2024 LAGBAC x AIJ x WBAI Drag Brunch
2024-06-01 12:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | LIPS Chicago, 2229 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
Please join LAGBAC, AIJ, and WBAI to start Pride Month off right! Together, let’s support our local performers for Drag Brunch at LIPS Chicago! Dress to impress in your Pride best! Food and all you can drink included! Space is limited, so get your tickets here TODAY!

Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 12:00 PM
LIPS Chicago
2229 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60616
$55 LAGBAC, AIJ, WBAI Members
$65 Non-Members

IPLAC and LAGBAC 3rd Annual Pride Mingle
2024-06-24 18:00 - 20:00 | One North Kitchen & Bar, 1 N Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Come celebrate Pride Month with LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and IPLAC – Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago Pride Mingle on Monday, June 24, 2024 from 6:00- 8:00 P.M. All registration costs and any donations will be donated to the Center on Halsted.
Register here! See you there!

Supporting Trans Youth CLE
2024-06-25 12:00 | Virtual Zoom Event
LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association
Invite you to “Supporting Trans Youth In Court and In the Streets”, a CLE focusing on what you can do to better advocate for trans youth both in and out of court.
When: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Time: 12:00 P.M.
Cost: FREE
Register here. You will receive a link after registration. Please put your ARDC Number in the order notes if you want to receive CLE credit for this event.

LAGBAC Pride Parade Judicial Reception
2024-06-30 09:30 - 11:30 | Big Gay Sal’s Pizza, 3445 N. Halsted St., Chicago, 60657, United States
LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association
Invites you to the Pride Parade Judicial Reception for Chicago’s 53rd Annual Pride Parade

Sunday, June 30, 2024
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Big Gay Sal’s Pizza
3445 N. Halsted

Join us for great views, food and beverages!

Judiciary – Complimentary
One Guest of Judge – $35 (Only ONE Guest per Judge)
LAGBAC Member – $45
Non-Member – $75
Get your tickets ASAP as SPACE IS LIMITED!

Presenting Sponsors:
Hoffenberg & Block, LLC

Alliance of Illinois Judges (AIJ)

Ally Sponsors:
Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck LLP

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP

Market Days Brunch 2024
2024-08-10 11:00 - 13:00 | Lark, 3441 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
You are invited to LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association

Market Days Brunch

WHEN: Saturday, August 10, 2024
WHERE: Lark | 3441 N. Halsted St.
TIME: 11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
COST: $40 Members | $60 Non-Members

Get your tickets here TODAY as SPACE IS LIMITED! See you there!

Lawyers for Diversity Celebration 2024
2024-09-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
You are cordially invited to the
Lawyers for Diversity Celebration

When: Thursday, September 19, 2024
Time: 6 – 9 PM
Where: Sidetrack
Members: FREE
Non-Members: $45

Get your tickets HERE!

***** Please visit here to donate to the LAGBAC Foundation *****

If you or your firm are interested in sponsoring Lawyers for Diversity, please contact Nick Furtwengler. Lawyers for Diversity’s sponsorship levels are as follows:

PRESENTING: One, exclusive sponsor that contributes $7,000 may invite an unlimited number of guests, offer remarks at the event, include prominent signage at the event, and is recognized as the Presenting Sponsor at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

PLATINUM: Sponsors that contribute $5,000 may invite an unlimited number of guests, include an advertisement in the program, and are recognized as Platinum Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

DIAMOND: Sponsors that contribute $3,500 may invite six guests and are recognized as Diamond Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

GOLD: Sponsors that contribute $2,000 may invite three guests and are recognized as Gold Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.
ALLY: Individuals and sponsors with 10 employees or fewer that contribute $500 may invite one guest and are recognized as Ally Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

Meet the Bar - September 27, 2024
2024-09-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Come out and enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members and LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s first “Meet the Bar” of the season on Friday, September 27, 2024, from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.
This “Meet the Bar” is sponsored by the MCS Group.

Meet the Bar - October 25, 2024
2024-10-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Come out and enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members and LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” on Friday, October 25, 2024, from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.
This “Meet the Bar” is sponsored by Clark Hill.

2024 Medical Legal Mixer
2024-12-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Utopian Tailgate, 1608 N. Wells, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
The 2024 Medical Legal Mixer will be at Utopian Tailgate located at 1608 N. Wells on Thursday, December 19, 2024, from 6:00 – 9:00 P.M. This is a NEW LOCATION for the event this year! Tickets are $55.00 for LAGBAC Members and $60.00 for Guests. Tickets include a 2-hour hosted bar and light refreshments. There is a cap on ticket sales. Tickets are likely to sell out and WILL NOT be available for purchase at the door. Be sure to purchase your tickets while tickets are available online.

