CBA Record January-February 2026

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nikki Marcotte Kirkland & Ellis LLP ASSOCIATE EDITOR Anne Ellis 2E Services, LLC SUMMARY JUDGMENTS EDITOR Daniel A. Cotter Aronberg Goldgehn YLS JOURNAL EDITORS J. Kopczyk Attorney at Law CBA RECORD

EDITOR’S BRIEFCASE

BY NIKKI MARCOTTE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Embracing a New Year

I t’s the start of another year, which means many folks are emerging from the holiday haze while trying to ward off the desire to hunker down and hibernate through the enduring Chicago winter.

Katherine Hanson First District Appellate Court

Daniel J. Berkowitz Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston & Zimet LLP Jacob B. Berger Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC Amy Cook Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Anthony F. Fata Kirby McInerney LLP Clifford Gately Quarles & Brady Meredith A. Geller Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Judge Jasmine Villaflor Hernandez Circuit Court of Cook County Kaitlin King Hart David Carson LLP Theodore Kontopoulos Internal Revenue Service Kathryn C. Liss DePaul University College of Law Marissa Longoria Circuit Court of Cook County’s Clerk’s Office Clare McMahon Reed, Centracchio & Associates, LLC Pamela Sakowicz Menaker

In an effort to fight these urges each Janu ary, we often find motivation in looking to the future: We reflect on the previous year, take stock of our personal and professional lives, and use that information to set goals and intentions for the new year. We attempt to pitch what isn’t working and refocus our energy elsewhere. We make it our mission to do or try something new, like finally taking that trip abroad, starting that new hobby, eating better, exercising more, reconnecting with family and friends, making intentional career moves…the list goes on. This January is no different for me, as I’m sure it isn’t for many others. In reflecting on 2025, I joyously celebrated several major milestones (getting married, traveling to new countries, and becoming the Record’s new Editor-in-Chief). On the other hand, 2025 was equally challenging. I suffered some brutal losses and had to navigate some difficult life decisions along the way. Mais c’est la vie , as they say. While I’m not usually one for resolutions, I do have an annual ritual that my best friend and I have been doing for years: We pick one word that best reflects our mood and how we wish to show up in the new year. My word for 2026 is embrace . Much like my gender on any given day, embrace takes on many different forms. It can be an act of hugging someone you love, welcoming someone into your inner circle, fearlessly accept ing new and creative ideas, or courageously facing unexpected change. That’s my hope for 2026. I want to hug my friends and family more and tell them how much they mean to me. I want to spend more time on hobbies I enjoy and traveling with my spouse. I want to participate more actively in my communities and welcome new people into the fold. I want to be that person who encourages and nurtures big, creative ideas. I want to be bold in the face of personal and professional challenges that will come my way. 2025 may have been a doozy, but to 2026, I say: Bring it on. I’m ready. Are you? As I leave you to ponder what your word is for the new year, I’m very excited to tell you a little about this edition of the Record . In it, we tackle artificial intelligence—a sig nificant issue that our profession needs to embrace actively in 2026 and beyond. Judges, professors, and attorneys share their tips on how to use AI practically, effectively, and ethically; they warn about the pitfalls of using AI without appropriate guardrails; and they challenge all of us to think about the implications of AI use in today’s world.

Clifford Law Offices Kathleen Dillon Narko Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Alexander Passo Latimer LeVay Fyock LLC Trisha M. Rich Holland & Knight LLP Adam J. Sheppard Sheppard Law Firm, PC Richard Lee Stavins Buchalter Kevin A. Thompson Levin Ginsburg Rosemary Simota Thompson

Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr. Circuit Court of Cook County

THE CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION Sharon Nolan Director of Marketing

4 January/February 2026