Women's Bar Association of Illinois

Members in the News

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  Congratulations to Jessica Mok O'Neill, WBAI Director and associate at Kerns, Frost & Pearlman, LLC for publishing an article in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin regarding mentoring young lawyers.
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  Congratulations to Jennifer P. Irmen, WBAI Director and associate at Anesi Ozmon Rodin Novak & Kohen for publishing an article in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin regarding leadership and what it takes to create a professional identity.
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  Look who made the Chicago Lawyer's social page! Our very own Karen McNulty Enright, Judge Liz Budsinski, Jessica Arong O'Brien, Deane Brown, and RoxAnne Rochester
• Congratulations to Kim Watson for publishing an article in Ms. JD. To read the article, click on the following link - http://ms-jd.org/taking-example-women%E2%80%99s-bar-association-illinois This article was originally posted by Ms. JD.

• A very special congratulations to Caitlin Groh and Kristin Hofer Thomas for receiving service awards for their dedication to the WBAI's Young Lawyers Committee.


• Jennifer P. Irmen, an associate at Anesi Ozmon Novak Rodin & Kohen was appointed as Secretary to The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association Board. Jennifer will serve as Secretary for the 2011-2012 bar year. We congratulate Jennifer on her appointment.


• Karie J. Valentino, a partner at Anderson Rasor & Partners, LLP, was appointed as Assistant Treasurer to The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association Board. Karie will serve as Assistant Treasurer for the 2011-2012 bar year. We congratulate Karie on her appointment.


• Jennifer P. Irmen, an associate at Anesi Ozmon Novak Rodin & Kohen, was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Women’s Bar Foundation. Jennifer will serve as a Director for the next two years. The Women’s Bar Foundation is a subsidiary of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. The Women’s Bar Foundation was established in 1966 for the purpose of providing “scholarships, awards or other financial aid for the study of law in accredited law schools in the State of Illinois to deserving and qualified women.” The first scholarship was awarded in 1966 in the name of Judge Mary Bartelme in the amount of $300. Since that time, the Foundation has awarded over 260 scholarships totaling over $1.1 million. We congratulate Jennifer on her appointment.


• Deane B. Brown, First Vice President of the WBAI, was recently published in the Law Day edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, outlining what she hopes the WBAI will accomplish during her year as President throughout the 2011-2012 bar year. Click here to read her article:

  Deane Brown Law Bulletin Article

• Jennifer P. Irmen, an associate at Anesi Ozmon Rodin Novak & Kohen, and a member of the WBAI Board of Directors for the past 3 years, was recently nominated as a Director to the Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section’s Executive Council. Jennifer will serve as a Director for the next two years. The Council consists of nine officers, nine directors, special project coordinators and committee chairs. The purpose of the Council is to address the needs and interests of attorneys during their first 10 years of practice. Since its inception, the Section has enjoyed national prominence, having repeatedly received the American Bar Association award for the best Young Lawyers Section in the United States as well as numerous awards for individual projects and programs. With over 9,000 members, the Section has its own officers, rules, budget, staff and administrative structure. We congratulate Jennifer on her appointment.
• Congratulations to strong WBAI supporter Jean Prendergast on her recent Circuit Court appointment. It was well deserved, Jean!
  
• Heartfelt condolences to Vickie Voukidis and the Voukidis family on the passing of Vickie’s mother, Maria. Vickie, you are in our thoughts and prayers.
  
• Congratulations to past WBAI President H. Candace Gorman, who will be receiving the Ruth Goldman award from the Chicago chapter of the American Constitution Society at their upcoming Chicago Legal Legends Luncheon on June 10, 2010. This award is presented to a woman in the Chicago legal community who has made significant contributions to advance the status of women in the profession and advance the goals of the ACS.
  
• Kudos to former WBAI Board Member Beth Kaveny on joining the personal injury law firm Burke, Wise & Morrissey as a named partner. The WBAI knows she will be a strong asset to the firm.
  
• Congratulations to Judge Patrice Ball-Reed on being featured in the Black Women Lawyers’ Association’s newsletter’s “Spotlight.” Her advice on how to achieve success in your career was both practical and inspiring.
  
• Deepest sympathy to the family of Jerold S. Solovy. Jerry was Chairman Emeritus of Jenner & Block LLP, and his name has become synonymous with citizen court reform efforts in Illinois. He marked his 55th anniversary with Jenner & Block on September 12, 2010. Jerry was a huge supporter of the WBAI and will be greatly missed.
  