This event is in support of The Night Ministry‘s “The Crib”, an emergency shelter focusing on LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. Donations are accepted at this event. Please consider donating some of the following toiletries/necessities:
Toothbrushes/toothpaste
Deodorant
Hand cream/hand warmers
Stretchy gloves
Flannel lounge/PJ Pants
Small packs of tissue/bandages
Lip balm
Adult thermal socks/long underwear
Deck of cards
Travel sized toiletries
Gift cards for Amazon, Target, Dunkin’, CTA Passes, Starbucks, Subway, etc.
Monetary donations are also accepted and can be donated here.
Thank you to our sponsors!

Meet the Bar - January 31, 2025
2025-01-31 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members, LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s first “Meet the Bar” of the season on Friday, January 31, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.

Artist Conversation: Ingrid Pollard
2025-02-13 18:00 - 19:00 | The Art Institutie of Chicago, 111. S. Michigan Ave., Chicaog, IL, 60603, United States
LAGBAC, Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the LGBTQ Section of the Cook County Bar Association (CCBA) cordially invite you to visit the Art Institute of Chicago for “Artist Conversation: Ingrid Pollard”. This conversation features Ingrid Pollard, a renowned artist, alongside scholar, Hazel V. Carby. They will discuss Pollard’s work displayed in the exhibitions.
Ingrid Pollard was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1953. She completed a BA in film and video at the London College of Printing, an MA in photographic studies at Derby University, and a PhD at the University of Westminster.
Pollard is a photographer, media artist, and researcher with a social practice centered on issues of representation and history within the British landscape, particularly focusing on race, gender, and the concept of other. Her work is often based on lengthy research into archives and environments, and her photo-based practice interrogates the hidden and explicit ideologies that underpin our popular visual cultures, aesthetic regimes, and art histories.
Pollard lives and works in Northumberland.

Hazel V. Carby is the Charles C. and Dorothea S. Dilley Professor Emeritus at Yale University. She is a pioneer in the fields of black feminism and a leading scholar in black diasporic literature and culture. Her book Imperial Intimacies: A Tale of Two Islands (2019) won the British Academy’s Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding and was named a “Book of the Year” by the Times Literary Supplement. She is also the author of influential works such as Reconstructing Womanhood (1987) and Race Men (1998).

WHEN: Thursday, February 13, 2025
TIME: 6:00 – 7:00 PM
WHERE: The Art Institute of Chicago | Fullerton Hall
Chicago Residents – FREE*

*If you are not a Chicago resident, the museum entry fee is required.

Queer Black History Month Legal Mixer
2025-02-18 17:00 - 20:00 | Nobody’s Darling, 1744 W Balmoral Ave., Chicago, 60640, United States
Enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC, AIJ and CCBA for our
1st Queer Black History Month Legal Mixer
at Nobody’s Darling, a Black LGBTQ+ owned establishment.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

WHEN: Tuesday, February 18, 2025
TIME: 5:00 – 8:00 PM
WHERE: Nobody’s Darling

Active LAGBAC/AIJ/CCBA Members: FREE
Non-Members: $25.00
CASH BAR & LIGHT APPETIZERS
Reserve/Purchase Tickets Here

Interested in sponsoring? Please email info@lagbac.org.

Meet the Bar - February 28, 2025
2025-02-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Come out and enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members, LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” on Friday, February 28, 2025, from 6-8 PM at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.
This “Meet the Bar” is sponsored by Michael Best.

AIJ Ally Appreciation Night
2025-03-12 17:30 - 19:30 | Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, 151 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Get your tickets here!

Women+ Sunday Social
2025-03-23 13:30 - 16:30 | Whiskey Girl Tavern, 6318 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60660, United States
LAGBAC invites you to our Women+ Sunday Social at Whiskey Girl Tavern on Sunday, March 23, 2025 from 1:30 – 4:30 P.M.
Active LAGBAC members are FREE and non-members are $25. Your membership must be active to attend this event for free. If your membership is inactive, you can renew here or click on “Join LAGBAC” below.
Please RSVP as space is limited.

Meet the Bar – March 28, 2025
2025-03-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Come out and enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members, LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 6-8 PM at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.

