Press Releases

Catholic Lawyers Guild Swears in First African American President
May 27, 2021

The Hon. Edward Washington II (ret.) was sworn in as president of the Catholic Lawyers Guild, marking the first African American to lead the organization.  He served as a judge on the bench of the Circuit Court of Cook County for 15 years before retiring.

Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman, U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, swore in Judge Washington as the 87th President at the virtual 2021 Annual Meeting May 26. 

Chief Justice Anne Burke of the Illinois Supreme Court swore in new Executive Committee officers: First Vice President T. Nicholas Tyszka, a Chicago real estate attorney; Second Vice President James B. Murray, Jr., of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Law Department; Secretary Tanya D. Woods of the Westside Justice Center; and Treasurer Pamela M. Rubeo of the Office of the State Appellate Defender’s Office. 

The Hon. Timothy Evans, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, swore in 20 members of the Board who will serve three-year terms: Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis, Illinois Appellate Court Justice Jesse G. Reyes,  Hon. Thomas More Donnelly, Hon. Robert Harris, Hon. Daniel Kubasiak, Hon. Patricia Mendoza, Hon. Leonard Murray, Hon. Susan Kennedy Sullivan, all of the Circuit Court of Cook County,  CLG Past President Pamela Sakowicz Menaker, Matthew Binder, Sandy Blake, Michael J. Dickman, Mary Nicolau, Richard. J. Nogal, William O’Hara, Joseph O. Rubinelli, John C. Sciaccotta, Catherine L. Steege, Daniel A. Trevino, Joseph A. Wyss.  Serving a one-year term is Hon. Andrea M. Buford of the Cook County Circuit Court and being sworn in for two-year terms are Jay Reyes and Michael N. Ripani.

Annual membership dues are $75; attorneys employed by government or legal aid agencies and those licensed for one to five years is $50.   Law students enrolled at an ABA accredited law school and recent law school graduates preparing to take the bar exam or are awaiting the results of the bar exam are free along with clergy and members of religious communities.

For more information, go to the CLG website at http://www.clgchicago.org/annualmeeting

For more information, please contact Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell).



Kevin Murphy of Jenner & Block to be Sworn in as President of the Catholic Lawyers Guild
May 14, 2020

Kevin Murphy, an Associate at Jenner & Block LLP and graduate of Notre Dame Law School, will be sworn in as the President of the Catholic Lawyers Guild on May 20.  At only 30 years old, Murphy will serve as the Guild’s youngest President since its founding in 1934.

Chief Justice Anne Burke of the Illinois Supreme Court will swear in Murphy at the Guild’s Annual Meeting of members, which will be held virtually on May 20 at 5:00pm.  Additional meeting details, including the event link, can be found at clgchicago.org/annualmeeting.  No preregistration is required to join the event.

In addition to Murphy, twenty-three members of the Board of Governors will also be sworn in at the meeting, along with the following Officers:  Hon. Edward Washington II (ret.) of Nixon Peabody as Vice President; T. Nicholas Tyszka as Second Vice President; James Murray of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago as Secretary; and Pamela M. Rubeo of the Office of the State Appellate Defender as Treasurer. 

The Catholic Lawyers Guild is an association of Catholic lawyers devoted to serving its members and the Chicago community through prayer, service, and celebration.  The Guild invites Chicagoland law professionals to join or renew their membership.  Annual membership dues are $75; attorneys employed by government or legal aid agencies and those licensed for one to five years is $50.   Law students enrolled at an ABA accredited law school and recent law school graduates preparing to take the bar exam or are awaiting the results of the bar exam are free along with clergy and members of religious communities.

For more information visit CLG website at www.clgchicago.org or email admin@clgchicago.org.

###


Pam Sakowicz Menaker to be Sworn in as President of the Catholic Lawyers Guild

Pamela Sakowicz Menaker, Communications Partner at Clifford Law Offices, will be sworn in as president of the Catholic Lawyers Guild May 1.

Justice Anne Burke of the Illinois Supreme Court will swear in Menaker and all of the officers at 5 p.m. at Jenner & Block, 343 Clark St., 45th Floor, Chicago.  The Very Rev. Gregory Sakowicz, Rector at Holy Name Cathedral and Pam’s brother, will give the opening prayer.  Registration for the meeting is free.

Rachel Barton Pine, internationally acclaimed violinist in Chicago, with her seven-year-old daughter Sylvia Pine will play a violin duet of the “Ave Maria.”  A reception will follow the event.

Twenty two members of the Board who will serve three-year terms also will be sworn in along with Vice President Kevin Murphy, Jenner & Block; Hon. Edward Washington II (ret.) of Nixon Peabody as Second Vice President; James Murray of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago as Secretary; and Treasurer T. Nicholas Tyszka who has offices in Chicago.  Immediate Past President is Sister Catherine M. Ryan of Maryville Academy, Chaplain Fr. Robert Cook and Associate Chaplain Deacon Daniel G. Welter of Holy Name Cathedral also will be sworn in.

