CBA Record May-June 2023

2023 Vanguard Awards Recognize Trailblazers in the Legal Community By Ann Glynn, CBA Public Affairs Director

T he Chicago Bar Association, along with many other local bar asso ciations, annually presents the Vanguard Awards to honor changemak ers who are leading the way to promote strength, professionalism, and diversity across the legal community. This year’s awards ceremony was held in-person at the Union League Club of Chicago and recognized those who have championed making the law and the legal profession more accessible to and reflective of the community at large. “This year’s Vanguard Award winners have driven change in our legal commu nity through their dedication and tire less work to improve our profession. The CBA is proud to recognize Judge Nichole C. Patton along with all the distinguished award recipients for their service to our community and our profession,” said CBA President Timothy Tomasik. Distinguished award recipients included Steven M. Elrod, Decalogue Society of Lawyers; Judge Ramón M. Escapa (post humously), Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois; Alexander Z. Fiedotjew (post humously), Advocates Society; Sandra A. Frantzen, Arab American Bar Association of Illinois; Judge Jasmine V. Hernandez,

Patton, The Chicago Bar Association. Video from the awards ceremony can be found on the CBA’s YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/chicagobar. The CBA’s honoree is Judge Nichole Patton, a Circuit Court Judge of Cook County in the County Division. Before becoming a judge, she was an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Special Prosecu tions Bureau. Earlier in her legal career, she was the owner of The Law Offices of Nichole C. Patton. Judge Patton is the Co Chair of the CBA’s 150th Anniversary Cel ebration. Her past service with the CBA includes serving as a member of the Board of Managers. She is also a board member of The Chicago Bar Foundation, where she is committed to developing solutions to the access to justice issues. Judge Patton is a member of the Board of Directors for the Lawyers Club of Chicago and the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. She also serves as a board member for Respond Now, a nonprofit organization that provides emer gency funds to south suburban Chicago land low-income residents for mortgage, rental, and utility assistance. In addition, she is an adjunct faculty member at the UIC School of Law.

Judge Nichole Patton

Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago; Marisel Hernandez, HLAI – Serving the Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois; Nathalina A. Hudson, Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc.; Rachel Huan Kao, Chinese Ameri can Bar Association; Judge Freddrenna M. Lyle, Cook County Bar Association; Samera Syeda Ludwig, Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago; Judge Mary Cay Marubio, LAGBAC, Chica go’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association; Dina M. Ninfo, Women’s Bar Association of Illi nois; Binal J. Patel, South Asian Bar Asso ciation of Chicago; and Judge Nichole C.

A Wholehearted Approach to Attorney Wellness May 19, 2023 | 12:00-1:00 p.m. 1 IL Mental Health PR–MCLE Credit $0 Member/$65 Nonmember | Register at learn.chicagobar.org Attorney and anti-diet mindset & behavior change coach, Nicole Wilmet-Hughes, will join us to explain how overwhelmed attorneys can start to take a "wholehearted" approach to wellness by caring for six key areas related to overall health. Nicole will provide an in-depth discussion on why physical and mental health are important to attorney wellness and give practical sug gestions participants can use to begin caring for those areas immediately.

12 May/June 2023