CBA Record July-August 2025

CBA NEWS

CBA Welcomes 2025-2026 Bar Year at Annual Meeting By Ann Glynn, CBA Public Affairs Director

The event featured opening remarks from Sciaccotta, recognition for outgoing officers and board members, reports from the CBA Treasurer and Election Commit tee, and introductions of new officers and board members. Judge Patton shared that her presi dency will focus on three core pillars: innovation, inclusion, and integrity. Acknowledging the critical importance of artificial intelligence for the bench and the bar, she announced a signature initia tive, “AI 2035: The legal Profession and the Judiciary in the Age of Artificial Intel ligence.” The initiative’s committees will examine AI’s impact on billing practices, access to justice, judicial reasoning, cor porate client demands, and more. Members of the 2025-2026 Board of Managers were also introduced. They include Daniel J. Berkowitz, James V. Campbell, Elizabeth Carpenter, Steven R. Decker, Nishá N. Dotson, John C. Ellis, Kevin Gerow, Martin D. Gould, Noah J. Graf, Judge Kenya A. Jenkins-Wright, Michael Kozlowski, Francine D. Lynch, Sari W. Montgomery, Judge Thomas A. Morrissey, Ryan M. Nolan, Brandon E. Peck, Justice Rena Marie Van Tine, and Judge Andrea R. Wood. Before her closing remarks, Judge Patton honored Sciaccotta with the CBA Rule of Law Recognition Award in honor of his exceptional commitment to the rule of law and his dedication to uphold ing and safeguarding values such as equal ity under the law, transparency of law, an independent judiciary, and accessible legal remedies.

O utgoing 2024-2025 President John C. Sciaccotta passed the gavel of leadership to the CBA’s new President, Judge Nichole C. Patton, at the 152nd annual meeting in June at the Union Club of Chicago. The meeting highlighted the past year’s accomplishments, welcomed a new group of officers, and looked ahead to the new bar year. A new slate of officers joined Judge Patton, including First Vice President Trisha M. Rich, Partner, Holland & Knight; Second Vice President Kathryn C. Liss, Executive Director, Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center, DePaul University College of Law; Secretary Andrew W. Vail, Jenner & Block; and Treasurer Jonathan Amarilio, Partner, Taft Stettinius & Hollister. Illinois Supreme Justice Joy V. Cunningham administers the oath of office to 2025-2026 CBA President Judge Nichole C. Patton.

NEED MCLE CREDIT THIS SUMMER? Check out the CBA’s vast on demand catalog of legal, professional responsibility, and law practice management and technology CLE’s at Learn.ChicagoBar.org. Over 300 hours of education!

8 July/August 2025