WORKING HANDS LEGAL CLINIC
| Downtown Office: 77 West Washington St., Ste. 1402 Chicago, IL 60602 |
| Little Village Office: 3753 W. 28th Street Chicago, IL 60623 |
Tel- (312) 795-9115 Fax-(312) 419-1025
Staff:
Christopher J. Williams, Executive Director
Mr. Williams has extensive experience in both organizing and in the areas of labor and employment law. Prior to practicing law, he worked as
Director of Organizing for Chicago area labor unions for over a decade. He also served as director of the Chicago Workers’ Collaborative, a
Chicago-based workers’ center, and was the organization’s representative to the Chicago Area Workers’ Rights Initiative (“CAWRI”), a
taskforce of community-based organizations working with state and federal enforcement agencies such as US DOL, IL DOL, EEOC and OSHA
since 1999. Mr. Williams was primarily responsible for drafting the 2006 amendments to the Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act
(“IDTLSA”) and advising the Illinois legislature on issues related to the law. Recently, Mr. Williams was nominated by Illinois’ Governor to serve
on the Labor Advisory Board of the Illinois Department of Labor. Mr. Williams has been lead counsel in over 200 wage and hour, employment
discrimination and IDTLSA cases, many of which were filed as class or collective actions.
Katherine S. Kolon, Litigation Director
Ms. Kolon returned to the Midwest after working for nearly three years at Legal Services of New Jersey where she litigated primarily in the
areas of unpaid wages, discrimination, farmworker law and unemployment appeals. Through a variety of internships, Ms. Kolon has also
worked with migrant farmworkers at Florida Rural Legal Services, Illinois Legal Assistance Project, and Farmworker Legal Services of Michigan.
She holds a BA in sociology and anthropology from Kalamazoo College, an MA from the School of International Service at American University,
and a JD from Washington College of Law at American University. Ms. Kolon has lived, worked, and travelled extensively in Latin America and
speaks Spanish. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Kolon worked as a social worker and taught English abroad in South Korea.
Alvar Ayala, Staff Attorney
Mr. Ayala is a native of Torreon, Coahuila, in Northern Mexico. As an undergraduate, Mr. Ayala helped organize student volunteers for
immigrant resource centers in Kansas. Mr. Ayala also helped organize student support for Kansas’ immigrant tuition bill passed in 2004. His
research on the passage of this bill was subsequently published in the Journal of State Politics and Policy Quarterly.
Mr. Ayala was a summer intern with the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues in 2006. He was awarded a Dean’s Public Interest
Fellowship at the University of Michigan Law School to intern with Working Hands Legal Clinic in the summer of 2007. During Law School, Mr.
Ayala was also an Executive Editor for the Michigan Journal of Race and Law. As staff attorney for Working Hands Legal Clinic, Mr. Ayala now
focuses on wage and hour litigation and participates in the organization’s community outreach efforts. Mr. Ayala holds a J.D. from the University
of Michigan Law School.
Aracely Galvan, Paralegal
Ms. Galvan is the office paralegal for Working Hands Legal Clinic. Previously, Ms. Galvan had worked in various areas in the non-profit sector,
including Youth Outreach Services, serving as an assistant coordinator. Ms. Galvan also worked as a senior case manager at Heartland
Alliance, where she performed advocacy work for anywhere between 15-30 children detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ms.
Galvan currently volunteers with UNICEF and the University of Chicago Law School’s Immigrant Child Advocacy Project. In the latter, she
mentors and supports detained children on immigration charges.
Alex Linares, Outreach Paralegal
Mr. Linares works as the outreach paralegal for Working Hands Legal Clinic where he does workshops on e-verify, pro se court filing, and
“Know Your Rights” workshops on employment law. Prior to working with Working Hands Legal Clinic, Mr. Linares worked as a paralegal for
Katz Law Office, Ltd., where he assisted in immigration and domestic relations case matters. Mr. Linares also worked with various non-profit
organizations such as El Valor in the Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood and Chinese Mutual Aid Association in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood,
serving as a tutor and youth worker.
