General Membership Meeting
Tuesday March 24, 2015

5:00 pm

ISBA
20 South Clark Street
9th Floor
Chicago, Illinois

CCBA Past President
Justice John O. Steele, Ret.

Thursday, April 2, 2015
Reception: 11:30. Lunch: 12:00

Standard Club
Grand Ballroom
320 S. Plymouth Court
Chicago, IL 60604

$65.00 per person

The conference will include panels on human trafficking, immigration: the President’s Executive Action, access to justice, and our Informed Voters Project. We will also be presenting a powerful stage reading of Janet Langhart Cohen’s one act play, Anne & Emmett, about racial and religious bias and intolerance, followed by a panel discussion.  It promises to be a very exciting and informative conference.  Jenner Block will be hosting the opening reception on April 23rd.

On behalf of our President, Judge Julie Frantz, and our local planning committee of judges, it is my privilege to invite you to register for the conference.

Register now for the NAWJ Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference!
April 23-25, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois.

www.nawj.org

Ann Breen-Greco
Vice President of Districts
National Association of Women Judges

The Illinois Judicial Council in conjunction with the Child Protection Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County began a pilot program to provide mentoring to youth who are wards of the Court as they prepare to transition to adulthood.  Judges and attorneys have volunteered to meet with the ward mentees and provide guidance and assistance.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Presiding Judge Patricia M. Martin, assisted in introducing the program by welcoming the participants.  They discussed the benefits of the program and encouraged our participation.  A rousing presentation was made by Attorney Brunell Donald-Kyei. Attorney Donald-Kyei, once a ward of the State of Illinois, discussed her background and challenges with the audience.  She was well received by mentees and mentors alike.  Chair Judge William H. Hooks closed out the program.

Our youth need to see and be encouraged by our professional community.  Participation in this program will not take up a lot of your time.  We ask that you commit to reaching out, whether by telephone, e-mail or in-person to a mentee at least two times a month.  If you are interested in participating in this very worthwhile program, please contact Judge Andrea M. Buford through the “Contact Us” feature on the IJC website.

IJC chair, Judge William H. Hooks, was the guest speaker for the Coppin Memorial A.M.E. Church Men’s Day program.  Judge Sydney Jones (Ret.) and the Coppin Men’s Ministry extended the invitation to Judge Hooks.  The theme for the event was “Black Christian Men Taking Care of Business in Spirit, Truth and Faith”

Judge Hooks reminded the congregation of the commitment, bravery and perseverance of Richard Allen, a former Delaware slave and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  Officials of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which had allowed blacks to attend worship services, began pulling blacks off of their knees while praying at the alter in order to enforce racial segregation rules.  Richard Allen led a group to form their own church.

Although many wanted to join other denominations, Allen insisted that they remain Methodists.  Bethel AME Church was formed and dedicated in 1794 with Allen as its pastor.  In order to maintain independence from the Methodists, Allen sued the Methodists in the Pennsylvania courts in 1807, an undertaking almost unheard of by former slaves.  In 1815, Allen won the right of his new congregation to exist as an independent institution.  Allen later convinced other black Methodists in the United States to join him and officially formed a new Wesleyan denomination – – the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

The Men’s Day program was attended by several Illinois Judicial Council and Cook County Bar Association members.

Since its founding in 1982, the mission of the Illinois Judicial Council, in part, has been to encourage African-Americans to prepare for and pursue judicial careers in order to ensure continued diversity on the bench.  In keeping with this commitment, the Illinois Judicial Scholarship Committee was created as one of four standing committees of the IJC.  Recognizing that the need for encouragement and support begins long before a seat on the bench is achieved, the Illinois Judicial Council through the funding of the Illinois Judicial Council Foundation has awarded tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to Illinois law students for over 30 years.

Students who have overcome obstacles and unforeseen challenges and students who have given of themselves through community service all while maintaining high academic standards in law school, have been among the many law students who have received scholarships from the IJC.  A few of our scholarship recipients have been students who found themselves in the role of parent to younger siblings and are in need of assistance, students who found themselves in a new state or country with little or no family support, and many who are simply seeking any amount of relief they can from the astronomical amount of student loans they will soon find themselves repaying after they have completed law school.  Through scholarships, many who may not have found a way to make it through, do find a way.  Undoubtedly, every dollar counts.

What began as a small amount of financial assistance for the purchase of law books later grew into matching funds from the various Illinois law schools and the goal of establishing an endowment through the Illinois Judicial Council Foundation, whose membership is comprised of retired judges who remain committed to the purpose and the goals of the IJC Scholarship Committee.  Additionally, our scholarship recipients have benefitted from the guidance and mentorship of many of the members of the Illinois Judicial Council as they journey into the world of the legal profession.  As the cost of a law school education continues to grow exponentially, the need to continue awarding scholarships to more deserving law student’s also continues to grow.  The Illinois Judicial Council, through its Scholarship Committee and the Illinois Judicial Council Foundation, remains committed to supporting and encouraging law students to achieve their respective goals within the legal community and ultimately fulfilling the mission of the Illinois Judicial Council.

