CBA Record July-August 2023

PRESIDENT’S PAGE BY RAY J. KOENIG III A Focus on Inclusion

The Chicago Bar Association www.chicagobar.org

President Ray J. Koenig III

First Vice President John C. Sciaccotta

Those experiences provided me opportu nities to make the connections necessary to build the practice and network I enjoy today. This inclusion, in its truest sense, brought me invaluable understanding of how things work. Inclusion is so much more to me than part of an acronym We have all heard of DEI: diversity, equity, and inclusion. I think the legal profession has made, and continues to make, strong efforts to create a diverse workforce. But hiring folks from diverse backgrounds is only the first step on the way toward equity and true success. The second step is inclusion. Inclusion ensures that everyone has access to the same opportunities and is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their back ground or individual differences. Inclusion in the legal profession is criti cally important. It offers: 1. Diverse perspectives and improved outcomes: The legal profession inter prets and applies the law to a wide range of situations. Including a diverse group of lawyers with different life experiences at the decision-making table will lead to a richer and more nuanced understand ing of legal issues. 2. Access to justice: Inclusion in the legal profession can help marginalized com munities understand and access the justice system in proactive ways. When people see lawyers who look like them and come from similar backgrounds, they may be more likely to seek legal assistance when they need it. 3. Professional development: Inclusion in the legal profession is important for the professional development of lawyers. When lawyers are exposed

Second Vice President Kathryn C. Liss

Secretary Trisha Rich Treasurer Nina Fain

Immediate Past President Timothy S. Tomasik

Executive Director Beth McMeen

I am beyond thrilled to lead the CBA into our 150th year and to serve as our association’s first openly gay president. Over these 150 years, the CBA has worked tirelessly to make sure our leadership has been representative and inclusive of the attorneys and communities we serve. This year, we will focus on inclusion. Let me share with you what inclusion means to me. As a first-generation college and law school graduate, the son of a single mom from blue-collar Michigan, it’s pretty unlikely that I’d be the one writing this article as President of the CBA. I am here thanks to more senior and influential attorneys who practiced inclusion. These attorneys, all of whom were CBA members, included me in meet ings with existing clients, referral sources, potential clients, civic and bar leaders – you name it. They did not just hire me to make a more diverse workforce, they took the next step and invited me to a seat at the table. They included me, as the musical Hamilton made famous, in the “room where it happens.”

BOARD OF MANAGERS Louis G. Apostol Tracy Brammeier Margaret Mendenhall Casey Naderh Elrabadi Anthony F. Fata Josie Gough Cynthia S. Grandfield Brian Haussmann Justice Margaret Stanton McBride Peter McNamara John Mitchell Jeffrey Moskowitz Judge Mary Rowland

Eirene N. Salvi Brendon Stark Kevin Thompson

Judge Allen P. Walker Matthew P. Walsh II

6 July/August 2023