Northwest Suburban Bar Association Judges' Night 2017
The Honorable Mark J. Lopez was honored at The Northwest Suburban Bar Association Judges' Night on May 4, 2017. Two hundred attorneys and Illinois Supreme Court, Appellate Court and Cook County Circuit Court judges were in attendance at Café Le Cave in Des Plaines, where Judge Lopez received the Northwest Suburban Bar Association's 2017 Public Service Award.
Each year, the NWSBA selects a judge to receive the NWSBA Public Service Award, and Judge Lopez, who is known to be a calm force in his courtroom, and a judicial member that treats lawyers and litigants with respect, earned this accolade.
"I was humbled to be the Northwest Suburban Bar Association's Public Service Award recipient this year. It is a beautiful award and is already on display in my chambers. I appreciate both the recognition and the opportunity to publically thank many who have helped me during my legal and judicial career. It was a very memorable evening to share with all the family, friends and colleagues in attendance, and I will always cherish the experience," said Judge Lopez.
The NWSBA Judges' night is a unique event that allows attorneys and judges to mingle in a relaxed atmosphere.
"Judges and attorneys socializing away from courtrooms allow for deeper and more meaningful relationships to develop between the judiciary and the Bar. I am extremely grateful to all of the judges and attorneys who attended and helped make this event so special," said Natasha Adler, NWSBA Co-Chair of this event.
This event appeals to the judges as well as the lawyers that attend.
"I have been attending the NWSBA Judges' Night since 1978. This night is a great equalizer of the local Bar. Judges return to their roots as local lawyers, which they should never forget," said Judge Hyman Reibman, Third District Circuit Court Judge.
The other highlight of Judges' Night is the award of the Timothy C. Evans scholarship, which was established to honor the commitment and dedication that the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Timothy C. Evans has devoted to the Northwest Suburban Bar Association and to the community of Cook County.
The recipient of the 2017 Honorable Timothy C. Evans Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 was Michael Johnson, a current law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
"I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the NWSBA. The camaraderie amongst the Bar and the Bench alike was truly something special - my mom and I were honored to be in such distinguished company for the evening," said Johnson.
Additionally, when a student from Loyola University Chicago School of Law is awarded an outside scholarship, the school contributes to the award, in this case, $2,500.
"Loyola University Chicago is delighted to assist the Timothy C. Evans scholarship funding of our law student. We also appreciate the support that this scholarship provides for law students to assist in defraying the cost of a legal education," said Pamela Bloomquist, Assistant Dean, JD Admission and Financial Assistance, Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Co-Chairs of this year's Judges' Night were Natasha Adler, Miriam Cooper and Michael Rothmann.
The corporate sponsors for this year's event were Waltz, Palmer & Dawson, LLC and The Law Office of Miriam Cooper. Stephen Daday, Klein, Daday, Aretos & Donoghue, LLC and Alan H. Shifrin, LLC were member sponsors.
For more information, contact: Paula Krueger, PR Specialist, Northwest Suburban Bar Association at (847) 221-2601.