ISBA Community Leadership Award

The Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity has established an award for community leadership. Individuals who have, by individual example and education, worked to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and who have worked towards fostering understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons and the legal issues of concern to them, are eligible to be nominated.

Award Winners

  • 2020 - Heidi Ramos, SIU School of Law
  • 2019 - Hon. Catherine Marubio, Cook County Judge
  • 2018 - Representative Kelly Cassidy, Illinois General Assembly
  • 2017 - Hon. Nancy Katz, Circuit Court of Cook County
  • 2016 - Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss, Law Office Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss
  • 2015 - John Knight, director of the LGBT and HIV Project, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois and regional senior staff attorney, national ACLU
  • 2014 -Mark E. Wojcik, Professor of Law, The John Marshall Law School
  • 2013 - Jenner & Block law firm and Dr. Loren Stone Schechter for the case of Fields v. Smith, 653 F.3d 550 (7th Cir. 2011)
  • 2012 - Hon. Sebastian T. Patti, Presiding Judge, Domestic Violence Division, Circuit Court of Cook County
  • 2011 - John G. Dalton, Elgin
  • 2010 - State Representative Greg Harris, Chicago
  • 2009 - Ann Hilton Fisher, Executive Director, Aids Legal Council of Chicago
  • 2008 - William Borah, William J. Borah & Associates, Homewood & Chicago
  • 2007 - Paulette Curkin, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
  • 2006 - Equality Illinois and Rick Garcia and Art Johnston

Nominees may include judges, lawyers, members of state or local legislative bodies, educators or community activist groups involved in legal issues relating to the LGBT community. Members of the ISBA are encouraged to nominate persons who meet the criteria.

Required Information for Nominations

  1. Name, address, email address, and telephone number of the Nominee
  2. Brief biographical information
  3. Employment affiliation
  4. A brief statement to why the nominee should be the recipient of the award
  5. Any other information which the nominating person believes may be of assistance to the selection committee
  6. Name, address, email address, and telephone number of the person or representative of the organization making the nomination

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Burkholder at MBurkholder@isba.org.

Nominations are closed, please check back in the fall.