Giving Back for Equal Opportunities

By Rachel Barks

The Will County law community has multiple leaders of the trade dedicated to giving back to the coming generations. Frank Cservenyak of Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, LLC from Joliet, Ill. is one of those leaders.

This year Frank Cservenyak and Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, LLC are joining an annual collaboration with the Will County Bar Association, the Black Bar Association of Will County, Latino Bar Association of Will County, Will County Women’s Bar Association and Spesia & Taylor Attorneys at Law to sponsor the 2022 Will County Legal Opportunity Scholarship.

Cservenyak grew up less fortunate in a two-bed apartment with his mom, which opens his heart to sponsor giving back to younger individuals who may have similar struggles.

“I hope these students can see in me, a young kid from the South Side, that ‘if he can do it, so can I.’ I think it’s an important message to send to young people, that this is possible, you can do it with the desire and discipline,” Cservenyak said.

He believes this scholarship to be realistic and tangible assistance with a monetary aspect to it, and it makes him think of his role models and support system when going through law school. He hopes this will be encouraging to students and remind them that their dreams are just that: tangible.

“The purpose of this program is to encourage diversity within the Will County legal community by awarding a scholarship to an incoming first year Black or Latino Law Student,” the Will County Bar Association website said.

Recipients of the Will County Legal Opportunity Scholarship can earn up to $46,000 to assist in paying for their legal education by practicing law in Will County after graduation, which will allow them to insert themselves into the community.

Cservenyak is one of Chicago’s premier personal injury attorneys and has been in the practice of law for 34 years. He practices in several counties such as Will, Grundy, DuPage, Cook, Kendall and Kane. He is also a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and Illinois State and American Bar Associations.

Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, LLC started in 1998 with Cservenyak being one of the firm’s founders. They wanted to do things a little differently and provide even better service to their clients, thus starting their own law firm and making a leap of faith to go digital.

“I think you have an obligation to give back to the community in which you are successful,” Cservenyak said. “I don’t think you can be successful without giving back.”

Cservenyak also believes these scholarships give current students who are considering applying the chance to look at past recipients and know that if that individual can do it, they can too.

Last year’s recipient of the Will County Legal Opportunity Scholarship was Adrian Gomez, a Rockdale resident, and son of immigrants from Mexico, with the aspirations of becoming a lawyer.

“I hope students from all walks of life can look at this and go “hey, I can do this,’” Cservenyak said.

For more information on the 2022 Will County Legal Opportunity Scholarship or to apply visit https://willcountybar.net/scholarship/.

To learn more about Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, LLC and Frank Cservenyak visit https://www.rcklawfirm.com.