Christopher J. Williams, Executive Director
Mr. Williams has extensive experience in both organizing and in the areas of labor and employment law. Prior to practicing law, he worked as
Director of Organizing for Chicago area labor unions for over a decade. He also served as director of the Chicago Workers’ Collaborative, a
Chicago-based workers’ center, and was the organization’s representative to the Chicago Area Workers’ Rights Initiative (“CAWRI”), a
taskforce of community-based organizations working with state and federal enforcement agencies such as US DOL, IL DOL, EEOC and OSHA
since 1999. Mr. Williams was primarily responsible for drafting the 2006 amendments to the Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act
(“IDTLSA”) and advising the Illinois legislature on issues related to the law. Recently, Mr. Williams was nominated by Illinois’ Governor to serve
on the Labor Advisory Board of the Illinois Department of Labor. Mr. Williams has been lead counsel in over 200 wage and hour, employment
discrimination and IDTLSA cases, many of which were filed as class or collective actions.
Katherine S. Kolon, Litigation Director
Ms. Kolon returned to the Midwest after working for nearly three years at Legal Services of New Jersey where she litigated primarily in the
areas of unpaid wages, discrimination, farmworker law and unemployment appeals. Through a variety of internships, Ms. Kolon has also
worked with migrant farmworkers at Florida Rural Legal Services, Illinois Legal Assistance Project, and Farmworker Legal Services of Michigan.
She holds a BA in sociology and anthropology from Kalamazoo College, an MA from the School of International Service at American University,
and a JD from Washington College of Law at American University. Ms. Kolon has lived, worked, and travelled extensively in Latin America and
speaks Spanish. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Kolon worked as a social worker and taught English abroad in South Korea.
Alvar Ayala, Staff Attorney
Mr. Ayala is a native of Torreon, Coahuila, in Northern Mexico. As an undergraduate, Mr. Ayala helped organize student volunteers for
immigrant resource centers in Kansas. Mr. Ayala also helped organize student support for Kansas’ immigrant tuition bill passed in 2004. His
research on the passage of this bill was subsequently published in the Journal of State Politics and Policy Quarterly.
Mr. Ayala was a summer intern with the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues in 2006. He was awarded a Dean’s Public Interest
Fellowship at the University of Michigan Law School to intern with Working Hands Legal Clinic in the summer of 2007. During Law School, Mr.
Ayala was also an Executive Editor for the Michigan Journal of Race and Law. As staff attorney for Working Hands Legal Clinic, Mr. Ayala now
focuses on wage and hour litigation and participates in the organization’s community outreach efforts. Mr. Ayala holds a J.D. from the University
of Michigan Law School.
Aracely Galvan, Paralegal
Ms. Galvan is the office paralegal for Working Hands Legal Clinic. Previously, Ms. Galvan had worked in various areas in the non-profit sector,
including Youth Outreach Services, serving as an assistant coordinator. Ms. Galvan also worked as a senior case manager at Heartland
Alliance, where she performed advocacy work for anywhere between 15-30 children detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ms.
Galvan currently volunteers with UNICEF and the University of Chicago Law School’s Immigrant Child Advocacy Project. In the latter, she
mentors and supports detained children on immigration charges.
Alex Linares, Outreach Paralegal
Mr. Linares works as the outreach paralegal for Working Hands Legal Clinic where he does workshops on e-verify, pro se court filing, and
“Know Your Rights” workshops on employment law. Prior to working with Working Hands Legal Clinic, Mr. Linares worked as a paralegal for
Katz Law Office, Ltd., where he assisted in immigration and domestic relations case matters. Mr. Linares also worked with various non-profit
organizations such as El Valor in the Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood and Chinese Mutual Aid Association in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood,
serving as a tutor and youth worker.
Copyright © 2008, Working Hands Legal Clinic. All rights reserved.
Resources:
Tools, press
releases, and links
for lawyers and
organizers
Tools, press
releases, and links
for lawyers and
organizers