CBA Record January-February 2022

The series is available on demand at learn.chicagobar.org (IL MCLE credit available). Session panelists and participants included David Goldenberg, Midwest Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League; Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equal- ity Illinois; Judge William Haddad (ret.), Founding President of the Arab American Bar Association; SodiqaWilliams, General Counsel and Vice President of External Affairs at the Safer Foundation; Juan Morado Jr., partner, Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP; and Grace Pai, Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Chicago. education and representation and to make room for minority participation in the Bar and on the Bench. Grayson quoted Maya Angelou: “Hate caused a lot of problems but solved not one.” As lawyers, we can become part of the solution through education, advocacy, and unity against hate.

inequities over time, many offenders in need of a second chance never actually had a first chance, due to lack of educa- tion, mental illness, or substance abuse. Studies show that 60% of unsheltered men and 58% of unsheltered women in Illinois were previously incarcerated, so providing services – including hous- ing, education, job placement, and legal services – for those being released from prison will positively impact communi- ties. In Illinois, 3.3 million people have arrest and conviction records, and the majority need help reintegrating into the community. A holistic model that uses a network of community-based organiza- tions to focus on employment, reduce harm, and promote equity is needed. Discrimination against Chicago’s Hispanic residents takes many forms, including deprivation of rights, threats, and lack of services. For example, about 40% of Chicago Public Schools students are Hispanic, but language services are lacking. Hate and discrimination can create intimidating encounters with law

enforcement in which, for example, a routine traffic stop may lead to arrest, detention, and the threat of deportation. Many crimes against tax-paying and law- abiding residents are unreported due to a threatening climate, which increases their targeting for exploitation and criminal activity. Both sessions of Hate and What You Can Do About It provided break-out ses- sions to discuss what we can actually do to combat this scourge. Clearly, education is key. As lawyers, we can see that activity based on hate is an insult to the rule of law, and therefore we must take it person- ally. As Hyman stated at the close of the sessions, there is only one race, the human race, and we must get along. Participants emphasized that we have a duty to speak up about bigotry, stereo- typing, and hate. As lawyers, we have a duty to make sure the legal system works for everyone, and that The Chicago Bar Association presents a loud, strong voice against hate. It is also important to strengthen cultural competency through

CBA Offers Resources for Solo Start-ups Starting your own law practice can be a daunting proposition. The Chicago Bar Association recently launched a new CLE series for attorneys starting out on their own. The “Starting Your Solo Practice” series highlights the important legal and business foundations that practitioners should consider when they open the door of their new legal practice. Jennifer Byrne, the CBA’s Director of Continuing Legal Education, developed the series based on feedback frommem- bers looking for more resources for solo practitioners. “The shift in the workforce during the pandemic has motivated a number of attorneys to consider starting a solo practice. With this in mind, we wanted to offer more training and educa- tion to help them hit the ground running for a successful launch of their practice. “ The series has offered classes including “The Basics of Starting a Solo Practice,”“Build a Firm that Meets Clients Where They Are,”“Intro to Client-Centered Pricing,”“Money Matters,”“Trust Accounting and Credit Card Payments,”“Understand- ing Business Development,” and “Marketing 101.” A new slate of classes will be offered in 2022 covering client services, risk management, technology, work/life balance, and insurance. You can register for upcoming sessions and view past sessions on demand at learn.chicagobar.org.

CBA RECORD 11