CBA Record July-August 2024

John with Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, 2020-201 CBA President Judge Maryam Ahmad, and Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

John with 2017-18 CBA President Judge Thomas Mulroy and 2022 23 CBA President Timothy Tomasik.

presidents under whom he served. He is also thankful to those — including many CBA past presidents — who nominated him for his CBA leadership positions, including Judge Ahmad, Laurel Bellows, Bob Clifford, Kevin Durkin, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, Justice Michael B. Hyman, and Timothy Tomasik. 2024-2025: “Leaving a Legacy” The theme of Sciaccotta’s presidency is “Leaving a Legacy for Our Profession,” and he has big plans to achieve that goal. He is instituting a national symposium on leadership, negotiations, and ADR; a national trial advocacy institute; a gun violence symposium featuring high pro file national lawyers and law enforcement professionals; a much needed health and wellness program for lawyers and judges; and the “CBA Awards Ceremony,” much like the Oscars, a membership awards ceremony to be held in May 2025 to rec ognize CBA members for their extraordi nary efforts during the bar year. As a Board Member and pro bono counsel of WINGS, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence (https://wingsprogram.com), Sciaccotta also intends to initiate a national institute and symposium on domestic violence to create greater awareness of the issue among CBA members to help victims towards safety, security, and independence. Sciaccotta looks forward to honor ing his ethnic heritage by bringing CBA members to his native Italy on his CLE

trip abroad in April 2025. The trip will visit Sicily, Italy, spending time in Pal ermo and Taormina. His focus on legacy is one of the rea sons Sciaccotta thinks it’s so important to form the Museum of Legal History in Chicago, the first of its kind, to capture the unique people, events and artifacts that make Chicago a great legal town. As the CBA marks its 150th year, he is deter mined to increase membership, benefits, and value for every CBA member. “My favorite thing about the CBA is the people I have met, some of whom are my dearest friends,” Sciaccotta said. “I always say that if you join the CBA, it will enhance your career, enrich your life, and benefit our legal profession. Being involved has made me a better lawyer. Being the first in my family to study law, I didn’t have a family member to mentor me. I started at ground zero. My men tors in the profession were keys to my career, and I met them all at the CBA. They taught me to always make friends and establish relationships. That’s why I encourage all young lawyers, and espe cially first-generation lawyers, to join the CBA and become involved. You will not regret it. Everyone is always welcome.”

John with Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham at the Illinois Supreme Court Candidate Debate.

presidency, including serving on the CBA Board of Managers during the Presiden cies of Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Mulroy and Steven Elrod and as CBA Treasurer during the pandemic under CBA Presidents Cook County Cir cuit Court Judge Maryam Ahmad and E. Lynn Grayson. Reflecting on the pandemic, Sciaccotta says, “It was quite an ordeal not knowing what to expect each and every single day during the pandemic, with the added pres sure of being CBA Treasurer, but Judge Ahmad and Lynn along with Terry Murphy, Beth McMeen, and the entire CBA staff did an incredible job of transforming our association, essentially overnight, to a vir tual platform without a hitch.” Sciaccotta is grateful for having learned a great deal during the many years lead ing up to the presidency from the past

Pamela Sakowicz Menaker is a Communications Partner at Clifford Law Offices and CBA Record Editorial Board Member.

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