Meet the Bar - April 25, 2025
2025-04-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members, LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at “Meet the Bar” on Friday, April 25, 2025 from 6-8 PM at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.
This “Meet the Bar” is sponsored by Saul Ewing LLP.

Hollywood Beach Clean Up - May 3, 2025
2025-05-03 11:00 | Hollywood Beach, Bryn Mawr & DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60660, United States
Join LAGBAC at the bike racks at Bryn Mawr & DuSable Lake Shore Drive as we help clean up and get the beach ready for the summer!
Please RSVP here so we can share any updates before the event. If you have work gloves, please bring them along!
Let’s make a difference together! We hope to see you there!

Meet the Bench Panel
2025-05-13 18:00 - 19:00 | Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL, 60602, United States
LAGBAC’s Mentorship Committee invites you to join us for our “Meet the Bench” Panel on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the Daley Center from 6:00 – 7:00 P.M. This is your opportunity to meet Illinois judges at the Circuit Court level. The judges have graciously agreed to provide their perspectives of life on the bench and answer all our questions.
All active LAGBAC members, student members and judges are welcome to attend for FREE. Non-Members are also welcome to attend for $25. You must RSVP here to secure your spot.
We will adjourn to a local establishment for a social hour afterwards.

Honorable Cecilia Horan
Chancery Division
Cook County

Honorable Matthew Jannusch
Domestic Relations Division
Cook County

Honorable Jill Rose Quinn
Domestic Relations Division
Cook County

Honorable Mariano Reyna
Criminal Division
Cook County

Meet the Bar - May 30, 2025
2025-05-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members and LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at “Meet the Bar” on Friday, May 30, 2025, from 6-8 PM at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC and HLAI members are FREE. Non-members are $25. Register here. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.
This “Meet the Bar” is sponsored by the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois (HLAI)

LAGBAC and IPLAC Annual Pride Mixer
2025-06-11 17:30 - 20:00 | One North Kitchen & Bar, 1 N Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Come celebrate Pride Month with LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago – IPLAC Pride Mixer!

WHEN: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
TIME: 5:30 – 8:00 P.M.
LOCATION: One North Kitchen & Bar

Register here! See you there!

LGBTQ+ Current State of Affairs | Pride Month CLE
2025-06-18 17:00 | Bernstein Chicago, 227 W. Monroe St. - Ste. 5900, Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
LGBTQ+ Current State of Affairs
🌈 Pride Month CLE 🌈

Join us for an engaging and timely Continuing Legal Education (CLE) event in honor of Pride Month, featuring distinguished speakers, legal experts, and activists discussing the current state of LGBTQ+ rights and issues. This CLE is FREE for active members of LAGBAC, the Alliance of Illinois Judges (AIJ), the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and the Cook County Bar Association (CCBA). Non-Members are $35.00. Reserve or purchase your tickets here.
*****
To receive CLE credit for this event, please enter your ARDC number in the “Order Notes” section at checkout.
*****
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 5:00 P.M.
Location:
Bernstein Chicago227 West Monroe Street, Suite 5900Chicago, IL 60606

Special Guest

Precious Brady-DavisMWRD Commissioner & LGBTQ+ Rights Activist

Precious Brady-Davis (she/her) was appointed to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago by Governor JB Pritzker in July, 2023 and was elected as Commissioner in 2024. She is the first Black openly trans woman appointed and elected to public office in Cook County history and the first to serve on a water reclamation district in the US.
Commissioner Brady-Davis is a lifelong social justice advocate, communications professional, environmentalist, author of the memoir “I Have Always Been Me” and cares passionately about reaching the marginalized through her extensive career in nonprofit management and public speaking.
For the past six years she has served as the Associate Regional Communications Director at Sierra Club leading campaigns that champion renewable energy, hold corporate polluters accountable, and fight climate change. She counts fighting to protect the water supply in Oklahoma from pollutants; Minneapolis committing to transitioning to run on 100% renewable energy by the end of 2023; along with holding former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt accountable during the Trump years as solid victories for the environment under her leadership.
She started her professional career serving as the Youth Outreach Coordinator at the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ community resource center, the Center on Halsted, where she coordinated youth programming surrounding HIV prevention, transgender advocacy, and LGBT leadership development. Under Commissioner Brady-Davis’ tenure she launched a $1.6 million CDC grant which provided outreach, education, and testing services to over 3,000 African American and Latino gay, bi, and trans youth across Chicagoland between the ages of 13 and 29.
Commissioner Brady-Davis also previously served as the Assistant Director of Diversity Recruitment Initiatives at Columbia College Chicago, where she implemented the campus-wide diversity initiative and provided leadership and oversight on national diversity recruitment and strategic policy initiatives.
Commissioner Brady-Davis believes strongly in protecting the primary source of drinking water, Lake Michigan, and is invested in advancing green infrastructure to improve community resilience and prevent flooding across Cook County.
A Nebraska native of multiracial background, Commissioner Brady-Davis graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and resides in Hyde Park with her husband Myles where they are raising their two daughters Zayn and Zyon.