JANUARY 14 – 18, 2015. The Illinois Judicial Council, led by Judge Leonard Murray (IJC past-chair and NBAJC chair-elect), was well represented at the National Bar Association Judicial Council’s 2015 Mid-Winter Conference.  In attendance were: Justices P. Scott Neville, Shelvin L. Hall, and Justice William Cousins (Ret.); Judges Patricia Banks, Drella Savage, Carl Boyd, Erica L. Reddick, Andrea M. Buford, Freddrenna M. Lyle, Bernetta Bush (Ret.) and Sydney A. Jones (Ret.); and Administrative Law Judge Harriet Parker.  Including spouses and guests, more than 20 Chicagoans travelled to Montego Bay, Jamaica for the 4 day program.

The Conference Committee presented a full schedule of continuing judicial education programs during the day and social and community events in the evenings.  We attended educational seminars included covering Intellectual Property Enforcement; Technological Innovations for the Judiciary; Navigating Ethical Minefields; the State of the African American Judiciary and Strategies for Increasing Diversity on the Bench.  The Keynote address for the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Awards Luncheon was given by the Honorable Zalia McCalla, the Chief Justice of Jamaica, with greetings from Mr. Donovan Walker, President of the Jamaican Bar Association and the Hon. Randa Trapp, Chair of the Judicial Council.

The welcome reception was held at the Monego Bay Convention Centre followed by dinner at the MoBay Yacht Club Seahorse Restaurant.  Incoming Judicial Council Chairman Leonard Murray led a delegation to the Eber Preparatory School for a discussion group.  The delegation also presented scholarships to the students.  This program was one of the highlights of the convention. The convocation ceremony was held at the Family Church on the Rock where the Council donated $1,000 to the church.

The only complaint heard during the conference was the lack of time to take in the beautiful country during balmy 80 degree weather.

The Illinois Judicial Council’s Community Engagement Outreach Committee produces the Inspirational Speech Awards in collaboration with Push Excel, Inc. focusing young people on the power of eloquent persuasive speech to ensure young future leaders have the opportunity to build their leadership talents through oratorical exercises. The contest provides a platform for students in 1st through 12th grades to compete in a stimulating and enjoyable rhetorical competition by memorizing and reciting speeches that have the enormous power to inspire us to always make us try a little harder, risk a little more and gain power for our life. The speeches promote: 1) strong moral ideals, 2) excellence in education and 3) sound communication skills.

The contest advocates good citizenship with significant backing by our member judges and justices who graciously volunteer to observe and judge the tournaments. It is important that we expose our children to childhood experiences of being listened to, being spoken to respectfully, receiving appropriate attention and affection and having accomplishments recognized and mistakes and failures acknowledged to build healthy self-esteem. With this exposure, children are able to proceed with confidence, benevolence and optimism, and be more ambitious to reach their goals. Encouraged by an inspiring “succeeding-against-the-odds message” that will live “through every line of pain and glory” they will increase their capacity to be happy and to treat other people with respect, kindness and goodwill, thus favoring rich interpersonal relationships and avoiding destructive violent ones.

The last contest held on December 20th was outstanding with 116 children participating simultaneously in Chicago and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. IJC is committed to carrying on its community engagement outreach goals by our members continuing to volunteer to judge and working together with Push Excel to produce the next Inspirational Speech Awards contest on April 25, 2015.

Dreams don’t come true. Dreams are made true. What we have we must make. What we cherish we must achieve. What we wish to keep we must defend.

On Friday, September 19, 2014, Chicagoland’s legal and political community turned out en masse to attend IJC’s exciting and memorable 32^nd Installation & Awards Ceremony,  “Judges, Justice  & All That Jazz…” at the J.W. Marriott.  The event marked the installation of IJC’s 2014-2015 Chair, Hon. William H. Hooks, its Officers and Executive Committee, and commemorated civil rights landmarks.   The event also included presentation of law school scholarships as well as service awards.

Victor Henderson, Esq. introduced the dais.  Hon. Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board, and Hon. Denise Langston Morris, former President of the National Judicial Council, extended greetings to guests.  Hon. David C. Coar served graciously as keynote speaker, framing the historical context of past civil rights victories and encouraging guests to continue the ongoing struggle for equal justice.

Guests enjoyed exceptional jazz entertainment provided by the Joan Collaso Trio and the Christopher McBride Trio.   Sponsors included the Law Offices of James Montgomery, Clifford Law Offices, Powers, Rogers & Smith, and Jonathon Romain, Artist-in-residence, whose inspiring work was on prominent display.