PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Greetings!

As the weather changes and the temperature drops here in Chicago, our hearts have been warmed by numerous opportunities for BWLA friends and allies to gather and uplift one another over the past few weeks. In September, BWLA hosted lawyers, judges, and law students during our general body meeting. The Honorable Ann Claire Williams (Ret.) answered questions from the floor and offered words of encouragement and inspiration. BWLA also gathered with Black women attorneys from across the country at the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. as Sisters in the Law to commemorate Justice Kentanji Brown-Jackson’s historic first day on the bench. The celebration was in partnership with the National Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Greater Washington Area Chapter NBA Women Lawyers Division and many others.  And, it included remarks from Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Anna Blacksburne-Rigsby.  

BWLA also proudly announced its 2023 National Summit to be held on March 30 to April 1, 2023 at the Fairmont Hotel. Every five years, BWLA invites Black women lawyers, judges, law students, and allies from across the country to Chicago to our National Summit to engage, encourage, and empower one another. The 2023 National Summit will feature a wide range of programs across topics, including career strategies, board service, brand development, physical and mental wellness, views from the bench, developments in constitutional law, and civil rights, in addition to opportunities for fellowship and community engagement. 

We invite you to partner with us to plan the Summit or to serve as a sponsor by contacting our National Summit Team. By investing in one another, we are planting the seeds today that we will harvest tomorrow. What we can achieve as a group is boundless. Together, we soar. 

Sincerely,

Elsa Andrianifahanana 

2022-2023 President

BWLA Announces its 2023 National Summit of Black Women Lawyers

Save the Date! BWLA will host its National Summit on March 30-April 1, 2023. Details to come. For more information on how to get involved with the Summit, please contact our National Summit Team.

BWLA Scholarship Fund Fall Scholarships

Join the BWLA Street Law Team

Are you interested in inspiring the next generation of lawyers and judges? If so, please register to attend the Street Law Team Informational virtual event to learn more about the volunteer opportunities available through this program.

Join BWLA and UIC BLSA at a Tea with Justice Lisa Holder White

Join BWLA at the CCBA November Joint Dinner

Join Us at BWLA Scholarship Fund's Annual Sips for Scholarships Fundraiser

The BWLA Scholarship Fund Board is proud to present the 5th annual, Sips for Scholarships, on Thursday, November 17, 2022, from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m at Nych Art Gallery. Join us for small bites, a beer-and-wine open bar, and a night of fun, including wine tastings featuring a Black and female-owned winery, raffle prizes, a silent auction, and more! We will also announce our Fall Book Award and Bar Review Scholarship recipients!

Can't make it to Sips this year? You can still visit our site to donate to the BWLA Scholarship Fund. If you are interested in donating an item for the silent auction, please reach out to administrator@bwla.org. All donations are 100% tax-deductible and all proceeds from the event fund future scholarships. 

Stay tuned for more information about the Sips for Scholarships silent auction, which includes great items and experiences such as Chicago Bulls tickets, a Dominican Republic vacation, unique artwork, spa services, and more!

Book Your Room Now for Fun on the Slopes

Past Events

BWLA at 18th Annual Corporate Counsel Women of Color Conference

BWLA founders, board members, presidents, past and present, in addition to general body members, convened with over 1,500 corporate counsel and other attorneys from throughout the country at the 18th Annual Corporate Counsel Women Of Color Conference held on October 5-8, 2022, in Atlanta, GA.

BWLA Celebrate Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson's First Day on the Bench

On October 2-3, 2022, BWLA gathered with Black women attorneys from across the country at the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. as Sisters in the Law to commemorate Justice Kentanji Brown-Jackson’s historic first day on the bench. The celebration was in partnership with the National Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Greater Washington Area Chapter NBA Women Lawyers Division and many others.  And, it included remarks from Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Anna Blacksburne-Rigsby.

"Lets Talk About Student Loans"

BWLA Hosted a Virtual Event on Student Loans and Forgiveness Programs

On September 22, 2022, BWLA hosted the virtual program "Let's Talk About Student Loans," a candid and timely presentation and discussion on student loans and the forgiveness programs.

James Mwombela, of Student Loan Planner, presented and led the discussion for the program. As one of the key takeaways, James informed attendees of the importance of obtaining one's NSLDS file, which contains a person's entire record of student loans. This information helps to establish and identity which forgiveness programs a person is eligible for and the possibility for loan payment reduction.

BWLA 2022 Fall General Body Meeting:

An Evening of Community and Connection

On Tuesday, September 27, 2022, BWLA hosted its annual Fall General Body Meeting at the Chicago office of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP. The meeting was held in-person this year, allowing attendees to connect, interact, and network face-to-face throughout the evening.

