CBA Record November-December 2021

CBANEWS CBA Honors the Legal Profession’s Finest at 2021 Annual Justice John Paul Stevens Awards By Ann Glynn, CBA Public Affairs Director T he Chicago Bar Association and The Chicago Bar Foundation honored five attorneys who have demonstrated

analysis and drafting, intergovernmental agreements, procurement, ethics, Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act, real estate, employment matters, and public finance. She has advised public agencies on regulations and policies to promote business opportunities for minorities and women and equal employment opportunities for minor- ity and female journey workers, apprentices and laborers, and Chicago residents. She is the current President of the Cook County Bar Association Foundation. Previous positions include serving as a member of the Board of Managers for the CBA, Presi- dent of the Cook County Bar Association, and member of the Board of Directors of the National Bar Association. Fredd is a member of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, the National Association of Board Lawyers, and the National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division. She is a part of the Circuit Court of Cook County Elder Law Task Force.

Karina Ayala-Bermejo is the President &CEO of Instituto del Pro- greso Latino. She began her career as a hearing officer for the Chicago Board of Education and advanced to the

the highest commitment to integrity and public service at the 2021 Annual John Paul Stevens Awards. The awards ceremony —virtual in 2021—was created to honor the legendary Supreme Court Justice and native Chicagoan John Paul Stevens. This year’s recipients are Karina Ayala- Bermejo, President and CEO, Instituto del Progreso; Anne L. Fredd, Senior Attorney, Neal & Foley, LLC; Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; James E. Snyder, Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County; and Lawrence J. Suffredin, Jr., Of Counsel, Taft, Stettinius & Hollister and Cook County Board Commissioner, 13th District. Established in 2000, the Stevens Award recognizes lawyers and judges who best exemplify Justice Stevens’ legacy of pro bono and public service in his career, as well as his commitment to ensuring our justice system is fair and accessible for everyone in the community. Stevens retired from the High Court in 2010 after 35 years of distinguished service and passed away in 2019. “The CBA and the CBF are proud to honor this distinguished group of attor- neys and jurists with the John Paul Stevens Award,” said CBA President E. Lynn Grayson. “These extraordinary honorees exemplify the highest personal integrity and devotion to public service while making tremendous contributions to our profession, just as Justice Stevens did.” Here are the profiles of the 2021 John Paul Stevens Awards Honorees:

highest HR executive position for the city of Chicago, where she worked for three years. She spent seven years as the Direc- tor of Community Services for the CBA and collaborated with the bar and various divisions of the Circuit Court of Cook County on initiatives to improve the justice system. She previously served as General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Metropolitan Family Services (MFS), one of the oldest non-profits in Illinois. As GC she was responsible for all legal matters for MFS. Other positions at MFS included Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society and Vice President of Human Resources. As an immigrant child, Ayala-Bermejo holds the Instituto del Progreso Latino mission close to her heart. She believes in contributing to the fullest development of Latino Immi- grants and their families through education, training, and employment that fosters full participation in the changing U.S. Society while preserving cultural identity and dignity.

Rebecca R. Pallmeyer was sworn in as Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in July 2019, the first woman to

serve in that role in the Court’s 200-year history. She serves as the Seventh Circuit’s District Judge Representative to the United States Judicial Conference and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Con- ference. She is an honorary fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and a fellow of the American Bar Founda- tion. Pallmeyer served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Illinois Human Rights

Anne L. Fredd i s senior at torney at Neal & Foley, LLC the nat ion’s oldest continuously operat- ing African American owned law firm. She

has an extensive background in munici- pal law including governance, legislative

8 November/December 2021