2023 Articles

Chair’s Column By Junaid “J” Afeef October 2023 A note from the chair.

From Teaching to Steel Mills, From Civil Rights Activism to Administering Justice: The Hon. William J. Borah By Junaid “J” Afeef August 2023 A spotlight on Hon. William J. Borah, recipient of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Elmer Gertz Human & Civil Rights Award.

1 comment (Most recent August 18, 2023)

Human and Civil Rights at the ISBA: Let’s Go! By Junaid “J” Afeef August 2023 A note from the chair.

Illinois Continues to Expand Workers’ Rights By Michael J. Maslanka August 2023 HB2493, recently signed by the governor, helps protect the jobs of those whose family members were killed by violence and lets the family grieve for a reasonable period of time.

New Legislation in Illinois Impacting Human Rights By Jill D. Leka August 2023 Summaries of recent legislation in Illinois that impact human rights.

Opening the Books on Closed Meetings By Joe Ranvestel October 2023 An Illinois high school is being investigated by the Illinois Attorney General's Office after voting against including a controversial book in an English course.

Reflections on the War in Ukraine Part II: Can International Law Hold Russia and Its Leaders Accountable? By Cindy Buys & Thomas Beley May 2023 A summary of the legal proceedings that seek individual criminal accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court and other tribunals.

Remarks From the Chair By Bhavani Raveendran May 2023 A note from the chair.

Seventh Circuit Affirms Prior Decision Regarding Gender-Affirming Bathroom Use By Jessica Galanos October 2023 In August 2023, the seventh circuit issued its decision in A.C. by M.C. v. Metropolitan School District of Martinsville, affirming the decisions of two lower courts to preliminarily enjoin two Indiana school districts from enforcing their bathroom policies.

Sikh Americans Banned From Serving in the Marines Get a Reprieve By Hon. Geraldine D’Souza May 2023 It took a recent federal court ruling to stop the U.S. Marine Corps practice of denying entry to Sikhs.

Summary of Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (2022) By Cindy G. Buys May 2023 A summary and analysis of Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, in which the U.S. Supreme Court held in a 6-3 opinion that the government may not suppress an individual from engaging in personal religious observance.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Turns 75 By Junaid “J” Afeef October 2023 An overview of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and how it may shape human rights in the United States and worldwide in the coming years.

Update on the ISBA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Initiatives Regarding Disability and Disabled People By Patti Chang May 2023 Updates on the ISBA's diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives with respect to disability and disabled people.