The mission of the Mental Health Law Section is:
- To review proposed and existing statutes, legislation, rules and court decisions affecting persons with mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders and make recommendations to the Board of Governors concerning these matters.
- To provide training and education to lawyers concerning the interaction between mental illness and the law and legal practice.
- To provide information to mental health professionals and the public concerning laws and rules affecting persons with mental illnesses.
- To collaborate with other professional and advocacy organizations to promote awareness of mental illnesses and mental health and to increase mental health services
The Human Rights Section Council: educates the people of Illinois about their human rights and the human rights of others; informs the people of Illinois about the impact on such rights by existing or proposed laws, and the policies and actions of governments or other actors; assists the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) membership in understanding and protecting the human rights of their clients; encourages solidarity between the Illinois bar and all members of the national and international legal profession as a means of strengthening human rights and the rule of law; advises the ISBA on issues related to human rights; and promotes the legal recognition and protection of human rights.
The Committee's mission is: to educate attorneys, judges, and members of the public about the law as it relates to racial and ethnic minority groups; to monitor and comment upon proposed legislation, administrative rules, and judicial decisions that uniquely affect racial and ethnic minority groups; to gather and centralize resources on other issues impacting racial and ethnic minorities and to serve as a voice to the ISBA, the legal profession, and society at large on those issues; and to further the professional development and inclusion of minority attorneys and law students, as well as practitioners who serve minority clients, by creating programming and other resources to support their professional needs.
The mission of ISBA Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is: to educate attorneys, judges, the Association, and members of the general public about the law as it relates to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ("LGBT") persons; to promote the fair and equal treatment of LGBT individuals by identifying the types of discrimination that LGBT persons experience and pursuing appropriate forms of education, legislation, and advocacy to eliminate such discrimination; and to further the professional development of LGBT attorneys and law students, as well as practitioners who serve LGBT clients, by creating programming, mentoring opportunities, and other resources that support their professional needs and interests.
The mission of the ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law is: to study and to focus on areas of law uniquely affecting women; assess, design, and implement programs designed to satisfy womens unmet legal needs; study and recommend legislation uniquely affecting women; provide a forum for action relating to women's issues; and explore ways to encourage women in their involvement in the legal community at all levels.
Local Bar Associations
The Arab American Bar Association of Illinois is a professional association of attorneys dedicated to the rule of law, equal justice, fellowship, legal education, and community service. We are firmly committed to the principle of quality legal representation for all, regardless of background. Membership is open to any licensed attorney or law student sharing in our goals, regardless of ancestry, race, color or creed.
Our mission includes promoting the professional growth of our members; mentoring law students and new lawyers, providing services to our local community; fostering the exchange of ideas and information among our members and community leaders; partnering with other minority organizations on common matters of concern; and offering policy recommendations on legal, social, political, and economic interests significant to our community. Please see our committees below.
The nation’s oldest association of African-American lawyers and judges in the country. For over 100 years, the CCBA has aggressively supported the civil, political, and economic rights of the Black community and its members.
LAGBAC is one of the largest and most well-respected LGBTQ+ bar organizations in the country, based in Chicago and Chicago’s surrounding areas. Its members include lawyers, judges and other elected officials, law students, and other legal professionals. Since 1987, LAGBAC has united and strengthened the LGBTQ+ legal community by:
- providing its members vast social and networking opportunities;
- presenting hundreds of hours-worth of continuing legal education;
- granting scholarships to law students;
- working with Lambda Legal, the Public Interest Law Initiative, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, and other organizations, to connect students with internships in their areas of interest;
- offering mentoring to students and young lawyers; and
- evaluating candidates for judicial office as a member of the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening.
Established in 1997, the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago is the nation’s oldest regional Muslim bar association. Our members include accomplished attorneys, law professors, judges, and law students. Our mission is to foster the highest ethics, integrity, and honor of the legal profession, and to advance and improve the administration of justice for all Americans.
The Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois (PRBA) is a not-for-profit entity that was established in 1994 to address issues affecting the Latino lawyers and the Latino community.
Our mission includes promoting the professional growth of our members; mentoring law students and new lawyers, providing services to our local community; and partnering with other minority organizations.
The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois was founded to promote the interests and welfare of women lawyers in 1914. For over 100 years, we’ve been doing exactly that to build a bright future for female attorneys in our state. Throughout the year, we host social, educational, and philanthropic events for our members that keep our purpose in mind. Ranging from new attorneys to those who are established in their careers, we encourage friendship and camaraderie among our members while promoting and protecting the interests and rights of women.