Any member who joins or renews that evening may participate in a drawing for two Chicago Cubs tickets and four Chicago Sox tickets.  Annual membership dues are $75;  attorneys employed by government or legal aid agencies and those licensed for one to five years is $50.   Law students enrolled at an ABA accredited law school and recent law school graduates preparing to take the bar exam or are awaiting the results of the bar exam are free along with clergy and members of religious communities.

For more information, go to the CLG website at http://www.clgchicago.org/


Catholic Lawyers Guild Sponsors Intellectual Formation Event on the Death Penalty

Download Press Release: 2018 Intellectual Formation_Press Release

(CHICAGO, IL, September 2018)

The Catholic Lawyers Guild (CLG) of Chicago is sponsoring an Intellectual Formation program on the death penalty Nov. 9.

Speakers at “Death Penalty and the Development of the Doctrine: A Closer Look” will be the Hon. Thomas More Donnelly, Cook County Circuit Court, Law Division, and Fr. Javier del Castillo, Opus Dei Vicar of Midwest.

The hour-long program is fifth in a series on various topics and is open to all lawyers and judges. The free event that includes a continental breakfast will be held from 7:15-8:30 a.m. at Skadden Arps, 155 N. Wacker Dr., 28th Floor, Conference Room 316, Chicago. One hour of CLE credit is pending. Registration is required at www.clgmeeting.org.

For further information, contact Stephen A. Viz at sviz@foblaw.com or 312-644-1414.

###


2018 Red Mass and Reception

Download Press Release: 2018 Red Mass and Reception_Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago’s 2018 Red Mass and Reception Chicagoland lawyers, judges, law professionals and their friends and family – please join!

(CHICAGO, IL, June 2018) The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago would like to cordially invite all lawyers and judges, and law professionals to the 84th Annual Votive Red Mass of the Holy Spirit, traditionally known as the Red Mass. This year the Red Mass will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, with a procession of judges and lawyers starting the service down the aisle of Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N State St., Chicago.

The Red Mass is one of the largest gatherings for all members, their families, friends and guests. The homily will be offered by Rev. David Kelly, C.PP.S., Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation. A reception will follow just a few short blocks away at Loyola University’s Regents Hall, 111 E. Pearson, 16th Floor.A reception will follow just a few short blocks away at Loyola University’s Regents Hall, 111 E. Pearson, 16th Floor. Please consider joining us for the beautiful event.

The Catholic Lawyers Guild would also like to extend an invitation to all Chicagoland lawyers, judges, law professionals to join this vibrant, growing organization as a member. The close-knit group offers friendship, collegiality, spirituality and a further commitment to one’s profession through an organization whose mission is “to promote the social, intellectual, temporal and spiritual welfare of its members.”

In renewing one’s faith through this organization, members meet several times a year. First Friday of Prayer, Wills for Priests, our Young Lawyers Group, and Restorative Justice to help in the fight against violence in Chicago are just some of our current initiatives for those who would like to do more as a Catholic and a member of the legal profession.

If you have any questions or would like to join or attend any of these events, please contact Nicholas Ramirez at admin@clgchicago.org or visit clgchicago.org for more information.

###


Catholic Lawyers Guild to Sponsor Fourth Intellectual Formation Event on Human Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Catholic Lawyers Guild to Sponsor Fourth Intellectual Formation Event on Human Development

March 5, 2018

The Catholic Lawyers Guild (CLG) of Chicago is sponsoring the fourth in a series of Intellectual Formations on April 5 at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

The event, open to all lawyers and judges, will deal with the topic “Subsidiarity and Solidarity” that will look at human development and what law can do to aid subsidiarity and promote solidarity.

Speakers at the event will be Thomas Geoghegan, Shareholder, Despres, Schwartz and Geoghegan, Ltd., and Fr. Javier del Castillo, Opus Dei Vicar of Midwest.

The free event that includes a continental breakfast will be held from 7:15-8:30 a.m. at Skadden Arps, 155 N. Wacker Dr., 28th Floor, Conference Room 316, Chicago.  Registration is required at www.clgmeeting.org.

For further information, contact Stephen A. Viz at sviz@foblaw.com or 312-644-1414.

###


Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago Annual Meeting and Reception Tonight Includes Swearing in of New Officers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago Annual Meeting and Reception Tonight Includes Swearing in of New Officer

May 10, 2017

Hon. Timothy C. Evans, Chief Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court, will be swearing in the new officers tonight of the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago following the Annual Meeting at Jenner & Block.

Hon. Thomas More Donnelly Associate Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court’s Law Division is being sworn in as the 2017-18 President, succeeding Daniel R. Murray of Jenner & Block.  Other officers include Sister Catherine M. Ryan, O.S.F, First Vice President, and Pamela Sakowicz Menaker, Communications Partner at Clifford Law Offices, as Second Vice President.  Kevin J. Murphy, a litigation Associate at Jenner & Block, will be sworn in as Secretary and T. Nicholas Tyszka with offices in Chicago will be sworn in as Treasurer.

The meeting begins at 5 p.m. on the 45th floor of Jenner & Block, 343 S. Clark St. with a reception following the meeting. Twenty eight new members of the Board of Governors who will serve three-year terms also will be sworn in at tonight’s event.

###