WASHINGTON, D.C., July 16, 2018 — Securing U.S. elections from cyberattacks, the implications of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, and solutions to the opioid crisis in Illinois and beyond are chief among issues of local interest that will be explored at the 2018 American Bar Association Annual Meeting Aug. 2-7 in Chicago.
High-profile speakers at the meeting include Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein of the U.S. Department of Justice (Aug. 2, 4:30 p.m.); Chicago lawyer Tina Tchen, founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund (Aug. 2, 2:30 p.m.); former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. and President Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (Aug. 4, 8 p.m.); and Executive Director Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of “Just Mercy” (Aug. 4, 5 p.m.).
The conference will also feature several notable local speakers, including Archbishop Blase Cupich (Aug. 3, 3:30 p.m.) on capital punishment; Chicago lawyers Tina Tchen, founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund (Aug. 2., 2:30 p.m.) and EEOC Chicago District Director Julianne Bowman (Aug. 3, 10 a.m.) on the after-effects of recent sexual harassment movements; Chicago Board of Elections Executive Director Lance Gough (Aug. 3, 2:30 p.m.) on securing Illinois elections from cyberattacks; and Illinois Dept. of Health Director Nirav Shaw with the Chicago-based leaders of the American Dental Association (Dave Preble) and the American Academy of Periodontology (Eileen Gallagher) (Aug. 3, 9 a.m.) on their proposal for a multidisciplinary approach to address the state’s opioid problem.
Moreover, the ABA will unveil a newly developed tool for law enforcement that translates the Miranda Warning into Spanish and potentially other languages. It was developed locally by the Chicago-based ABA and the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design and is now being tested by the New Orleans police department. The program takes place on Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency East Tower.
In addition to the more than 1,000 events at this premier gathering of legal professionals, the ABA House of Delegates — the association’s policymaking body — will meet at 9 a.m. on Aug. 6-7 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago Grand Ballroom (East Tower). For details on the proposals for debate and vote during the two-day session, click here.
Online registration is available for news reporters. Credential guidelines are here.
Programs of local interest include:
Thursday, Aug. 2
“Exposed: Privacy, Security and the Smart City” — A panel of noted academics – Lori B. Andrews and Richard Warner of Chicago-Kent College of Law, Robert Sloan of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Aaron K. Tantleff of Foley & Lardner LLP – will explore the legal issues created by the ubiquity of electronic surveillance in “smart” cities such as Chicago. Panelists will analyze the balance between privacy and the benefits of the gathered information and will discuss the control we have and should have over our information.
10:30 a.m.-noon, Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 West Adams, ROOM?
“Model Rule 8.4 – Update, Discussion and Best Practices in a #MeToo World” — As national awareness on workplace sexual harassment grows, panelists – including Executive Director Jayne R. Reardon of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism – will examine the implications of the strengthening in 2016 of Model Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4 on attorney misconduct. Speakers will update on state-by-state adoption of the rule, enforcement, conflicts with implementation and its application to harassing attorneys.
1:15-2:45 p.m., American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark St., 21st Floor, Board Rooms
“#MeToo, Time’s Up – Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” — A panel that will include Chicago lawyer Tina Tchen, founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, will examine the implications of the “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements on the entertainment industry, legal profession and corporate America. Topics will include how sexual harassment claims against high-profile executives are being handled, workplace measures that can protect victims and the reaction of the legal community to the new awareness of the problem, such as increased pro bono support, emerging law practice areas that address employer response to harassment and the federal judiciary’s evaluation of its code of conduct and procedures for investigating inappropriate behavior.
2:30-4 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Grand Ballroom A/B/C/D
“Cyberattacks and the Courts – What Attorneys Should Know to Protect Sensitive Client Information” — The underfunded computer networks of state and federal courts are under daily cyberattack. Panelists – including Director Marcia M. Meis of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Asst. U.S. Attorney Shoba Pillay of the Northern District of Illinois and U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve of the Northern Division of Illinois – will discuss the necessary overdue upgrades to these networks and the implications of regular breaches, answering questions such as: Why are the courts under attack? What damage has been sustained? How can we protect the data? Who is liable? And, can we mitigate risk in an affordable way?
3:30-5 p.m., Swissotel Chicago, Ballroom Level, Lucerne Ballroom I
“Has the Death Penalty Become an Anachronism?” — Panelists – including Archbishop Blase Cupich of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and Meredith Martin Rountree of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law – will discuss how our laws should evolve in the face of today’s death penalty practices. Can we design a system that ensures fairness and reflects our modern morals?
3:30-5 p.m., Swissotel Chicago, Event Centre, 2nd Floor, Vevey 3/4
“Investigations and Prosecutions Galore: The New Normal In Today’s Communities” — Experts—Sergeant Patrick J. Collins of the South Chicago Police Station, U.S. Attorney John Lausch Jr. of Northern District of Illinois, Chief Counsel Lisa Marie Noller of Boeing, Gil M. Soffer of Katten Muchin Rosenman and Julie B. Porter of Salvatore Prescott & Porter – will lead a town hall discussion on the increasing nationwide prevalence of criminal investigations, which implicate all manner of public and private behavior – including police misconduct, sexual harassment and corporate misdeeds—and often result in criminal prosecution, civil enforcement actions and employee discipline. The panel will provide insight on the ethics, challenges and best practices of conducting investigations in today’s divisive, heated environment.
