Announcing Dates of the 2027 National Summit of Black Women Lawyers | | |
Every chapter of BWLA's history has been written by members who chose to get involved, give back, and lead with purpose. Joining a committee is more than volunteering; it’s an opportunity to help shape the future of BWLA, strengthen our sisterhood, and expand our impact across Chicago's legal and civic communities.
Whether you’re passionate about community service, professional development, or advancing equity in the legal field, there’s a place for your voice and your vision within BWLA. Join us and help continue the legacy that has uplifted Black women in law for 40 years. Please use the link below to sign up for one of BWLA's committees this bar year!
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Register Today for Haitian Immigration
Options CLE and Know Your Rights Event
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As Temporary Protected Status (TPS) changes impact Haitian immigrants across the country, staying informed on legal remedies and protections is critical. BWLA is proud to partner with the Haitian American Lawyers Association of Illinois (HALA) and the Westside Justice Center, alongside our partner bar associations — CCBA, HLAI, PRBA, LAGBAC, and the Decalogue Society of Lawyers — to bring awareness to these urgent issues and equip practitioners with the knowledge to defend vulnerable communities. Join us for a FREE Virtual CLE Seminar focused on the key legal strategies and updates necessary to support impacted individuals and families.
In addition to the CLE, BWLA is continuing its commitment to supporting and advocating for our community by highlighting the critical issues impacting the Haitian Immigrant Community.
In partnership with the HALA and the Westside Justice Center, and alongside legal organization partners CCBA, HLAI, PRBA, LAGBAC, and the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, BWLA is hosting a two-part Know Your Rights & Know Your Resources workshop at Westside Justice Center, 601 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60612. Call (773) 940-2213 to register or ask questions for this workshop.
Attendees will gain valuable information and resources on immigration options, legal accompaniments, guardianships, estate planning, and more.
Event Details:
- Session 1: Sunday, August 23, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Session 2: Saturday, August 29, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
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Purchase Tickets Today for
the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section's All Bar Networking Social
| BWLA is proud to co-sponsor and participate again this year in the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section's All Bar Networking Social on Wedneday, August 26, 2026 at Hubbard Inn, 110 W. Hubbard Street, Chicago, Illinois from 5:00-7:00pm. Purchase your ticket today to attend an evening of networking and socializing with hundreds of lawyers, law students, and judges from the Chicagoland legal community and bar associations. Representatives from the BWLA Young/New Lawyers' Committee will be in attendance at the event - make sure to stop by and learn more about upcoming BWLA events, sign up for one of BWLA committees, pay your BWLA membership dues, and participate in our raffle! | | |
Save the Date:
BWLA Fall General Body Meeting
and Committee Fair
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Save the date to join BWLA for its upcoming 2026 Fall General Body Meeting and Committees Fair on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 from 5:30-8:00pm. This year, the meeting with be hosted by BWLA Sponsor Baker McKenzie LLP. BWLA is looking forward to welcoming BWLA members, friends, supporters, sponsors, and allies for an evening of networking and fellowship, where attendees can learn more about upcoming BWLA events and various ways to get involved with BWLA this Bar year, including joining one of its committees.
Stayed tuned for more details on how to register to attend the meeting and for more information about this year's Special Guest Panel for the meeting. You will not want to miss it!
| | Congratulations to BWLA Members Appointed as Judges to the Circuit Court of Cook County | | |
On August 6, 2026, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed 13 new Judges to the Circuit Court of Cook County. They all won their primary race in March of this year and will run unopposed in the November General Election.
The appointees are Sam Bae, Julian Sanchez Crozier, Robert “Bob” Groebner, William F. Kelley, Stephanie S. Kelly, Jarrett Knox, Juan Ponce de Leon, Ashonta C. Rice, Ashley Greer Shambley, Ava George Stewart, Jon Stromsta, Luz Maria Toledo, and Radiance Ward.
| | BWLA Membership and Committees | | Become a Member: Pay Your Membership Dues | | BWLA at the 97th Annual Bud Billiken Parade | | |
On Saturday, August 8, 2026, the BWLA Scholarship Fund Board, along with the BWLA Board of Directors, members, supporters, and allies, marched in Chicago's 97th Annual Bud Billiken Parade and participated in the Bud Billiken Festival. During the parade, BWLA joined BWLA Sponsor Ferrara as they all passed out backpacks filled with school supplies to youth along the parade route to set them up for a successful school year ahead.
