June 2008 Diversity Leadership Council Newsletter

By E. Lynn Grayson

This year’s Task Force on Diversity resulted in large part from the pipeline project initiated by ISBA President Irene Bahr during her term.  

By Sonni Choi Williams

I am a square peg in a round world, but I have many different ideas to offer, many different ways to look at problems, and offer diversity in a round world.  

By John R. Richards

On February 15, 2008, I had the privilege to speak as a panelist at “the Hire Big 10 Diversity in the Law 2008” seminar at the ISBA.

By Jane DiRenzo Pigott

The Chicago Bar Association’s Alliance for Women put out a Call to Action on women in leadership positions in the legal professions in 2004.

By Patrick J. Kronenwetter

In addressing the concept of diversity within the legal profession, the constituencies that most often come to mind are women, racial and ethnic minorities and persons with alternate sexual orientations or gender issues. But there is another, sometimes over-looked, group of lawyers who should be included in any discussion on diversity—namely, lawyers with disabilities.

By Annemarie E. Kill

The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act (HB 1826) was originally introduced in the Illinois House on February 23, 2007.

By Alice M. Noble-Allgire

While there is an increasing desire for diversity in the legal profession, diversity brings with it some special challenges for attorneys who transcend the traditional attorney mold.

The members of the Standing Committee on Women and the Law and the Standing Committee on Minority and Women Participation share their views on why diversity matters to them.

On February 15, 2008, the ISBA Task Force on Diversity hosted a group of diversity college students as part of the Hire Big 10—Diversity in the Law 2008 Program.

On April 11-12, 2008, the ISBA Standing Committees on Women and the Law and Women and Minority Participation visited SIU School of Law in Carbondale.