🔔President Lee's Report: Continuing Our Progression Forward

Dear Family,

Happy New Year! I extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to you and your families. As we prepare to launch the second half of the 2025-2026 bar year, I am pleased to provide an update on my activities and Cook County Bar Association's (CCBA) progress since my last President's Report in August.

Before I begin, I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to each of you for your continued support, engagement, and commitment to the CCBA. Our strength as an organization has always come from our members, and it is because of your dedication that we remain a vibrant, impactful, and respectful bar association.

Throughout my term, the focus of my programming has been grounded in the three (3) pillars of service:

Service to our members;
Service to our community; and
Service to the next generation of lawyers.

These pillars have guided our initiatives, informed our programming, and shaped our vision for the future. Whether through professional development opportunities, community outreach, mentorship, or advocacy, our goal has been to ensure that CCBA continues to meet the needs of today while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.

Thank you again for your trust, your involvement, and your continued belief in the mission of CCBA. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together and humbly ask that you renew your membership with our Bar Association. Stay tuned for more announcements to follow.

With gratitude and resolve,

Antonio C. Lee

111th President

Cook County Bar Association

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This bar year, we have worked diligently to expand and enhance the benefits available to our members. These efforts include developing insightful CLE programming with on-demand access, partnering with businesses to offer exclusive member discounts, creating professional development opportunities through career services, and expanding volunteer and service opportunities. Below is a snapshot of what our CCBA membership offers:

Exclusive Discounts to CCBA members: Take advantage of these exclusive offers.

Professional Headshots: Jason McCoy Photography is offering CCBA members $300 headshots. This includes a one (1) hour session with two (2) professionally retouched high-resolution images. Book your appointment here.
Custom Menswear: STL Apparel, a custom menswear company, is offering a 10-15% discount to CCBA members. Contact Mr. James Campbell III for more information.

CLEs Coming On-Demand: Below are a list of CLEs offered by CCBA. In addition to two (2) more CLEs scheduled this month, we are working to make all courses on-demand by the end of January.

July 24, 2025 - Power in the Paycheck: The Fight for Black Women’s Economic Justice ft. Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.
August 26, 2025 – Still Legal, Still Necessary: The Current State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – A fireside chat with former EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows.
October 28, 2025 - Black Excellence in Law: Building Your Path and Owning Your Voice hosted by CCBA’s Young Lawyers Section

CCBA Past Events: This year, we proudly hosted the following signature events and membership meetings.

September 10, 2025 - CCBA Membership Meeting ft. Circuit Court of Cook County Clerk Mariyana T. Spyropoulos.
September 24, 2025 – CCBA Judges’ Night honoring Judge Sophia H. Hall.
October 2, 2025 – CCBA South Suburban Membership Meeting hosted by Past President Hon. John A. Fairman.
November 6, 2025 – November Joint Dinner honoring Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.
December 11, 2025 – CCBA Holiday Mingle Christmas Karaoke Edition.

Additional Opportunities for Service and Engagement: We strongly encourage you to maximize your membership by getting involved. There are many ways to serve and engage with CCBA:

Attorney Volunteer Opportunities – We regularly host community events where attorneys and legal professionals can volunteer their services. Complete the Attorney Volunteer Form to get started.
Become a Mentor – Mentor applications remain open for CCBA’s Leadership Empowerment Institute. For more information, contact Board Member Alexzandria Johnson.
Join a committee – Committees are the heartbeat of our organization. Depending on your legal interest, each committee offers unique opportunities aligned with various legal interests. Click here to view our committees and sign up today.

September 24, 2025 – CCBA Judges’ Night honoring Judge Sophia H. Hall.

October 2, 2025 – CCBA South Suburban Membership Meeting hosted by Past President Hon. John A. Fairman.

November 6, 2025 – November Joint Dinner honoring Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

December 11, 2025 – CCBA's Holiday Mingle Christmas Karaoke Edition.

For over 100 years, CCBA has carried a proud legacy of steadfast advocacy for the civil, political, and economic rights of the Black community and its members. This bar year is no exception.

During a time marked by significant social, political, and economic challenges, CCBA has remained resolute in its mission. Our work this bar year reflects our continued commitment to community engagement, civic education, legal advocacy, and public accountability. These efforts underscore both the resolve and purpose of CCBA in advancing justice and protecting our communities.

Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Public Education Highlights:

August 25, 2025 – President Lee attended the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Back to School Block Party event.
September 5, 2025 – CCBA published a guide entitled Know Your Rights While Protesting: Protecting Yourself While Speaking Out. Click here to access the pamphlet.
September 6, 2025 – President Lee spoke at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Saturday Morning Forum, advising community members on CCBA’s Know Your Rights guide and First Amended protections while protesting.
September 17, 2025: CCBA presented to high school students in observance of Constitution Day at Legal Prep Academy Charter School.
September 20, 2025 – CCBA hosted the State of the Union Address: Protecting Our Communities, Our Rights, Our Freedom event in collaboration with Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Westside Justice Center, Chicago Urban League, The DuSable Museum, Cook County Bar Association Foundation, and NAACP Southside Branch. This impactful event convened community stakeholders to address critical issues including the threat of the National Guard presence in Chicago, the fight for our democracy, Black economics and creating generational wealth, reparations, advancements in artificial intelligence, and an expungement clinic.
September 27, 2025 – President Lee spoke at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Saturday Morning Forum about legal developments and CCBA’s agenda.
September 27, 2025 – President Lee spoke at the 19th Annual Silas Purnell College Expo.
October 4, 2025 – CCBA presented at the 2025 Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation conference on the importance of protecting our democracy.
October 11, 2025 – President Lee attended the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Saturday Morning Forum.
November 8, 2025 – CCBA published a Resource Guide for Those Impacted by the Government Shutdown, providing assistance related to food access, housing, financial obligations, mental health and wellness, utilities, insurance, childcare, and transportation. Click here to access the guide.
November 13, 2025 – President Lee spoke at a townhall meeting by Congressman Danny K. Davis addressing health and incarceration issues hosted at Malcolm X College.
November 15, 2025 – President Lee spoke at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Saturday Morning Forum on legal issues pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, redistricting, updates in the legal community, and forthcoming CCBA Judicial Evaluation ratings.
November 20, 2025 – CCBA issued a statement in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).
November 22, 2025 – President Lee attended the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Saturday Morning Forum.
November 22, 2025 – President Lee attended CCBA's co-sponsored event in honor of TDOR at the Center on Halsted.
December 13, 2025 – CCBA’s Legislative Committee submitted a letter endorsing Illinois reparations policy to the State of Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission.
December 29, 2025 – CCBA issued a public statement expressing serious concern and opposition to the assignment of retired Judge James R. Brown to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Click here to access the statement.

On September 20, 2025, the CCBA spearheaded a collaborative event in partnership with Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Chicago Urban League, The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, NAACP Chicago Southside Branch, and Westside Justice Center to host the State of the Union Address: Protecting Our Communities, Our Rights, Our Freedom. With sincere gratitude, we humbly thank CCBA Past President Natalie Howse and CCBA Board Member Louis Raymond for organizing this event! We also thank CCBA Past Presidents Cannon Lambert and Nicholas Cummings for volunteering to speak on the panels. During this event, we addressed many topics such as protecting our democracy and our history, reparations, Black economics and generational wealth, and the impact of AI on our community. The response was overwhelming and received nearly 200 attendees, in addition to a national broadcast by PUSH and WVON. We also handed-out food to the community, sponsored lunch for attendees, and provided a legal clinic. We also sincerely thank our volunteer lawyers who serviced the legal clinic with the help of our Foundation: Jason Pica, Alyease Jones, Danielle Pinkston, Keyana Payne, and Shenita Johnson.

October 4, 2025 – CCBA Past President Nicholas Cummings at the 2025 Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation conference.

President Lee, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel Chris Welch, and community stakeholders at the 2025 Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation conference.

September 6, 2025 – President Lee speaking at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Saturday Morning Forum.

November 15, 2025 – President Lee at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Saturday Morning Forum.

November 13, 2025 – President Lee at the townhall meeting hosted by Congressman Danny K. Davis.

August 25, 2025 - President Lee pictured with children aspiring to become lawyers at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Back to School Block Party event.

September 27, 2025 – President Lee pictured with families and attendees at the 19th Annual Silas Purnell College Expo, where he held a Know Your Rights session with students.

November 22, 2025 – President Lee and CCBA Past President Larry Rogers, Jr. at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Saturday Morning Forum. President Lee helped deliver groceries to the community.

September 17, 2025: President Lee, Board Member Lori Roper, Executive Director Cordelia Brown, and Board Member Luke Townsend at Legal Prep Academy Charter School.

It is imperative that we continue to invest in the next generation of lawyers. In furtherance of this commitment, I am extremely proud to share that CCBA launched its inaugural Law School Tour and collaborated with the Illinois Judicial Council and the Cook County Bar Association Foundation to provide scholarship, externship, and mentorship opportunities to law students. I sincerely thank my Chief of Staff Candice Smith, Judge Julie-April Montgomery, and Illinois Judicial Council President Tiana Blakely for their leadership and assistance with this impactful initiative.

We also hosted a successful new admittee reception, thanks to our sponsor CCBA Past President Larry Rogers, Jr., and hosted a CLE by CCBA’s Young Lawyers Section. Looking ahead, we are excited to launch our Leadership Empowerment Institute—a mentor/mentee program designed to empower law students. Stay tuned for more updates.

CCBA's Law School Tour:

October 8, 2025: University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
October 13, 2025: DePaul University School of Law
October 14, 2025: Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
October 20, 2025: Northern Illinois University College of Law
October 22, 2025 Loyola University School of Law
November 11, 2025: Chicago Kent College of Law – Illinois Institute of Technology
January 8, 2026: University of Chicago Law School

Active programming through CCBA’s Young Lawyers Section:

October 28, 2025 - CLE entitled Black Excellence in Law: Building Your Path and Owning Your Voice hosted by CCBA's Young Lawyers Section
November 9, 2025: CCBA's New Admittee Reception at Wilma’s Famous BBQ