Panelists

Doug CurtisRegional Director, Lambda Legal

Douglas F. Curtis (he/his) is an accomplished attorney and civil rights leader with over three decades of experience in high-stakes litigation, corporate governance, and legal strategy. He currently serves as the Midwest Regional Director for Lambda Legal, where he oversees operations and development in the region for the nation’s leading legal organization advocating for the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV.
Previously, Doug held senior roles in both law firms and global corporations, including serving as partner at the law firms Arnold & Porter in Chicago and WilmerHale in New York. His legal career spans numerous trials across industries such as finance, media, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications. Among his notable pro bono representations, Doug represented six Guantanamo detainees in the landmark case Boumediene v. Bush.
Doug also brings a wealth of in-house legal leadership from his time at Reuters, where he served as Global Head of Ethics and Compliance and Regional General Counsel for Continental Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he was an editor and treasurer of the Harvard Law Review, Doug is fluent in French and actively engaged in nonprofit governance, serving in board leadership roles at organizations including the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and the New York-based theater company Elevator Repair Service.

Greg FosheimPartner & Advocate for Healthcare & Gender-Affirming Care, McDermott Will & Emery

Greg Fosheim (he/his) is a partner in the healthcare practice of the law firm McDermott Will & Emery LLP and co-chairs the firm’s LGBTQ+ Diversity Subcommittee. Greg’s legal practice includes a wide array of corporate, transactional and regulatory compliance matters across the healthcare and life sciences industry with a particular focus on clinical and diagnostic laboratory matters and compliance with federal and state healthcare nondiscrimination laws.
Greg also advises on quality, access and patient empowerment in the provision of equitable healthcare services, with a particular focus on helping covered entities comply with the nondiscrimination provisions of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. He has also counseled numerous clients on options for providing gender affirming care across state lines through telemedicine modalities, and he has counseled dozens of hospitals and health systems on the legal implications of President Trump’s executive orders seeking to restrict gender affirming care services for individuals under age 19.
Greg maintains a robust pro bono practice focusing on the LGBTQ+ community, where he has represented tenants wrongfully evicted due to HIV status; and advised LGBTQ+-focused clinics on regulatory compliance and reimbursement; negotiated strategic transactions involving LGBTQ+ community centers; and he has prepared amicus briefs to the Supreme Court in the matters of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (same-sex couple adoption) and United States v. Skrmetti (gender-affirming care). Greg is a passionate supporter of LGBTQ+ legal and healthcare-related organizations, volunteering and serving on boards for numerous organizations, and he is an equally passionate Chicago runner, where he can often be found running along Lake Michigan.

Jennifer LeviSenior Director of Transgender & Queer Rights, GLAD Law

Jennifer L. Levi (they/them) is the Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights and a nationally recognized expert on transgender legal issues. Jennifer is actively in the fight against President Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders. In two lawsuits, Talbott v. USA and Ireland v. Hegseth, they are litigating a ban on transgender people joining or serving in the military in his second presidency. Jennifer is also co-counsel in three lawsuits challenging an executive order that attempted to force transgender women in prison to be housed in men’s facilities. They led the legal fight against the first Trump Administration’s military ban in both Doe v. Trump and Stockman v. Trump.
Jennifer’s role is that of architect and advocate for state legislative and policy reform. Their work also involves challenging new legal issues or interpretations brought before the court. Jennifer has represented clients in cases challenging improper denials of medical care as well as improper placement of transgender people in prisons and jails. Other precedent-setting transgender rights cases Jennifer has worked on include:
Rosa v. Park West Bank, a case brought on behalf of a transgender woman denied a bank loan under the federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act that laid the foundation for the recent Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County;
O’Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (2010), which established that medical care relating to gender transition qualifies for a medical tax deduction; and Doe v. Clenchy (2014), in which the first state high court ruled that a transgender girl must be fully integrated into her public elementary school as a girl, including having full and equal access to restrooms.
Jennifer was co-counsel in two landmark marriage equality cases, winning the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Massachusetts (Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, 2003) and Connecticut (Kerrigan v. Department of Public Health, 2008), and has led a number of key family law cases establishing important protections for families headed by LGBTQ parents including Sinnott v. Peck and Miller-Jenkins v. Miller-Jenkins, both decided by the Vermont Supreme Court.
Jennifer is a law professor at Western New England University, co-editor of Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy (2012), and serves on the Legal Committee of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. They are a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a former law clerk to the Honorable Judge Michael Boudin at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Allison SiebeneckSenior Supervising Attorney in LGBTQ+ and Women’s and Reproductive Rights, ACLU