This year, in honor of celebrating BWLA's 40th anniversary, BWLA returned to hosting a table during the Bud Billiken Family Festival at the end of the parade route in Washington Park. During the festival BWLA members passed out more backpacks with school supplies and Know Your Right cards to the community.
Thank you to all those who donated school supplies and pack backpacks this year; all those to who volunteered wagons, coolers, water, food, and snacks for the parade; and all our amazing volunteers, family members, and friends who joined BWLA to march in this year's parade and serve as an inspiration to the youth!
Special thanks to BWLA Scholarship Co-Chair Shannon Stokes, her husband John Stokes, BWLA Board Member at Large Cyerra McGowan, her sister Cyanna McGowan, BWLA President Natanya Pope-Sohel, BWLA Sponsor Burke, Warren, MacKay, & Serritella, P.C., and Ferrara, and our Administrator K. Rhea for all of their work ensuring a great experience.
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BWLA Packs Backpacks for
Chicago's 97th Annual Bud Billiken Parade
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On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, BWLA Scholarship Fund Board Co-Chairs Shannon Stokes and Christina Alabi, BWLA Treasurer Le'Loni English, BWLA Corresponding Secretary Kyle Palmore, BWLA Scholarship Board Member Deborah Imafidon, BWLA members, supporters, and friends came together to pack backpacks with school supplies for this year's Bud Billiken Parade.
The Packing Party was sponsored and hosted by BWLA sponsor Burke, Warren, MacKay, & Serritella, P.C. Together, attendees at the Packing Party quickly packed the backpacks with school supplies including paper, pencils, notebooks, rulers, folders, and more. The event reflected BWLA's ongoing commitment to service, fostering community, and making positive impact.
Special thanks to sponsors Burke, Warren, MacKay, & Serritella, P.C. and Ferrara for their generous sponsorship, and to all those who donated school supplies, backpacks, and volunteered.
| | BWLA Gives Scholarship at the Law School Mentor's 2026 Summit | | |
On Sunday August 9, 2026, BWLA Scholarship Fund Co-Chair Shannon Stokes, BWLA President Natanya Pope-Sohel, and BWLA Members Aniyah Braveboy, Leah Hall, Christina Jack, and Anayia Teamer represented BWLA at The Law School Mentor 2026 Annual Summit.
BWLA awarded a $500 scholarship to Ariel Williams, a pre-law student and current Chicago Police Officer, who is applying to law school. This is the fourth consecutive year that BWLA has sponsored a scholarship to an aspiring law student at the summer, reinforcing its commitment to supporting future members of the legal profession.
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BWLA Attends at the
Decalogue Society of Lawyers' 92nd Annual
Installation and Awards Dinner
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On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, BWLA Vice President Kina Arnold and BWLA member Sydney Mann attended the Decalogue Society of Lawyers' 92nd Annual Installation and Awards Dinner at the Old Post Office. BWLA was a Silver Sponsor for the Installation.
BWLA member Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton received the Courage in Advocacy Award, and Judge Timothy C. Evans, was the recipient of the Hon. Charles E. Freeman Judicial Merit Award. The Honorable Charles S. Beach, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, administered the oath to install President Honorable Lori Rosen and the 2026-2027 Officers and Board of Managers.
| | BWLA at NAWL Annual Meeting | | |
The National Association of Women Lawyers ("NAWL") hosted its Annual Meeting on July 22-23, 2026 in Chicago. The evening before, NAWL partnered with The Chicago Bar Association and the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession to co-host a CLE,"The Status of Women Lawyers Today," that BWLA President Natanya Pope-Sohel was a panelist on.
On Thursday, July 23, 2026 BWLA Founder and Past President Hon. Patricia Brown Holmes (ret.) was a panelist on "Who Leads Next? Succession in the Legal Profession" and BWLA member Tiffany Ferguson was a panelist on "From AI to DEI: Managing Risk in a Changing Workplace."
