2023 National Summit of Black Women Lawyers: Together We Soar!

Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 12:00 pm - Sat, Apr 1, 2023, 2:00 pm CT

Fairmont Hotel Chicago
200 N Columbus Dr
Chicago, Illinois 60601, United States (US)

30 Mar

About the Event

The National Summit of Black Women Lawyers will be held in Chicago from March 30-April 1, 2023. It is being hosted by the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc.  Although our efforts are generally focused on the Chicago metropolitan region, every five years, it has been our tradition to host a national summit inviting Black women judges, attorneys, and law students from across the country for an opportunity to engage, encourage, and empower one another and the next generation of Black women lawyers.

The theme of the 2023 National Summit is Together, We Soar, emphasizing that our potential is limitless when we work to uplift one another. Summit speakers and honorees include Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation and Former Special Advisor to President Obama; Janai Nelson, Director Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund; Desiree Ralls-Morrison, General Counsel of McDonald’s; Hon. J. Michelle Childs, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeal; Danielle Gray, Global Chief Legal Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance; Haben Girma, human rights activist, best-selling author, and first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law; Hon. Ann Claire Williams, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and Chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary; Hon. Yvette McGee Brown, first Black woman to serve as Ohio Supreme Court Justice; John Rogers, CEO of Ariel Investments and Board Member for Nike, McDonald’s and the New York Times, among many others.

The Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. is excited to work with partner organizations Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division (GWAC), Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys (MBWA), Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (BWL), Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (BWLAM), Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers (WAAL), Cook County Bar Association (CCBA), and Black Men Lawyers Association to welcome you to this event. Together, we soar.

Click here to visit our website to see speaker and programing updates.

Location

Fairmont Hotel Chicago
200 N Columbus Dr
Chicago, Illinois 60601, United States (US)

Date and Time

Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 12:00 pm - Sat, Apr 1, 2023, 2:00 pm CT

Tickets

Full Summit – BWLA Member
Seating Type: General Admission

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, leadership luncheon, a gala, a farewell… [More]

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, leadership luncheon, a gala, a farewell breakfast, plenaries and CLEs. [Less]

Sale ended Wed, Mar 15, 2023, 2:30 pm CT
$500.00+ $10.99 service fee
Full Summit – Public Sector/Not-For-Profit/Solo Practitioner
Seating Type: General Admission

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, leadership luncheon, a gala, a farewell… [More]

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, leadership luncheon, a gala, a farewell breakfast, plenaries and CLEs. [Less]

Sale ended Wed, Mar 15, 2023, 11:45 pm CT
$650.00+ $13.99 service fee
Full Summit – Student
Seating Type: General Admission

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, leadership luncheon, a gala, a farewell… [More]

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, leadership luncheon, a gala, a farewell breakfast, plenaries and CLEs. [Less]

Sale ended Wed, Mar 15, 2023, 11:45 pm CT
$250.00+ $5.99 service fee
Full Summit – Non BWLA Member
Seating Type: General Admission

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, Leadership Luncheon, Legacy Gala & Awards… [More]

The Summit ticket price includes access to opening reception, Leadership Luncheon, Legacy Gala & Awards Ceremony, a farewell breakfast, plenaries and CLEs. [Less]

Sale ended Wed, Mar 15, 2023, 11:45 pm CT
$750.00+ $15.99 service fee
Leadership Luncheon on Friday, March 31, 2023
Seating Type: General Admission

Ticket to the Leadership Luncheon Keynote feat. Janai Nelson, President, NAACP Legal Defense Fund [More]

Ticket to the Leadership Luncheon Keynote feat. Janai Nelson, President, NAACP Legal Defense Fund [Less]

Sale ended Wed, Mar 15, 2023, 11:45 pm CT
$100.00+ $2.99 service fee
Legacy Gala and Awards Ceremony on Friday, March 31, 2023 ONLY
Seating Type: General Admission

Ticket to the Legacy Gala & Awards Ceremony on Friday, March 31, 2023 ONLY. This… [More]

Ticket to the Legacy Gala & Awards Ceremony on Friday, March 31, 2023 ONLY. This is a Black-Tie event. [Less]

Sale ended Wed, Mar 15, 2023, 11:45 pm CT
$250.00+ $5.99 service fee
Opening Reception ONLY on Thursday, March 30, 2023
Seating Type: General Admission

Ticket to the Opening Reception of the National Summit of Black Women Lawyers featuring Hon.… [More]

Ticket to the Opening Reception of the National Summit of Black Women Lawyers featuring Hon. J. Michelle Childs, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Event is at the Chicago office of Jones Day on Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 5:30-8:00p.m. Appetizers and open bar included [Less]

Sale ends Mon, Mar 27, 2023, 11:45 pm CT
$100.00+ $2.99 service fee
2-Day Plenaries and CLE Ticket
Seating Type: General Admission

This ticket allows you to partake in all of the plenary sessions and the CLE… [More]

This ticket allows you to partake in all of the plenary sessions and the CLE classes offered on Friday, March 31, 2023 and Saturday, April 1, 2023. Do not include any meals. [Less]

Sale ends Sat, Apr 1, 2023, 1:00 pm CT
$250.00+ $5.99 service fee
Saturday, April 1st Plenaries and CLE ONLY
Seating Type: General Admission

This ticket allows you access to the plenaries and CLEs on Saturday, April 1, 2023… [More]

This ticket allows you access to the plenaries and CLEs on Saturday, April 1, 2023 ONLY. Does not include food. [Less]

Sale ends Sat, Apr 1, 2023, 12:00 pm CT
$100.00+ $2.99 service fee

Donations

Donate to the BWLA

Thank you for donating to the BWLA. Your donation helps support programing and scholarships for… [More]

Thank you for donating to the BWLA. Your donation helps support programing and scholarships for law students. [Less]

Sale ends Sat, Apr 1, 2023, 11:45 pm CT

Refund Policy

Attendees can request refunds up to 30 days before event start date.

Organizer

Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA)
Founded in 1987, the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (“BWLA”) is one of the fastest growing bar associations in Illinois. BWLA is representative of African-American female attorneys, judges, law professors and law students in the Chicago metropolitan area and across the Midwest. BWLA is committed to serving our membership, the greater legal community and the general public through educational programs, mentoring/networking opportunities, community outreach, scholarship awards to law students and various educational pipeline programs and initiatives. BWLA has recognized and rewarded notable African-American women attorneys and other civic leaders for their achievements and contributions to the legal community and society. Despite the hard-won achievements of some, barriers still exist for African-American women lawyers. African-American female lawyers still face the challenges brought on by the intersection of race and gender, including professional isolation, pay inequities, sexual harassment, and the glass ceiling. BWLA has been diligent and uncompromising in its commitment to addressing important issues that affect the lives of minority practitioners in the profession. BWLA is committed to promoting excellence in the profession and encouraging the inclusion of African-American attorneys in law firms, the judiciary, governmental agencies and corporations. BWLA recognizes that we live in an America that does not always embrace our differences. It is with this recognition that BWLA has committed its time and resources to encourage programming that supports diversity.Drawing upon the expertise and backgrounds of its membership, BWLA has developed programs and workshops to advance and assist African-American female lawyers in public and private practice, the judiciary and academia. Through building coalitions with other organizations, BWLA not only aims to address and combat the challenges that African-American female lawyers face in the profession, but through its programming and diversity initiatives, BWLA also brings about positive change in the legal workplace.

Organizer

Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA)
Founded in 1987, the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (“BWLA”) is one of the fastest growing bar associations in Illinois. BWLA is representative of African-American female attorneys, judges, law professors and law students in the Chicago metropolitan area and across the Midwest. BWLA is committed to serving our membership, the greater legal community and the general public through educational programs, mentoring/networking opportunities, community outreach, scholarship awards to law students and various educational pipeline programs and initiatives. BWLA has recognized and rewarded notable African-American women attorneys and other civic leaders for their achievements and contributions to the legal community and society. Despite the hard-won achievements of some, barriers still exist for African-American women lawyers. African-American female lawyers still face the challenges brought on by the intersection of race and gender, including professional isolation, pay inequities, sexual harassment, and the glass ceiling. BWLA has been diligent and uncompromising in its commitment to addressing important issues that affect the lives of minority practitioners in the profession. BWLA is committed to promoting excellence in the profession and encouraging the inclusion of African-American attorneys in law firms, the judiciary, governmental agencies and corporations. BWLA recognizes that we live in an America that does not always embrace our differences. It is with this recognition that BWLA has committed its time and resources to encourage programming that supports diversity.Drawing upon the expertise and backgrounds of its membership, BWLA has developed programs and workshops to advance and assist African-American female lawyers in public and private practice, the judiciary and academia. Through building coalitions with other organizations, BWLA not only aims to address and combat the challenges that African-American female lawyers face in the profession, but through its programming and diversity initiatives, BWLA also brings about positive change in the legal workplace.

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