Allison Siebeneck (she/her) is a Supervising Attorney in the LGBTQ+ and Women’s and Reproductive Rights Projects at the ACLU of Illinois. She leads litigation, policy, and public education efforts to safeguard and expand access to full-spectrum, affirming reproductive health care, protect and promote bodily autonomy more broadly, and advocate for the rights of women, pregnant individuals, and nursing parents in the workplace and in public accommodations.

Howard SuskinPartner & LGBTQ Forum Co-Chair Emeritus, Jenner & Block

Howard Suskin (he/his) is a litigator and partner at Jenner & Block with substantial first-chair experience in civil and criminal securities matters. Howard co-chairs Jenner & Block’s Investor and Securities Litigation Practice and the Class Action Practice and previously served on the firm’s Management Committee. He serves as Co-Chair Emeritus of Jenner & Block’s LGBTQ Forum and is a long-time member of the firm’s Diversity Committee. He was the first winner of the firm’s Mentor Award.
Howard has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America” over ten times for commercial
litigation. Illinois Super Lawyers has named him a “Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer” over ten times since 2007 and a “Top 10 Super Lawyer” in 2015. Business Today has listed him among the Top 10 Most Influential Securities Litigators in Illinois, and the prestigious international ratings service Chambers rates him “Band 1” for Securities Litigation.
In the community at large, Howard has had leadership roles with the Chicago Bar Association, including serving on its Board of Managers and, for the past ten years, as its General Counsel. Howard also is a board member of the ACLU of Illinois and serves on its Executive Committee and Co-Chair of its Investment Committee.
Howard also is very active in many civil rights and charitable organizations within the LGBTQ community nationally and in Illinois and is a frequent panelist addressing diversity issues, including for the Illinois Judges Association and the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. In 2019, Crain’s Chicago Business included Howard on its list of “Notable LGBTQ Executives”.
In 2022, Howard received the Chicago Bar Association’s prestigious Vanguard Award for service to the legal community and promoting access to justice.
Jared ReynoldsModerator

This Pride CLE is Graciously Sponsored by:

Franco La Marca and Bernstein Private Wealth Management

LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association

The Alliance of Illinois Judges (AIJ)

The LGBTQIA+ Committee of the Chicago Bar Association

The LGBTQ Section of the Cook County Bar Association

The Alliance of Illinois Judges (AIJ) Annual Meeting and Installation
2025-06-25 17:00 - 19:00 | The Chicago Bar Association, 321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL, 60604, United States

Proud to Run Chicago: Pride Race 2025 - LAGBAC Team
2025-06-28 08:00 - 14:00 | Montrose Beach, 601 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60613
🏳️‍🌈 Join LAGBAC at Proud to Run Chicago 2025!
Happy Pride Month!
We’re excited to announce that LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association – has formed an official team for this year’s Proud to Run Chicago: Pride Race 2025!
Whether you walk, jog, or run, we invite all members, allies, friends, and supporters to join us in celebrating Pride, building community, and supporting incredible LGBTQ+ organizations.

🗓️ Race Details
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM
Location: 601 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 (Montrose Beach)
Distances & Costs:
5K Walk – $50
5K Run – $60
10K Run – $65(Registration fees do not include processing fees)
All participants receive a race T-shirt!

🌈 Team Info
Sign up to race with the LAGBAC team here:👉 Register with LAGBAC
Just select “LAGBAC Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association” when choosing your race group during registration.

💖 Support a Cause
Proceeds from Proud to Run support Trans Up Front Illinois and Youth Empowerment Performance Project – two organizations uplifting trans and LGBTQ+ youth and communities. You’ll also have the option to fundraise directly for them as part of your registration.
Let’s come together, move our bodies, and show our Pride. We can’t wait to see you at the start line!
Visit here to check out additional race information.

