By: Emily N. Masalski, Genevieve Miller, Leilani Ana-Maria Pino
On May 20, 2025, several WBAI members along with the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Women and the Law (WATL) traveled to Springfield, Illinois for an unforgettable experience. WATL Chair Deanna Hoyt, Hon. Chloé G. Pedersen, and Marylou L. Kent served as co-Chairs of the day and the planning committee did an outstanding job. We are also thankful for the sponsors and attendees who helped make the event a success.
The three of us boarded the bus from Chicago bright and early on Tuesday morning. Traveling together helped foster collegiality and quality networking. We had the opportunity to meet new attorneys and strengthen existing relationships. Once we arrived in Springfield, several members had the opportunity to tour the Supreme Court of Illinois, the Illinois Appellate Court, the State Capitol Building, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Although some of us have been practicing law for nearly 20 years, we have never had the opportunity to see these historic spaces.
An unexpected afternoon tornado warning required many attendees to shelter in place together and some ended up in the basement of the Illinois Supreme Court building with all 7 of the Illinois Supreme Court Justices! We are pleased to report that we all safely walked away after exclusive “tours” of the basement of the ISBA building, the Supreme Court, or State Capitol buildings.
In the evening, the reception honoring the Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court featured keynote speaker Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, who reminded us that “the Supreme Court building is every lawyer’s home away from home.” As attorneys, it was breathtaking to stand in the very spaces where the foundation of Illinois law is shaped. Walking in the halls where justice is debated and history is preserved was a powerful reminder of the responsibility we carry in the legal profession.
For us, the best decision we made on May 20, 2025, was to wake up early, get on that bus, and experience something new together – a profoundly meaningful moment that will stay with us attorneys for years to come. Thank you to the Illinois Supreme Court for sharing your time with us.
Get in touch:
Emily N. Masalski, Counsel – Regulatory & Sustainability at Eaton Corporation: emily@emilymasalski.com / @emilymasalskiisba
Genevieve E. Miller, Senior Associate at Beattie Onorato Family Law: geneviveniemann@gmail.com / @genevievemiller06
Leilani Pino, WBAI Director and Newsletter Co-Editor: Leilani.Pino@gmail.com / @leiloinchicago
This article was originally published in the WBAI Spring 2025 Newsletter on pages 74-75.