• Best wishes to Lori Levin on her recent marriage to Paul. Congratulations, Lori!
  
• Kudos to Karie Valentino on finishing in 13:16:20 at the Ironman Cozumel on November 28, 2010.
  
• Congrats to Deane Brown, Karen Enright and Beth Kaveny on being listed among the top women lawyers in Illinois.
  
• The WBAI congratulates Sarah Breitlander on organizing and presenting another excellent educational seminar, entitled “What Every Commercial Litigator Needs to Know About Insurance,” in her role as Chair of the CBA’s Commercial Litigation Seminar.
  
• Congrats to Al Swanson on his appointment as Circuit Court Judge.
  
• Congratulations to Kerryann Haase on being named managing partner of Michael, Best & Friedrich LLP’s Chicago office in September 2010.
  
• Congratulations to Vickie Voukidis on the opening of her new business “Court on Call,” P.O. Box 3312, Barrington, Illinois 60011-3312, 847-387-3141 and 630-936-0442, courtoncall@gmail.com. She provides professional court coverage in all Illinois courts for a reasonable, fixed rate. The rate schedule is available online at www.courtoncall.com. She covers everything from routine matters, continuances, briefing schedules and statuses to argument of motions and settlement conferences. Court on Call provides a cost-effective, valuable service to solo, small and mid-size firms and helps firms juggle their conflicting court schedules all the while knowing that their cases are being handled by experienced attorneys. Congratulations, Vickie!
  
• 2011 Mary Heftel Hooton Award Recipients
  Hon. Charles P. Kocoras of the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  Judge Rita Novak of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division

• 2011 Esther Rothstein Award Recipients
  Senator Dawn Clark Netsch (ret.)
  Mary Hutchings Reed
  
• Congratulations to long-time WBAI supporter, Illinois Appellate Justice Mary Jane Theis who, effective October 26, 2010, ascended to the Illinois Supreme Court. Justice Theis was selected to serve the remaining two years of Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald’s position. Justice Theis’ appointment marks the first time in Illinois Supreme Court history that three women will simultaneously serve on that court. Justice Theis will serve with Justices Rita Garman and Anne M. Burke.
• Park Named after Mary Bartelme Mary Bartelme (1866-1954), past President of the WBAI (1927-1928), was a pioneering woman lawyer in Illinois. Ms. Bartelme became the first woman judge in Illinois in 1923 and the second woman judge in the U.S. Ms. Bartelme was born at Fulton and Halsted Streets. She became a teacher and then decided to practice law at a time when this was a rare occupation for women. Ms. Bartelme graduated from Northwestern Law School in 1894, the only woman in her class. Ms. Bartelme was appointed as the first woman Public Guardian in Cook County in 1897 and served for 16 years, taking care of minors without guardians. Ms. Bartelme helped to draft and to lobby for legislation creating the first Juvenile Court in Cook County in 1899. The first Juvenile Detention home was located in the 1600 block of West Adams in 1906. In 1913, Ms. Bartelme was chosen to assist the Cook County presiding judge, holding closed sessions for juvenile cases and creating a "girls' court." To create an alternative to jail, she founded three group homes for delinquent adolescent girls called "Mary Bartelme Clubs." The "Marty Bartelme Clubs" is now the Women's Bar Foundation. Mary Bartelme was elected judge in 1923, serving as a judge in Juvenile Court for ten years and hearing over 50,000 cases. Mary Bartelme made important contributions as a symbol of the feminist movement, an agent for procedural change, and as a tireless reformer and fundraiser who made a difference in the lives of many young girls. Sponsors of the Mary Bartelme Park are: Alderman Robert W. Fioretti; Chicago Park District; University of Illinois at Chicago and Hull House Museum; Women's Bar Association of Illinois; Northwestern University Law School; Judges of the Cook County Juvenile Court; Scott Maesel Family; Leslie Recht; West Loop Community Organization.
• A very special congratulations to the following women for their service to the WBAI: Sarah Breitlander for her service to the Newsletter Committee, Jennifer P. Irmen for her service to the Website Committee, Kathryn Gallanis Matern for her service to the Membership Committee, Jessica Arong O'Brien for her service to the Diversity Committee, Deanna Blair, Bernadette Freeman, and Arlette Porter for their service to the Judicial Evaluations Committee and Jennifer Ballard and RoxAnne Rochester to their service to the Programs Committee!
   

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  Updated: February 4, 2012 6:07 pm