BWLA Founder and Past President Sharon Jones, BWLA Vice President Kina Arnold, BWLA Corresponding Secretary Kyle Palmore, BWLA Parliamentarian Natalie Ellis, and BWLA Ex-Officio Joan Akalaonu were in attendance.
| | BWLA at NAACP National Convention | | On Sunday July 19, 2026, BWLA President Natanya Pope-Sohel attended and gave welcome remarks on behalf of BWLA at the NAACP 2026 Charles Hamilton Houston Legal Training Advocacy Institute that was apart of the programming of this year's NAACP National Convention held in Chicago. | | |
Register Today for the
Chicago Committee's Partner Dinner
| | Join WBAI at its 30th Annual Golf Outing Reception | | Register Today to Attend the Illinois Judges Foundation's Annual 2026 Golf Outing | | Purchase Tickets Today for the Illinois Judicial Council's 44th Annual Installation and Scholarship Awards Ceremony | | Register Today to Attend the Chicago Bar Association's 2026 Annual Golf Outing | | Join BWLA Lifetime Member Sonya Olds Som at the Girls Inc. Strong Smart Bold Awards Gala | | Congratulations to BWLA member Hon. Maryam Ahmad will serve another year as Board President of the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. | | Congratulations to BWLA Ex-Officio Joan Akalaonu on being appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court's Judicial Screening Committee. | Congratulations to BWLA Vice President Kina Arnold on successfully co-leading year 3 of the Office of Cook County Public Guardian Teen Scholars Program. | Congratulations to BWLA member Aniyah Braveboy recently hired as an associate in the Chicago office of Swanson, Martin & Bell LLP. | Congratulations to BWLA Founder and Past President the Hon. Patricia Brown Holmes for being recognized among the Top 250 Leading Lawyers in Illinois and being named in the 2026 Legal 500 Chicago in White-Collar Crime. | Congratulations to BWLA Past President Dorothy Capers on being named General Counsel of the Year by the National Bar Association. | Congratulations to BWLA Past President Kalia Coleman on being named one of the 2026 Legal 500 Chicago in White-Collar Crime. | Congratulations to BWLA member and Past Scholarship Winner Jennifer Dickey for co-authoring, "Seventh Circuit Narrows TCPA Liability for Marketing Texts, but Other Claims and a Circuit Split Remain," an article examining the Seventh Circuit's new TCPA ruling on marketing texts. | Congratulations to BWLA Parliamentarian Natalie Ellis presented on professional etiquette to high school students from across the country at the Just the Beginning - A Pipeline Organization's Summer Legal Institute in Chicago. and being featured in the South Suburban News's August 7, 2026 publication. | Congratulations to BWLA member Onna Geddie on being elected the new President of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at Loyola Univeristy Chiago School of Law. | Congratulations to BWLA Past President Tiffany Harper for being the keynote speaker for Dartmouth University's Dartmouth Bound Cohort! | Congratulations to BWLA member LaVon Johns for receiving the Women of Influence 2026 Woman of the Year CRE Legal Counsel by GlobeSt.com and being named one of the 2026 Legal 500 Chicago in Real Estate. | Congratulations to BWLA member Judge Jennifer Nolen for participating as a mentor in Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton’s Girls Lead Program 2026. | Congratulations to BWLA Lifetime Member Sonya Olds Som for serving as Co-Chair for Girls Inc. of Chicago’s Annual Strong Smart Bold Awards for the third consecutive year along with board member Kyle T. Schulz. | Congratulations to BWLA member and Past Scholarship Winner Lauren Smith received the Will County Women's Bar Association Scholarship. | Congratulations to BWLA member the Honorable Judith C. Rice on being named the Weaver Awardee by Connections for Abused Women and Their Children. | Congratulations to BWLA member Osikenoya "Osi" Usman-Aliu on being awarded the 2026 Leesfield/AAJ Law Student Scholarship. | Congratulations to BWLA Past Board Member Jade Peeples on her new position as Associate Counsel at VaynerX in New York. | | Do you or someone you know have an achievement that you'd like us to highlight in our monthly newsletter? We want to celebrate our members! Send your latest achievement addressed to administrator@bwla.org. | | BWLA constantly receives new employment opportunities that our members may be interested in. The ever expanding list has become too lengthy to share here, so please be sure to visit the BWLA Job Board to view all current employment opportunities! | | Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. | www.bwla.org | |
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