CBA Record March-April 2024

After a distinguished military career, Cooper served as an urban combat instructor at Quantico and a police offi cer with Washington D.C.’s Metropoli tan Police Department before joining the legal profession. Primarily practicing in federal courts in Illinois and Indiana, he also serves as a judge pro tem in Lake County Superior Court (Indiana) on an as needed basis. He holds leadership posi tions with the Seventh Circuit’s Advisory Committee as well as the James C. Kim brough Bar Association in northern Indi ana. He shared that as a child he never imagined he would be in his current posi tion; his own professional and personal journey taught him the importance of respecting people from all walks of life. Erika N.L. Harold is Executive Direc tor of the Illinois Supreme Court Com mission on Professionalism. She leads the Commission’s extensive educational programming focused on advancing professionalism among the state’s law yers and judges to increase confidence in the justice system. Harold brings to the position a wealth of experience from the private sector, where she litigated com mercial disputes and advised religious institutions on First Amendment issues. Committed to educating people about the legal system, Harold serves on the boards of several organizations includ ing the Illinois Supreme Court Commit tee on Equality, Prison Fellowship, and Champaign County CASA. She is also on the Steering Committee of Illinois LAW Pathways. Harold urged attendees to never “compromise on the question of equality... and to never be satisfied with the status quo as we pursue justice and equality.” Harold gave special thanks to her parents, who are her role models of lives rooted in service and integrity. Nathalina A. Hudson, after some

time in private practice, joined the public sector and never looked back. Now Chief of Staff for the Attorney General’s Office, Hudson has served in every facet of gov ernment. At the local level she was an assistant corporation counsel with the City of Chicago and later Deputy Attor ney General for the Criminal Enforce ment Division of the AG’s Office. At the federal level, she served as an Assistant United State’s Attorney in the Financial Crimes Division in the Northern District of Illinois. No matter what Hudson’s role, she always strives to break barriers and advocates for equality. Her commitment to fairness, equality, and service to others extends beyond the courtroom, including by serving on the Northern District of Illinois’ James B. Moran Re-entry Court Team assisting ex-offenders to become productive members of the community. She has also served as president of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago. The “drumbeat of fair ness and equality runs through [Hud son’s] veins,” and she accepted her award “on behalf of those servant leaders who have gone before and come behind her.” Byron Taylor is co-leader of Sidley Austin LLP’s Environmental Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Execu tive Committee. His storied career in the private sector centers around civil litiga tion, crises response, compliance coun seling, and environmental aspects of transactions. In addition to his work on complex Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act matters, Taylor makes time to advo cate for diversity and inclusion both in and out of the office. Among other leader ship roles, he serves as co-chair of Sidley’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and participates in the firm’s mentoring program. He is past President, and cur rently serves on the board, of Hephzibah

Children’s Foundation and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Taylor’s focus on development and mentorship is indicative of how he views his own success, which he attributes in part to his own mentors. Taylor hailed Dickerson as a pioneer and a dedicated individual who strove to move the ball forward. Taylor builds upon Dick erson’s legacy as he works to provide the same support and guidance he received to the next generation. Justice Carl Walker did not know anyone in the legal profession as a child; he simply knew he wanted to help others. His passion for providing aid morphed into a busy legal practice that included both criminal and civil litigation. As a judge, Walker has presided over domes tic violence, criminal misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, evictions, juvenile, and law division matters. In June 2018, the Illinois Supreme Court elevated him to the Illinois Appellate Court. Still committed to helping others, Walker is active in his community. His numerous leadership positions include serving as vice chairperson of the local school council, past President of the Illi nois Judicial Council, mentor in several youth programs, sharing his knowledge and experience on the faculty of the Illinois Judicial College, and speaking engagements. Walker commented that he remains humble because, as his mother always reminded him, “Be careful how you treat others, because you never know what road you will walk down.” Walker also stressed the importance, and power, of remaining optimistic no matter what adversity one may face.

View highlights from the luncheon on the CBA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube. com/chicagobar .

LAW DEGREES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE April 24, 2024 | 12:00-1:00 p.m. | 1 IL MCLE | Members Free | Register at Learn.ChicagoBar.org Many of us went to law school to make a difference, to help people, or to affect change. Hear from experienced lawyers doing just that with their degrees... all of whom continue to embrace professional possibilities, having changed roles within the last year themselves.

CBA RECORD 11