Hinshaw's Chicago Office Hosts "The Lavender Bench: Experiences of LGBTQ Judges in Illinois"

March 13, 2018

Hinshaw's LGBTQ Affinity Group was honored to host "The Lavender Bench: Experiences of LGBTQ Judges in Illinois" at the firm's Chicago office earlier this month. The event was co-sponsored by the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and the Alliance of Illinois Judges. The panel presentation discussed what it means to be an LGBTQ judge in Illinois today, how "out" you should be as a judge on the bench or running for election as a judge, and the process of becoming a judge at the federal, state and local levels.

Hon. Cecilia Horan, Judge for the Cook County Circuit Court and former Hinshaw partner, moderated the discussion. The panelists were: Hon. Mary Jane Theis, Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court; Hon. Staci Michelle Yandle, Judge for the U.S. District Court; Hon. John Ehrlich, Judge for the Cook County Circuit Court; and Hon. Mary Catherine Marubio, Associate Judge for the Cook County Circuit Court.

For pictures of the event, courtesy of J. Alice Jackson, visit the Hinshaw Facebook page

Windy City Times provided media coverage of the event. Read "LGBT judges discuss paths to the bench," on the Windy City Times website.

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a U.S.-based law firm with offices nationwide. The firm's national reputation spans the insurance industry, the financial services sector, professional services, and other highly regulated industries. Hinshaw provides holistic legal solutions—from litigation and dispute resolution, and business advisory and transactional services, to regulatory compliance—for clients of all sizes. Visit www.hinshawlaw.com for more information and follow @Hinshaw on LinkedIn and X.