BWLA President Elsa Andrianifahanana led the evening's program with a President's Report, highlighting recent events from this Bar Year and energizing the membership for upcoming events, including BWLA's National Summit on March 30 - April 1, 2023. Next a BWLA Founder, the Honorable Ann Claire Williams (Ret.) answered questions from the floor and shared inspiring and encouraging stories from her own legal and judicial career. The evening closed out with BWLA Committee Chairs discussing their plans for the upcoming Bar Year and making the call for volunteers.

BWLA is excited by the energy and enthusiasm of all those attended and its broader membership and looking forward to working with all those who signed up for various committees!

Thank you to Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP for hosting this event.

BWLA Attends 10th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference

BWLA joined many local minority bar associations for the Illinois State Bar Association's 10th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference on September 15-16, 2022. The two-day conference was organized by 12 bar associations and provided 7 hours of MCLE credits. 

The Bar Associations present included the Illinois State Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA Chicago), Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, Chinese American Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association (CCBA), Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois (HLAI), Korean American Bar Association of Chicago, The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, and Women's Bar Association.

BWLA Participates in College of DuPage's Constitution Day

On Thursday, September 15, 2022, BWLA Board Member Margaret Mendenhall Casey represented BWLA as a speaker and panelist at the College of DuPage's Constitution Day 2022. Constitution Day is a College of DuPage faculty initiative to commemorate the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution. 

The theme of this year's Constitution Day was "The Supreme Court: The Final Word." Margaret, who is an Assistant Corporate Counsel Supervisor for the City of Chicago Department of Law, along with Adjunct Faculty of Justice Studies and attorney Richard Forst, discussed the history, composition, and impact of the U.S. Supreme Court.

You can watch Margaret speak at College of DuPage's Constitution Day 2022 here!

Events Around Town

Please register and attend the 12th National Conference and 30th Anniversary Celebration for Just the Beginning - A Pipeline Organization (JTB - APO) on October 20-23, 2022, in Chicago at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Hotel. For 30 years, JTB-APO has been dedicated to developing and nurturing interest in the law among young persons from socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds underrepresented in the legal profession.

The conference includes several CLE informational sessions, as well as a Luncheon Conversation with BWLA Founder The Honorable Ann Claire Williams (Ret.), moderated by Robert A. Clifford and BWLA Founder/Past President The Honorable Patricia Brown Holmes (Ret.), and a Conversation and Q&A session with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

BWLA Member Achievements

Congratulations to Sharon Barner on her new position as Interim Chief Human Resource Officer at Cummins.

Congratulations to BWLA Founder/Past President The Honorable Patricia Brown Holmes (Ret.) on her selection as a 2022 Women of Influence Honoree by Chicago Business Journal. 

Congratulations to BWLA Past President Kalia Coleman on her selection as a 2022 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty Honoree by Law Bulletin Media, her appointment to the Board of Directors of Youth Guidance Chicago, and her selection as a Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America.

Congratulations to Josie Gough on receiving the 2022 Loyola University Chicago School of Law Alumni Award.

Congratulations to the Honorable Arnette R. Hubbard on receiving the 2022 Justice John Paul Stevens Award by the Chicago Bar Association.

Congratulations to Abosede Odunsi on her new position as Trust & Estates Partner at Freeborn & Peters LLP.

Congratulations to Brianna Panton on being her new position as Judicial Law Clerk for Judge E. Kenneth Wright.

Congratulations to Natalie Stegall on her new position as Corporate Counsel at Hillenbrand.

Congratulations to BWLA Board Member Shannon Stokes on her new position as Deputy General Counsel with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

Congratulations to Kerene Taylor on her new position as Management & Program Analyst at U.S. Department of Energy.

Congratulations to Arielle William on being named a 2023 Rising Stars Honoree by Super Lawyers Illinois. 

BWLA Judicial Retention Candidate Ratings are Out for the 2022 General Election!

On November 8, 2022, the General Election will occur in Illinois. 

• BWLA has issued its ratings for sitting judges seeking retention, which can be found here. 

• Joint ratings provided by the Alliance of Bar Associations can be found here.

• Early voting locations for Suburban Cook County can be found here.

• Early voting locations for the City of Chicago can be found here.

Interested in Being More Engaged with BWLA, Signing Up for a Committee, or Paying your Current Bar Year Membership Dues

Are you interested in becoming more active in BWLA during the 2022-2023 bar year? If so, we have plenty of opportunities you may want to consider, including:

• Joining BWLA. If you haven't yet renewed your BWLA membership for the 2022-2023 bar year, please register here!

• Serving as a Committee Member. BWLA has several committees that members can join. If you're interested in serving on a committee, please fill out this brief survey here!

• Serving on the Judicial Evaluation Committee. The Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) evaluates the qualifications of those who seek election, appointment to or retention to judicial office. The work that the committee does is vital to making sure candidates are just and fair, knowledgeable about the law and are not biased. If interested sign up here!



• Connect with BWLA on social media on Facebook, IG, LinkedIn, and Twitter!

Employment Opportunities