Washington Library next Thursday!
January 22, 2026 at 8:06 PM
If you're under 40 and searching for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in Chicago, please join us for free appetizers and a drink, and learn more about joining our Young Professionals Board on Thursday, February 5, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Hubbard Inn. RSVP: secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/...
January 22, 2026 at 2:56 PM
By the end of the training, volunteers will be prepared to help draft affidavits and petitions and either share those with the client to proceed pro se or commit to represent the client through the resentencing.

CLE credit is available. Lunch will be provided.
January 21, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Attendees will first receive a background on the criminalization of survivors and an overview of the gender-based violence resentencing law that is being used to reduce sentences in cases where domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence played a role in their conviction.
January 21, 2026 at 8:07 PM
On Wednesday, January 28, from 11:30am to 1:30pm, Ascend Justice will host an in-person training at Skadden (320 S Canal St., Chicago) on second chance advocacy for incarcerated survivors of gender-based violence.

Register by 5:00pm on Monday, January 26: www.illinoislegalaid.org/for-legal-pr...
January 21, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Want an easy way to support Ascend Justice and help spread awareness about our work? Check out our merch store: www.teepublic.com/user/ascend-... A portion of every purchase helps support our holistic legal services, and we promise you'll look awesome in our gear!

#TogetherWeAscend
January 20, 2026 at 6:59 PM
Want to learn more about Ascend Justice and how to get involved? Want to meet cool people over free appetizers and a drink? Join us Thursday, February 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Hubbard Inn for our annual Friendraiser! RSVP today: secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/...

#TogetherWeAscend
January 15, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Thank you for helping the more than 2,250 other people we were able to serve over the past year.

If you haven't yet had a chance to donate, now is the time! A generous donor will match each dollar, up to $5,000, from now until December 31! Donate today: www.ascendjustice.org/annual-appeal/
Annual Appeal - Ascend Justice
2025 Annual Appeal Donate Now Navigating the legal system can be difficult under the best of circumstances, but for people recovering from […]
www.ascendjustice.org
December 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Thank you for helping survivors like Adeya, who fled horrible gender-based violence in her home country and spent seven long years in immigration limbo in the US before Ascend Justice immigration attorneys were able to secure green cards for her and her husband.
December 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
We want to sincerely thank everyone who has donated to our 2025 Annual Appeal! Thank you for being part of our community.
December 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
As our clients face more barriers than ever before, we are asking our community to dig deep this year to help us help more people: www.ascendjustice.org/annual-appeal/.

#AnnualAppeal2025
#TogetherWeAscend
Annual Appeal - Ascend Justice
2025 Annual Appeal Donate Now Navigating the legal system can be difficult under the best of circumstances, but for people recovering from […]
www.ascendjustice.org
November 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
But we believe that everyone deserves access to justice, and we work hard to make this belief a reality. Help us continue to provide high-quality, holistic legal services for people experiencing abuse or the child welfare system.
November 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
For many people trying to leave abusive situations, navigating the legal system can be overwhelming. It's challenging for anyone, but the barriers are even greater for the majority of our clients who face the compounding traumas of abuse and poverty.
November 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The momentum is on our side - please help us get over the finish line! Call your Alderperson and tell them to vote to keep Chicago's domestic violence services fully funded! Find your Alderperson: www.chicago.gov/city/en/dept...

#TogetherWeAscend
www.chicago.gov
November 17, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Your incredible advocacy is having an impact! Mayor Johnson plans to file an amendment to the proposed Chicago budget this week that will keep domestic violence services funding intact (instead of the 43% cut in the initial proposal).
November 17, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Ascend Justice is proud to be part of the Domestic Violence Co-Location Program (DVCLP). Last year, the DVCLP helped 1,393 individuals, 872 of whom were children. Read more about our work over the past year in our hot-off-the-presses report: www.ascendjustice.org/wp-content/u...

#TogetherWeAscend
October 29, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Federal strong-arm tactics create an atmosphere of fear that further isolates survivors from the support services they need to leave abuse. Read more in our Letter to the Editor: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/19/l...
Letters: Federal government’s ‘crime-fighting’ strategy is making Chicago domestic violence survivors less safe
Like an abusive partner, the federal government is isolating domestic violence survivors by making help-seeking scarier and riskier.
www.chicagotribune.com
October 20, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Because enforcement and compliance with this order is uncertain, we urge people accessing courthouses and surrounding areas in Cook County to still engage in their assessment of the the risks they face.
October 15, 2025 at 5:01 PM
While the values of fairness and the rule of law are under threat, this order affirms our collective commitment to principles that are at the foundation of our justice system.
October 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
As Chief Judge Evans says in the order, “The fair administration of justice requires that courts remain open and accessible…to ensure individuals can fulfill legal duties without risking further legal jeopardy.”
October 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Chief Judge Evans issued the order yesterday after a show of solidarity from a diverse group of stakeholders, including Ascend Justice and many of our partners in domestic violence and legal aid spaces, who all agree that people need to be able to come to court without fear.
October 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
A new order banning civil arrests in Cook County courts goes into effect today. abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chi...
Order barring arrests at Cook County courts takes effect Wednesday
A new order from Cook County's top judge takes effect Wednesday.
abc7chicago.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
We had some incredible speakers, including the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Mariyana Spyropoulos, and the support of more than 20 anti-gender-based violence organizations! We're still thinking about Nikki Patin's powerful closing poem. What an amazing day.

#DVAM
#TogetherWeAscend
October 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM