Champions Reception Honorees

The Illinois Bar Foundation is proud to host periodic Champions Receptions (formerly known as Fellows Receptions), honoring attorneys around the state who embody the mission of the Illinois Bar Foundation through their leadership and dedication to the legal community.

Interested in nominating an attorney to be honored at a Champions Reception? Email IBFinfo@illinoisbarfoundation.org

Fiscal year 2024

Northern Illinois Champions Reception

April 18, 2024 | Elgin, Illinois

  • Justice Margaret J. Mullen (Illinois Appellate Court, 2nd District)
  • Susan M. Goldberg (Five Lakes Law Group)

Lawyers Care Reception

May 2, 2024 | Oak Brook, Illinois

  • Hon. Russell W. Hartigan (Circuit Court of Cook County, Ret.)
  • Michael J. Scalzo (Scalzo Law Offices)

Fiscal year 2023

Will County Champions Reception

May 24, 2023 | Joliet, Illinois

  • Justice Mary Kay O’Brien (Illinois Supreme Court)
  • Hon. Vincent F. Cornelius (12th Judicial Circuit Court of Will County)

Metro East Champions Reception

September 28, 2022 | Collinsville, Illinois

  • Dennis J. Orsey, ISBA President 2020-2021
  • Posthumously honoring Distinguished Champion & Past ISBA President Jack Carey

Fiscal year 2022

Midlothian Champions Reception

August 10, 2021 | Midlothian, Illinois

  • David B. Sosin, ISBA President 2019-2020
  • Distinguished Champion Hon. Dennis J. Burke, Ret.
  • Distinguished Champion Edward J. Burt

Fiscal year 2019

Central Illinois Champions Reception

April 18, 2019 | Bloomington, Illinois

  • William A. Allison (Allison & Mosby-Scott, Retired)
  • Darrel L. Hartweg (Hartweg, Turner, Wood and DeVary)
  • Guy C. Fraker (Law Office of Guy C. Fraker, P.C., Retired)
  • John R. Luedtke (Bank of Illinois, Retired)
  • Ralph Turner (Hartweg, Turner, Wood and deVary)

Kane County Champions Reception

January 22, 2019 | Geneva, Illinois

  • State Representative Steven A. Andersson (Illinois’ 65th Legislative District)

Fiscal year 2018

DeKalb County Champions Reception

May 17, 2018 | DeKalb, Illinois

  • Richard L. Turner, Jr. (Turner & Sackett, LLC)

Southern Illinois Champions Reception

May 10, 2018 | Carbondale, Illinois

  • Eugenia C. Hunter (Eugenia C. Hunter, Attorney at Law)
  • Posthumously honoring Hon. David W. Watt, Jr. (1st Judicial Circuit Court)

Fiscal year 2017

McHenry County Champions Reception

June 17, 2017 | Bull Valley, Illinois

  • Herbert H. Franks (Franks Gerkin McKenna)
  • Posthumously honoring Joseph Gitlin (The Gitlin Law Firm)

Rock Island County Champions Reception

April 27, 2017 | Coal Valley, Illinois

  • Robert T. Park (Califf & Harper, P.C.)
  • Posthumously honoring Martin H. Katz (Katz Nowinski P.C.)

Metro East Champions Reception

July 21, 2016 | Collinsville, Illinois

  • William Lucco (Lucco, Brown, Threlkeld & Dawson LLP)
  • Lois Wood (Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation)​

Fiscal year 2016

Lake County Champions Reception

January 26, 2016 | Gurnee, Illinois

  • Deborah Goldberg (Goldberg & Kane)
  • Bernard Wysocki (Wysocki & Smith)

Fiscal year 2015

McLean County Champoins Reception

April 30, 2015 | Bloomington, Illinois

  • Hon. Elizabeth Robb, Ret. (formerly Chief Judge of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Illinois)
  • Mike McElvain (Law Office of Mike McElvain)

DuPage County Champions Reception

February 26, 2016 | Naperville, Illinois

  • Joseph Mirabella Jr. (Mirabella Kincaid Frederick & Mirabella, LLC)
  • Christine M. Ory (Law Office of Christine M. Ory, P.C

Fiscal year 2014

Winnebago County Champions Reception

May 28, 2014 | Rockford, Illinois

  • Joe Dailing (Joseph A. Dailing, Attorney at Law),
  • Roberta “Bobbie” Holzwarth (HolmstromKennedyPC) &
  • Nancy Hyzer (Guyer & Enichen P.C.)

Kane County Champions Reception

May 22, 2014 | Geneva, Illinois

  • Patrick M. Kinnally (Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C.)
  • Susan W. Rogaliner (Susan W. Rogaliner, Attorney & Counselor at Law)

Peoria County Champions Reception

April 4, 2014 | Peoria, Illinois

  • Hon. John A. Gorman  (U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois)

Champaign County Champions Reception

November 20, 2o13 | Urbana, Illinois

  • Hon. Michael P. McCuskey (U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois)

Fiscal year 2013

Will County Champions Reception

April 25, 2013 | Joliet, Illinois

  • George F. Mahoney, III (Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, LLC)

Fiscal year 2012

Rock Island Champoins Reception

May 3, 2012 | Rock Island, Illinois

  • Justice Thomas L. Kilbride (Illinois Supreme Court)

Fiscal year 2011

DuPage County Champions Reception

April 21, 2011 |Naperville, Illinois

  • John B. Kincaid (Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC)

Fiscal year 2010

DuPage County Champions Reception

April 23, 2010 | Naperville, Illinois

  • Hon. William J. Bauer (Seventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals)
  • Posthumously honoring Ralph A. Gabric (Ralph A. Gabric & Associates)