LAGBAC Pride Parade Judicial Reception
2025-06-29 09:30 - 12:00 | Big Gay Sal’s Pizza, 3445 N. Halsted St., Chicago, 60657, United States
🌈 Pride Parade Judicial Reception 2025
We invite you to the Pride Parade Judicial Reception in celebration of Chicago’s 54th Annual Pride Parade, a cherished tradition that brings together members of our legal community in the spirit of Pride, connection, and celebration.
📅 Event Details
Date: Sunday, June 29, 2025Time: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Big Gay Sal’s PizzaAddress: 3445 N. Halsted, Chicago
Enjoy great views of the parade, delicious food, and refreshing beverages from one of the best spots on the route!
🎟️ Tickets
Judiciary: Complimentary
LAGBAC Members: $45
Non-Members: $75
➡️ Get your tickets here NOW as SPACE IS LIMITED!

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS:
Alliance of Illinois Judges (AIJ)

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois

The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) of the Chicago Bar Association

Hoffenberg & Block, LLC

Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck LLP

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP

Market Days Brunch 2025
2025-08-09 11:00 - 13:00 | Lark, 3441 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
You are invited to LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association

Market Days Brunch

WHEN: Saturday, August 9, 2025
WHERE: Lark | 3441 N. Halsted St.
TIME: 11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
COST: $45 Members | $65 Non-Members

Get your tickets here TODAY as SPACE IS LIMITED! See you there!

2025 Lawyers for Diversity Celebration
2025-09-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Lawyers for Diversity Celebration

When: Thursday, September 11, 2025
Time: 6 – 9 PM
Where: Sidetrack
Members: FREE
Non-Members: $50

You can get your tickets early HERE now!

***** Please visit here to donate to the LAGBAC Foundation *****
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Become a Sponsor of the 2025 Lawyers for Diversity Celebration

Each year, the LAGBAC Foundation hosts the Lawyers for Diversity Celebration to raise critical funds for scholarships that support LGBTQ+ law students working in unpaid internships at organizations dedicated to equality and justice. This is our largest annual fundraiser, and your sponsorship helps develop the next generation of LGBTQ+ legal advocates.
Why Sponsor?
Sponsors receive recognition throughout the event and on our website, while enjoying premium access, visibility, and networking opportunities with Chicago’s legal and professional community. This is your opportunity to align your firm or business with a powerful mission and show visible support for diversity and inclusion in the legal field.

Lawyers for Diversity’s sponsorship levels are as follows:

PRESENTING: One, exclusive sponsor that contributes $7,000 may invite an unlimited number of guests, offer remarks at the event, include prominent signage at the event, and is recognized as the Presenting Sponsor at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

PLATINUM: Sponsors that contribute $5,000 may invite an unlimited number of guests, include an advertisement in the program, and are recognized as Platinum Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

DIAMOND: Sponsors that contribute $3,500 may invite six (6) guests and are recognized as Diamond Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

GOLD: Sponsors that contribute $2,000 may invite three (3) guests and are recognized as Gold Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

ALLY: Individuals and sponsors with 10 employees or fewer that contribute $500 may invite one (1) guest and are recognized as Ally Sponsors at the event and on the LAGBAC Foundation’s website and related communications.

****** If you or your firm are interested in sponsoring Lawyers for Diversity, please contact Nick Furtwengler. We thank you for your continued support and look forward to celebrating with you.******

Meet the Bar - September 26, 2025
2025-09-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Come out and enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members and LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s first “Meet the Bar” of the season on Friday, September 26, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. Get your tickets here. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.

Meet the Bar - October 24, 2025
2025-10-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Come out and enjoy networking and cocktails with LAGBAC members and LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal professionals at LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” on Friday, October 24, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Sidetrack! Active LAGBAC members are FREE. Non-members are $25. Get your tickets here. We hope to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring one of LAGBAC’s “Meet the Bar” events? Please email us at info@lagbac.org for details.

2025-2026 Mentorship Program Kickoff Event
2025-11-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Michael Best, 444 W. Lake St. Ste. 3200, Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
RSVP for the 2025-2026 Mentorship Program Kickoff Event to start this year’s Mentorship Program!

When: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Michael Best
444 W. Lake Street
Suite 3200
Chicago, IL 60606

This will be a great opportunity for you and your Mentor/Mentee to meet in person, along with the other individuals in the program. We will have beer, wine, and light snacks, so if your schedule allows we would love to see you! Please contact Jared Reynolds at jreynolds@lagbac.org if you have any questions.

You must RSVP before 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, so that your name can be provided to security.
