Serving as the Chair of Women & the Law (WATL) from 2024–2025 is a highlight of my professional career. I am deeply proud of what our committee achieved together, particularly our event, “Trailblazing Through the Law: Lifting as We Climb.” This program was two years in the making and brought together ISBA members from across the state for a day of education and advocacy in Springfield. We were able to coordinate tours of the Illinois Capital and Supreme Court, concluding with a reception with the Illinois Supreme Court Justices. By securing the necessary funding to offer this event, including transportation, at no cost to our members, we ensured that this high-level access to our state’s legal pillars was available to everyone including law students who could join us for a day of mentorship and direct access to the judiciary.
The Annual Tea Celebrating Women’s History Month was a resounding success, made possible by the dedicated subcommittee members who invested countless hours into ensuring the event was executed flawlessly. We were particularly honored to welcome Justice Joy V. Cunningham as our keynote speaker; her insights provided a powerful centerpiece for our celebration.
Our mission of service continued at the mid-year meeting, where the generosity of our members and the entire ISBA was on full display. We successfully collected 429 books, along with significant monetary contributions, to benefit organizations dedicated to expanding literacy and educational access, including: Bernie’s Book Bank; Look. It’s My Book!; United Way of Decatur & Mid-Illinois: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; and Metro East Literacy Project.
The unwavering commitment of this committee to support women, the ISBA, and our legal and local communities across the state is truly inspiring. The achievements of WATL are a direct reflection of the incredible support I received as Chair. I am deeply grateful for the hard work of our committee members and look forward to the continued impact WATL will make in the years to come.