Each year, National Hispanic American Heritage Month celebrates the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans and their influence on U.S. history.
To recognize this month, we spoke with three Latina judges who are making an impact in the Illinois legal community.
In this spotlight, we hear from Cook County Circuit Court Judge Araceli R. De La Cruz, who was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court and sworn in on January 6, 2022.
Judge De La Cruz’s parents were born in Puerto Rico and raised her in Chicago. She received a bachelor’s from the University of Illinois at Chicago…
Continue Reading National Hispanic American Heritage Month Spotlight: Cook County Circuit Court Judge Araceli De La Cruz

Attorneys and other legal professionals across the country will celebrate National Pro Bono Week from October 20 – 26. This year’s theme is “Making Justice a Reality in Our Communities.”
Pro Bono Week has been celebrated since 2009 to highlight the increasing need for pro bono services and the attorneys volunteer their time.
In 2023, 29,389 Illinois lawyers provided a total of 1,726,626 pro bono legal service hours, or an average of 59 hours per lawyer, according to the ARDC. This exceeds the ABA minimum recommendation of 50 hours per lawyer.
Interested in getting involved? Here are ways…
Continue Reading Pro Bono Week Events for Illinois Lawyers This October  

Chief Counsel Mark C. Palmer, Commissioner Amanda J. Hamilton, Illinois Supreme Court Liaison Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford, Dean Cassandra L. Hill, ISBA President Sonni Choi Williams, and President of NIU Law Alumni Council Jay Wiegman at the Northern Illinois University College of Law
Throughout August and September, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism has collaborated with Illinois’ nine law schools to host professionalism orientations for first-year law students.
2024 is the 18th year that the Commission has facilitated these orientations, which are held annually at the beginning of law school.
Professionalism orientations introduce 1L students to the principles of…
Continue Reading Commission on Professionalism Collaborates With Illinois Law Schools to Lead Professionalism Orientations for 1Ls

Hello to sweater weather and autumn legal events in Illinois! As we wind down from summer vacation and travel, lawyers and judges can connect with other legal professionals and support their community at events hosted by local and affinity bar and judicial associations here in Illinois.
From charity drives and holiday parties to chili cook-offs and a trip to the zoo, these events can help expand your network and foster a deeper sense of belonging and collaboration within the legal profession.
We have compiled a list of upcoming legal community events for the rest of 2024. If we missed any,…
Continue Reading Events to Attend in the Illinois Legal Community This Fall

“Act like a lawyer.”
If you gave this prompt to an actor, how do you think they would act? As someone who focuses on professionalism issues, I would like to think the actor would be a strong yet civil client advocate for their client while practicing honesty and courtesy toward all involved in the legal process.
However, if the actor’s conception of the legal profession is from the movies, they may be more likely to portray the lawyer as a bully who will do anything to win a case.
First-year law students are in a similar situation as the actor;…
Continue Reading What Does It Mean To ‘Act Like a Lawyer’? Reconsidering Our Professional Identity

Last week, the Nevada Supreme Court approved plans to proceed with the development of an alternative pathway for attorney licensing in the state that does not include the traditional national bar exam.
The current national bar exam, called the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), expires in 2028. States can adopt a modernized version of the exam, dubbed the NextGen bar exam, or develop their own bar exam or attorney licensing pathway.
So far, 25 jurisdictions — including Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Missouri — have announced that they will use the NextGen bar exam.
The NextGen exam is currently in development by…
Continue Reading Nevada Supreme Court Approves Plan to Proceed with Developing Alternative Attorney Licensing Pathway in State

As I navigate the first half of the school year with my three children, I am reminded of an experience my daughter had in the sixth grade.
She was new to the bus and sat beside a girl who was sitting alone. The girl’s skin was brown, and she wore a hijab. The girls started talking, sharing details about their families, popular culture, and music preferences.
When my daughter (who is multiracial with African American, Caucasian, Greek, and Native American heritage) asked about her seatmate’s background, she explained why she wore the hijab and discussed her family’s religious and cultural…
Continue Reading How Kids Can Inspire Inclusion in the Legal Profession

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) is being recognized for its work in making the court system easier to navigate for self-represented litigants.
The ATJ Commission will be honored with the Justice Innovation Award from the Law Center for Better Housing (LCBH) during its 2024 Fall Benefit on October 17. LCBH is a Chicago-based legal aid organization focused on housing justice.
The award highlights the ATJ Commission’s standardized, plain language forms project, which has automated and translated court forms and streamlined the filing process to ensure they are easy-to-use for self-represented litigants and other court…
Continue Reading ATJ Commission to Receive Justice Innovation Award for its Standardized, Plain Language Forms Project

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Access to Justice Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) have announced a new grant initiative to support local courts in improving accessibility for people with disabilities.
The Disability Accessibility Improvement Grant will help Illinois courts bridge budget gaps to address barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully accessing court services, with the goal of creating respectful and courteous court environments for all.
Grant funds can be used to support or expand existing projects or to create new initiatives. Some examples in the…
Continue Reading New Grant Aims to Improve Accessibility in Illinois Courts for People With Disabilities