CBA Record July-August 2025

2025 Vanguard Awards Recognize Trailblazers in the Legal Community By Ann Glynn, CBA Public Affairs Director

of Chicago; Howard H. Ankin, Decalogue Society of Lawyers; Judge Aileen Bhan dari, Filipino American Lawyers Associa tion; Chief Judge Jacqueline P. Cox, Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc.; Judge Thomas More Don nelly, Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago; Hilda Frontany, Puerto Rican Bar Asso ciation; Thomas G. Massouras, Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois; Leena Odeh, Muslim Bar Association of Chicago; Judge Linda J. Pauel, LAGBAC – Chica go’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association; L. Steven Rakowski, Advocates Society; Judge Mary Colleen Roberts (ret.), Women’s Bar Association of Illinois; Larry Rogers, Jr., Cook County Bar Association; Frank A. Sommario, Justinian Society of Lawyers; Homero Tristan, Hispanic Lawyers Asso ciation of Illinois; Alan K. Tse, Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chi cago; Nura Yanaki, Arab American Bar Association of Illinois; and Theodore Yi, Asian American Bar Association. The CBA’s honoree, Ray J. Koenig III, is a member of Clark Hill’s Litiga tion and Tax & Estate Planning group. He also serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Global Litigation Practice, as Co-Chair of the firm’s PRIDE Committee, and as an elected member of the firm’s Executive Committee. A frequent author and lecturer, Koenig is an active member and past member of many legal and social service orga nizations, including the City of Chi cago Commission on Human Relations, Equality Illinois PAC, the Lambda Legal Education and Defense Fund, and the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a member of the Board of Directors at the Illinois Institute for Con tinuing Legal Education.

Pictured from left, front row: Alan K. Tse, Nura Yanaki, Frank A. Sommario, Judge Aileen Bhandari, Hilda Frontany, Leena Odeh, and Chief Judge Jacqueline P. Cox. Middle row: Dominique H. Rogers (accepting for his father, Larry R. Rogers, Jr.); Howard H. Ankin; Amrith Kaur Aakre; Ray J. Koenig III; Judge Mary Colleen Roberts (ret.); Thomas G. Massouras; Judge Linda J. Pauel; and Judge Thomas More Donnelly. Top row: L. Steven Rakowski, Homero Tristan, Theodore Yi, and CBA President John C. Sciaccotta.

T he CBA, along with 17 other local bar associations, presents the Van guard Awards annually to honor changemakers who are leading the way to promote professionalism and diversity across the legal community. This year’s ceremony was held at the Union League Club of Chicago. “The CBA is immensely proud to rec

ognize 2023-2024 CBA President Ray J. Koenig III, a staunch advocate for inclu sion in the legal profession, along with all the distinguished award recipients lead ing change in our community and our profession,” said CBA President John C. Sciaccotta. Other recipients included: Amrith Kaur Aakre, South Asian Bar Association

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10 July/August 2025