5:30-6:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Columbus Hall EF
“Climate Resilience and Adaptation” — Panelists – including Brian Daly of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning – will examine how areas like Illinois, which has the 6th largest population residing in coastal shoreline counties by state, will manage the impact of climate change, such as repeated flooding. Panelists will forecast issues through the lens of responses implemented in areas like the Isle de Jean Charles in Louisiana, where there is a massive, federally sponsored relocation effort underway.
5:30-6:45 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Grand Suite 3
Friday, Aug. 3
“Opioids: A Multi-Disciplinary Discussion on Cause, Effect & Solutions” — The abuse of opioids in Illinois has reached epidemic proportions in the past few years. Director Nirav Shaw of the Illinois Department of Health, Dave Preble of the American Dental Association and Eileen Gallagher of the American Academy of Periodontology will explain the multi-disciplinary approach necessary to tackle the opioid epidemic in the state and the rest of the nation.
9-10:30 a.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, West Tower, Concourse Level, Comiskey
“The Changing World of Harassment and Discrimination” — The #MeToo movement has resulted in an uptick in sexual harassment claims and has prompted employers to change their policies and training. Panelists – including District Director Julianne Bowman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Chicago and Chicago employment lawyer Lori L. Deem of Outten & Golden – will discuss the appropriate mindset for employers and the effective strategies to be used to prevent and address these claims.
10-11:15 a.m., Swissotel Chicago, Event Centre, 2nd Floor, Vevey 3/4
“Social Media, Security and Election Law” — How can we protect our electoral process from global cybersecurity threats? Experts – including Executive Director Lance Gough of the Chicago Board of Elections – will share best practices developed by the U.S. Election Commission, National Institute on Standards & Technology and other global organizations to secure the integrity of elections in America and abroad. Topics include the threat landscape, cybersecurity election infrastructure and cyber-risk management across national borders.
2:30-4 p.m., American Bar Association, 321 N Clark St., 21st Floor, Board Rooms South/Center
“Concert for the Legal Services Corporation - It Is Only Fair 2” – Noted Chicago-based performers from Broadway, cabaret and local companies will perform to raise awareness for the need for legal aid from the Legal Services Corporation, which helps provide access to justice to millions of low-income Americans.
4-5:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Grand Ballroom A/B/C/D
Saturday, Aug. 4
“Justice Hack Chicago: Reimagining the Relationship Between Law Enforcement & Communities” — A hackathon will bring together local multidisciplinary teams of community, legal, law enforcement, criminal justice and technology stakeholders in a collaborative environment to develop technology-based solutions to address tension points between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
8 a.m.-6 p.m., John Marshall Law School, 315 S. Plymouth Court, Lobby check-in
“Families on the Precipice: Navigating the Separation, Detention and Reunification of Families at the U.S. Border” – Despite President Trump’s June 20 executive order to end the separation of families at the U.S. border, the prospect of prolonged family detention and the lack of an effective system to reunite those families already divided remain. Panelists –including Executive Director Maria Woltjenfrom of the University of Chicago’s Young Center for Immigrant Rights and Associate Professor Uzoamaka Emeka Nzelibe of the Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law – will discuss what lawyers can do to help, the rights of parents and their children, the immigration court system and the ongoing failure of the government to return separated children to their parents unless they submit to deportation.
9-10 a.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, West Tower, Concourse Level, Comiskey
“The Miranda Warnings Project: You Have the Right to Innovate” — Representatives from the Chicago-based ABA, Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design and New Orleans police department, will share their mobile tool prototype that provides pre-recorded Miranda Warning translations in Spanish and potentially other languages for police usage. Speakers, including IIT’s Jeremy Alexis, will share how this court-certified, plain-language tool can be implemented nationwide to better ensure that criminal suspects understand their rights.
2-4 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Columbus Hall IJ
“General Assembly” — Executive Director Bryan A. Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of “Just Mercy” will receive the ABA Medal, the association’s highest honor and will keynote this assembly. The Chicago Mass Choir and other local talent will provide entertainment.
4:30-6:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Grand Ballroom
Sunday, Aug. 5
Awards Honoring Accomplishments of Women Lawyers — The ABA Margaret Brent Awards Luncheon will honor Chicago lawyer Eileen M. Letts of Zuber Lawler & Del Duca LLP and other female attorneys for their accomplishments in the legal profession. The award is named for Margaret Brent (1601-71), the first woman lawyer in America.
11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower, Ballroom Level, Grand Ballroom
Reporters may pick up their press badges at the meeting registration area Grand Registration North of the Hyatt Regency Chicago (Ballroom level, East Tower). During the Annual Meeting, a press room for accredited journalists will be open at Grand Ballroom C/D North of the Hyatt Regency Chicago (Ballroom level, East Tower), starting at 9 a.m. on Aug. 2. Thereafter the press room will be open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will close one hour after the House of Delegates adjourns on Aug. 7.
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