OPENING ADDRESS:
Justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow, first women to be elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1992.
(Justice McMorrow will share her insights on the changes in the profession she has seen throughout her career.)

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Laurel Bellows, principal at Bellows & Bellows, P.C., and immediate past Chair of the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession.  
Where We Were, Where We Are, and Where We're Going.
(A look at the history of women in the legal profession; understanding where women stand in the legal profession today; and how women can effectively bring about change in society and the law through the American legal system.)

PANEL:
Legal Perspectives: From the Bench.
(Hear from prominent female judges about their experiences on the bench, including changes in the profession that they've witnessed during their careers and whether being a woman has influenced their experiences.)
 
SPEAKERS:
    Judge Consuelo Bedoya, Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, 2nd Municipal District.
    Judge Anne M. Burke, Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, 4th Division.
    Judge Jacqueline P. Cox, Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, Law Division.
    Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer, Executive Magistrate Judge, US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner, Judge, US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.
Moderator: Sharon Eiseman, partner at Ancel Glink Diamond Cope & Bush, P.C., and Second Vice-President of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
Feminist Jurisprudence: Balancing Feminist Theory and the Practice of Law.
(A focus on how different feminist theories relate to the practice of law, not only by women but for women, and how feminist theory can help identify legal solutions to particular women's issues.)
 
SPEAKERS:
    Professor Cynthia Grant Bowman, Professor at Northwestern University School of Law and co-author of the new book,  "Feminist Jurisprudence: Taking Women Seriously."
    Professor Cheryl I. Harris, Associate Professor of Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law.
    Professor Morrison Torrey, Professor at DePaul University College of Law and co-author of the new book, "Feminist Jurisprudence: Taking Women Seriously."
Moderator: Professor Katharine Baker, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Sweaty Palms: Women's Networking Strategies.
(A focus on when, where, why and how to network effectively in various personal and professional settings, whether your goal is creating employment opportunities, rainmaking, or just adding to your own circle of support contacts.)
 
SPEAKERS:
    Susan Fox Gillis, Associate at Schoen & Smith, Ltd. and president-elect of the National Association of Women Lawyers.
    Yvonne Owens, founder of Owens & Associates, P.C. and president of the Black Women's Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago.
    Stephanie A. Scharf, partner at Jenner & Block.
Moderator: Stephanie Rever Chu, Executive Director of Career Services, Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Legal Perspectives: Issues of Bodily Integrity.
(A focus on the current issues of changing laws concerning domestic violence and child custody matters in same-sex parent adoptions.)

SPEAKERS:
    Rosemary Mulryan, founder, Mulryan and York.
    Pamela Paziotopoulos, Supervisor, Domestic Violence Unit, Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
    Mary S. Trew, Executive Director of Pro Bono Advocates/Legal Advocacy for Women.
Moderator: Professor Michele Baker Richardson, Chicago-Kent College of Law.
 
Legal Perspectives: Women in the Workplace.
(A focus on employment issues as they apply to women entering the field of law, such as inappropriate interview questions, balancing family and work, sexual harassment and advancement opportunities.)

SPEAKERS:
    Lori D. Ecker, Law Offices of Lori D. Ecker.
    Margaret Herbert, Administrative Law Judge, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
    Marcia Andersen Mahoney, partner, Seyfarth Shaw Fairweather & Geraldson.
Moderator: Professor Jennifer Levi, Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Other Voices: Equality and the Law.
(A focus on the representation of persons and the provision of legal resources to persons who have historically been denied full access to the legal system.)

SPEAKERS: 
    Judge Lynne Kawamoto, Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, Child Protection Division.
    Elizabeth Loredo Rivera, Assistant State's Attorney/Deputy Director-Community Prosecutions, Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
    Lynne Sered, Legal Director, American Jewish Congress.
Moderator: Nancy Hablutzel, Education Advisor to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for the Cook County North Region.

The Next Step:  Women in Politics.
(A focus on the representation of women in the political arena, the influence, if any, of gender on one's political career, and the various routes to political office.)

SPEAKERS:
    Professor Dawn Clark Netsch, Northwestern University School of Law, former state Comptroller, legislator, and 1994 Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
    Commissioner Maria Pappas, Cook County Commissioner.
    Treasurer Miriam Santos, City of Chicago Treasurer.
Moderator:  Professor Joan Steinman, Chicago-Kent College of Law.