CBA Record July-August 2021

E . Lynn Grayson, the incoming Chi- cago Bar Association President, is one of the nation’s top environmen- tal attorneys who strives to make the world a safer and healthier place through her legal practice. She is also a vocal proponent for women’s rights and advancing women in the law and a leader who guides by encour- agement and collaboration. Grayson is eager to start the bar year; with her at the helm, there is no doubt that the CBA will have yet another successful year. “With expertise and grace, Lynn easily earns the respect and admiration of everyone who has the opportunity to work with her. That is evidenced by the numerous positions to which she has either been elected, appointed, or recognized by her peers. Her analytical skills and creative legal thinking set her apart, as does her ability to firmly, yet considerately, identify and solve any issue before her. She is generous with her time and is a mentor to attorneys at all levels … These attributes position her well to be CBA President in a post-Covid year that will be filled with challenges, while at the same time celebrating 150 years of CBA history. I am honored to call her my colleague and even more honored to call her my friend. The CBA will be very well served with Lynn Grayson as its next president.” Jennifer Nijman, Nijman Franzetti LLP BarYearTheme:“Celebrate, Care, and Challenge” Grayson plans multiple initiatives to sup- port her theme for the upcoming bar year of “celebrate, care, and challenge.” First, she will celebrate the CBA’s history and con- tinuous record of success. Even with this past year’s many challenges ‒ the pandemic, social unrest, and political turmoil – Gray- son encourages us take pride in the CBA’s many successes in serving our members, the legal community, and the greater Chi- cagoland community. To further highlight the successes and celebrate the CBA, a special 150th anniversary committee will be appointed to prepare and plan for the monumental celebration in 2024.

Grayson with Dr. Yu-Long Ling.

Care focuses on our members, the community, and the CBA. Grayson is launching a new CBA Diversity, Inclusion, Culture, Equity and Engagement Initia- tive (DICE) to address diversity-oriented initiatives for our members throughout the year. For our community, she is planning to expand legal education and make the CBA the go-to place for legal help so that it can be a major means of legal support for communities. For the CBA, President Grayson intends for the CBA to take this year of self-reflection and determine what within the CBA structure can improve and be strengthened. Grayson’s third initiative is to challenge all members to make the CBA the bar association our members want, need, and deserve. This aspirational initiative calls for honest feedback so that we can adapt and rebrand ourselves as a platform to support and advance our legal careers as well as serve as a change agent for racial justice, the rule of law, access to justice, and improving the communities where we live and work. Background Growing up in rural Indiana, Grayson was the third of four children, the first in her family to graduate college, and the first lawyer in her family. As a child, she fondly recalls her family’s annual summer road trips across the United States when her parents took the family to visit national parks and monuments all over the coun-

try. These trips helped instill respect for the environment and natural resources at a young age. She also loved to work with children and initially wanted to become an elementary school teacher. While in college, Grayson had a pivotal meeting with Dr. Yu-long Ling, one of her political science professors, who saw Gray- son’s potential and changed her life trajec- tory. Dr. Ling invited Grayson to enroll in the college’s prelaw program, which she did. At the same time, she received a national scholarship for women advanc- ing in professions from her sorority, Delta Zeta, and used this scholarship towards her law school career at Indiana University Maurer School of Law. “Lynn is one of my all-time favorite students. She took several of my politi- cal science and pre-law classes and did extremely well, but she was not focused on the law. I likened her to an old Chi- nese saying, ‘a precious stone is just a stone unless it is cut and polished.’ I saw great potential in Lynn and after some cutting and polishing, she has become what I always knew she would become, a great lawyer and leader. I couldn’t be more proud.” ‒ Yu-long Ling, PhD While in law school, Grayson knew she ultimately wanted to work for the govern- ment as a prosecutor. While an intern with

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