By Josh Wolff
Law Clerk to Hon. Eileen O'Neill Burke, Illinois Appellate Court, First District
On Thursday, June 22, the Appellate Lawyers Association installed Evan Siegel as its 50th President. The installation luncheon was held at the Union League Club in Chicago and began with 49th President Joanne Driscoll's opening remarks, which also recapped a wonderful bar year for the ALA.
Following President Driscoll's remarks, Karen DeGrand introduced Evan, emphasizing how once he joined the ALA, he immediately became involved with the Association's events, including writing an opinion for the 2007 Moot Court Competition. Karen discussed how over the years, Evan had made a tremendous impact within the ALA, including most recently his push to improve the ALA's website and its social media presence. After speaking to Evan's various professional accomplishments, she described Evan out of the workplace as a world traveler, avid cyclist, family man and voracious reader. At the conclusion of her introduction, she swore Evan in as the ALA's 50th President.
Evan began his installation speech, thanking those in attendance for the privilege to serve as the ALA's President. Evan discussed his 12-year involvement with the ALA and some of the highlights of his experiences. He talked about the ALA's core components of collegiality, civility, and collaboration and how those components guide not only the ALA, but also the appellate law world.
Evan informed the ALA that his agenda for the upcoming bar year will focus on three main goals: (1) "continue to be engaged in the use of new technologies that modernize the practice of appellate law and bar association membership;" (2) "become an active partner with other bar associations;" and (3) "serve as a bridge between federal and state appeals practice, with a renewed emphasis on programming that informs and educates the bar about the workings of the Seventh Circuit and the Illinois Supreme Court."
Evan also previewed three events for the upcoming bar year. On October 20, the ALA will host a program on the Seventh Circuit’s recent major decisions, featuring Judge Gary Feinerman of the Northern District of Illinois, Michael Scodro, partner at Mayer Brown, and David Franklin, Illinois Solicitor General. On November 15, the ALA will host "Patterns and Practice: How Analyzing the Illinois Supreme Court Can Boost Your Appeals,” an event featuring Kirk Jenkins, who uses analytics to study and explain the workings of the Illinois Supreme Court and other courts of final appeal in the nation’s largest states. On December 7, the ALA will host a roundtable luncheon featuring the Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court.
Evan's installation was also featured in the
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (behind a paywall).
Everyone in the ALA looks forward to another successful bar year with Evan as our president. We also thank Joanne Driscoll immensely for her contributions this past year, as well as everyone else in the ALA who contributed.
