The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL) and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association honored a Jenner & Block team with its 2026 Pro Bono and Public Interest Award for Excellence at a ceremony on May 1. The award honors lawyers who have served the Northern District Court and the community by providing pro bono representation and advocacy.
The Jenner team was appointed to represent Dwayne Cummings, a pretrial detainee at Cook County Jail who had not been convicted of a crime. Mr. Cummings alleged that after he vocally raised concerns about the jail's COVID-19 policies, Cermak Health Services, the medical provider for Cook County Jail, retaliated by denying him adequate medical care for worsening vision problems. The case presented significant legal and factual challenges, including meeting the demanding standards of prisoner civil rights litigation and establishing the link between Mr. Cummings's protected conduct and the alleged denial of care. After years of litigation, the case concluded in 2025 with a favorable result for Mr. Cummings.
The team included Partners Dean Panos and Chris Tompkins, and Associates Jeff Salvadore and Steven Tinetti.