CBA Record November-December 2024

YLS Women in Law Committee: Supporting Women Attorneys By Allyson C. Cox

T he YLS Women in Law Commit tee serves to support and empower young women in law school and the legal profession through both practical CLE programming with knowledgeable speakers and by creating spaces to connect with one another as we all find our foot ing and our voices in the profession. Past programming has included examining the impact of the United State Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization across vari ous practice areas and a communication workshop taught by a local body language

expert. The committee also hosts a quar terly “Truth Sessions, where members and friends come together to share their stories and advice over wine and light bites. This popular event will continue into the new bar year, with the first event taking place in October. This bar year, the committee plans to host a variety of CLE programming, such as: a Women in Sports panel featuring women whose careers intersect with the sports industry (e.g., general counsel for sports teams, sports/entertainment law, and/or agents); a post-election discus

sion on how the incoming administration plans to effect change and operate in our post-Dobbs landscape; a first-generation lawyer’s guide to finding good mentors; and a self-advocacy bootcamp to develop skills including negotiating employment offers, asking for a raise or time off, and seeking greater responsibility. Allyson C. Cox is a Vice-Chair of the Women in Law Committee and an associate at Smith LaCien LLP, practicing plaintiff-side civil litigation involving injury and wrongful death.

YLS Civil Rights Committee: Championing Justice, Empowering Voices By Patrick Driscoll T he YLS Civil Rights Commit tee offers advocates a platform to deepen their knowledge on press

that this year’s CLEs will cover are how new legislation is impacting civil rights in the employment law space and the recur ring ethical dilemmas practitioners face in wrongful conviction cases. All CLE ses sions are free for committee members. In addition to education, our commit tee is committed to fostering meaningful relationships between members and expe rienced civil rights professionals through networking and social events. By joining,

you will not only gain valuable insights but also become part of a community of advocates making a difference. We are excited to embark on the 2024-2025 bar year and welcome the opportunity to work with the next generation of Chica go’s changemakers. Patrick Driscoll is the Co-Chair of the YLS Civil Rights Committee and an associate attorney at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, where his practice focuses on wrongful convictions and civil rights.

ing civil rights issues across various fields of law. Our committee values the inter sectionality of civil rights and invites all with a passion for justice to join. We are dedicated to addressing a broad spectrum of civil rights topics through Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and leg islative initiatives. Some of the key topics

CBA members can join the above committees at no additional cost at www.chicagobar.org. Committee members receive email notice of upcoming meetings and events. If you have specific questions about how committees work or want to get more involved, email YLS Director Emily Anderson at eanderson@chicagobar.org.

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