Diversity

On June 17, 2010 Firm Diversity Officer Michael Hernandez attended the National Latino Education Institute (NLEI) annual dinner which included keynote speaker, Juan Sepulveda, the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence. Michael serves on the board of directors of NLEI.

On June 15, 2010, Firm Diversity Officer Michael Hernandez attended the inaugural event of the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession. This is a National Institute to be headed by Sandra Yamate, former Inclusion Officer of the American Bar Association. The Institute will have its home at the Chicago Bar Association. Associate Deidra Norris also attended the event representing the Black Women Lawyer’s Association.

Deidra A. Norris, an associate at Franczek Radelet, was elected Vice President of the Chicago Chapter for the 2010-2011 term.  Congratulations Deidra!

Franczek Radelet sponsored the Black Women Lawyers' Association 2010 Spring Fundraiser on April 21, 2010.  The event, "Evolution of the Business of Law: Thriving in the Legal Market," featured high level executives and corporate counsel speakers.  

On May 28, 2009, Franczek Radelet received the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago President's Award for Continuous Support of Diversity and Scholarship.  Also, Firm associate attorney and Diversity Committee member Deidra A. Norris received the President's Award for Exceptional Service to BWLA in addition to being sworn in as a Board Member at Large for the 2009-2010 Bar Year.

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 area. 

Transforming the Paradigm of Educating Children

Franczek Radelet sponsored the Superintedents' Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity Annual Regional Conference on March 25 and 26, 2010.  The conference, "Transforming the Paradigm of Educating Children," focused on educator quality, student achievement and assessment, school improvement and working conditions.

St. Patrick's Luncheon

On March 25, 2010, the firm held a St. Patrick's Luncheon.  Leslie Singel, a representative from the Irish American Heritage Center, presented an engaging program on the history of Ireland, immigration from Ireland to the United States, and the contributions that the Irish have made in shaping the history of America. 

Women in the Boardroom

Franczek Radelet partners Staci Ketay Rotman and Amy Moor Gaylord attended the Women in the Boardroom event on February 8, 2010.  Chicago Women in the Boardroom, formerly known as Women on Boards, is an executive leadership event designed to prepare women for board service.

Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

Jackie F. Wernz, an associate at Franczek Radelet, attended the annual Chicago Bar Association diversity conference, "Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges."  This unique conference provides women and minority lawyers with specialized skill training and practical guidance and recognizes their achievements over the past year.

Diversity Luncheon - Black History Month

On January 18, 2010, the firm held its Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Luncheon.  Tracey King, a legal assistant at Franczek Radelet, presented her original poem, So We May Know (Remember The Covenant).

On February 25, 2010, Cheryle Jackson, the former president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League and recent Illinois candidate for U.S. Senate, hosted a presentation at Franczek Radelet.  Ms. Jackson discussed the key role that diversity plays in her career and her personal life.  Ms. Jackson recently joined Wood Dale-based AAR Corp. as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development.

Franczek Radelet is a corporate sponsor of A Long Walk Home, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago which uses art therapy and the visual and performance arts to document, educate and bring about social change.  The organization uses testimonies, poetry, music, photographs and videos of and by women and children to provide safe and educational forums through which the public learns about healing from trauma.

A Long Walk Home was created by two sisters, Scheherazade and Salamishah Tillet when Scheherazade learned that her older sister, Salamishah, was a violent crime survivor.  Scheherazade began photographing and documenting the impact of the incident in Salamishah’s life. Eventually, Salamishah and Scheherazade decided to help more people heal from their experiences as violent crime victims by transforming this intimate photography project into the multimedia performance, SOARS (Story Of A Rape Survivor).  Given the positive feedback of SOARS and the high incidents of violence that women and children experience everyday, Schehehrazade and Salamishah founded A Long Walk Home in 2003, and developed comprehensive anti-violence programs that use the visual and performance arts as vehicles for healing, social change and education.

Franczek Radelet is proud to be a corporate sponsor of A Long Walk Home.  For more information visit www.alongwalkhome.org.

Franczek Radelet is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Pillars Ball, Glitter, Glamour & Generosity. Pillars provides mental health services, social services and education to people of all ages.  Recognizing the diverse backgrounds and needs of their clients, Pillars is committed to approaching each individual with an awareness of and compassion for the specific challenges they face. Pillars strives to provide culturally competent services in a variety of ways, including the provision of services in both Spanish and Arabic.

Last year Pillars served over 10,000 people in 36 communities located primarily in the western suburbs. Programs include a domestic violence shelter, Head Start and day care, addictions services, and mental health services for families and individuals of any age. 

Franczek Radelet has maintained a long-standing relationship with Pillars, having provided legal services to the organization over the past several years.  This year, we are proud to serve as a sponsor of the Pillars Ball, so that individuals living in need in our community have access to critical services to get back on their feet again.

Franczek Radelet is proud to support Chicago United and the 6th Annual Changing Color of Leadership Conference and Bridge Award. The Bridge Award represents the first national award that honors a CEO who is an advocate for multiracial diversity in corporate governance and executive level management. In keeping with the spirit of advocacy in support of the development of multiracial participation at all levels in business, this award brings visibility to those who have driven change and inspires others to follow. The Chicago Bridge Award salutes a corporation supporting the development of a vibrant and richly diverse business community in the Chicago region. We applaud the Bridge Award recipients. They truly are the champions for diversity in governance, management, and business partnerships. Their leadership, vision, and commitment will continue to foster innovative approaches to achieving diversity in corporate governance throughout the business community.

Michael J. Hernandez, a partner at Franczek Radelet was chosen by Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez as one of two people to be honored during the 2009 celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Mr. Hernandez was the 2009 El Humanitaro Award recipient.

The firm is a sponsor of the National Museum of Mexican Art's Cinco De Mayo Gala. Located in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art is the nation's largest Latino arts institution and the only Latino museum accredited by the American Association of Museums. Its mission is to stimulate and preserve knowledge and appreciation of Mexican culture through sponsoring events and exhibitions that exemplify the rich variety of visual and performing arts in the Mexican culture; to develop a significant permanent collection of Mexican art; to encourage the professional development of Mexican artists; and to offer arts education programs.

The firm sponsored the Changing Worlds Sixth Annual Benefit. Changing Worlds is an educational arts nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster inclusive communities through oral history, writing, and art programs that improve student learning, affirm identity, and enhance cross-cultural understanding.

The firm sponsored the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund ("MALDEF") 28th Annual Chicago Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Founded in 1968 in San Antonio, Texas, MALDEF is the leading nonprofit Latino litigation, advocacy and educational outreach institution in the United States. Its mission is to foster sound public policies, laws, and programs to safeguard the civil rights of the 45 million Latinos living in the United States and to empower the Latino community to fully participate in our society.

Franczek Radelet is a supporter of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois Scholarship Fund.

Over the years, the Fund has awarded dozens of scholarships and summer fellowships to deserving minority and women law students. It is through the support of firms like Franczek Radelet that HLSF is able to provide critical financial assistance that helps students achieve their goals. Many recipients have become judicial law clerks, attorneys in large law firms, government attorneys and in-house counsel as well as leaders in charitable and civic organizations.

Franczek Radelet Lawyers speak on Diversity in Law Firms

Recently, Franczek Radelet attorneys made presentations on diversity in law firms to the Illinois Council of School Attorneys and the Worklaw Network.