Rachel C. Jennings

As pro bono counsel, Rachel manages the pro bono program across Taft’s footprint. This includes identifying and developing opportunities, maintaining an integrated pro bono program in each office, and ensuring that all Taft pro bono legal services are consistent with the firm’s values and commitment to improving the communities it serves.

With over 15 years of experience in the legal industry, Rachel brings a trusted perspective to Taft’s pro bono program. Before joining Taft, she managed pro bono and professional development at a mid-size Chicago firm. Prior to that, she was the Associate Director of Career Services for the University of Chicago Law School. Rachel began her legal career as a commercial litigation associate at a well-known regional firm in Chicago.

Rachel earned her J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and her bachelor’s degree in history from Northwestern University.

Presenter:

• “Training for Newer Pro Bono Professionals” Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo) Academy, September 2024
• “Recruit, Retain, Advance: Pro Bono and Professional Development” APBCo Pro Bono Academy, October 2023
• “Beyond Self-Care: Establishing Boundaries and Prioritizing Well-Being in Pro Bono Work” APBCo Pro Bono Academy, October 2023
• “Pro Bono & Community Service as a Pathway to Well-being & Job Satisfaction” Well-Being Week in Law, May 2023
• “Maximizing Pro Bono to Achieve Professional Development and Well-Being Goals” NALP Annual Education Conference, April 2023
• “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Collaborating with Other Departments at Your Firm to Enhance Pro Bono Programming and Wellness” APBCo Academy, September 2022

Panelist:

• “Incorporating Pro Bono into Your Career” Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) seminar for law students and recent law graduates, August 2024 and August 2021
• “Legal Service Agency Roundtable: What Volunteers Want” PILI Legal Service Agency Roundtable April 2023
• “Pro Bono in Big Law” The University of Chicago Law School, March 2023
• “Encouraging Wellness for Pro Bono Attorneys” PILI 2021 Law Firm Roundtable, September 2021
• “Balancing the Desire for Systemic Change with Everyday Needs of Legal Aid Clients” PILI 2020 Law Firm Roundtable, September 2020