We are pleased to announce that William Powers was awarded his Paralegal Certificate from Loyola University Chicago and is now a full-fledged Paralegal for VAB. Congrats, Will! We’re so proud of you.
VAB Supports the Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) as Part of NAMWOLF's Month of Service
Yesterday was a good day. hashtag#VABLaw got to have a wonderful day out of the office, volunteering at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) as part of National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF)’s June Month of Service! Thank you Safe Humane Chicago for hosting us (and for all that you and your volunteers do every day at CACC!) and thank you Jennifer Novoselsky for organizing this meaningful service project and William Powers for all of your assistance with the logistics.
VAB team members Octavia, Maria, Amy, Natalie, Hilary, Lance, Erica, Sandy, Lydia and Jennifer joined up with attorneys and summer associates from Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres, as well as with NAMWOLF team members Jane Kalata, Sherisse Rodriguez and Andrea Torres.
We were all able to socialize with the dogs and cats, help with some tasks around the shelter, and learn about ways to amplify the good work being done at CACC and Safe Humane Chicago. And boy did we meet some wonderful dogs and cats looking for a home – check out the CACC Dogs https://lnkd.in/gWFiUSPi and CACC Cats https://lnkd.in/g8xviGxZ and see for yourself!
Good people doing good work, at a shelter that takes all, including some of the most vulnerable (and sweet) animals throughout the city. Thank you for having us!
VAB Hosts & Co-Sponsors the NAMWOLF & CBF Investing in Justice Campaign Event
The power of community on display - loved the coming together of Chicago-area National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) members and the The Chicago Bar Foundation to support the Investing in Justice campaign!
Thank you to all the firm hosts: CM Law Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres Johnson, Blumberg & Associates, LLC Flener IP & Business Law Wang Austin LLC Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. Zuber Lawler and Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel, P.C. For sponsoring the event!
And thank you to Laura Stein and Leslie Davis for your inspiring words.
Access to justice and service to the law.
Onward!
Aurora Austriaco Named Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association House of Delegates
We are immensely proud to announce that our founding shareholder, Aurora Austriaco, has been named Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association House of Delegates!
As Chair for the legal profession’s ultimate policy-making body, Aurora will soon lead nearly 600 delegates in shaping the standards and policies that govern the practice of law across the nation. The House of Delegates drafts, presides and votes on resolutions at the Annual and Midyear Meetings that establish Association policy on professional and public issues.
Aurora’s election is a testament to her career-long dedication to bar leadership and her vision for a more inclusive, effective legal community. Congratulations, Aurora, on this historic achievement!
What a way to kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
VAB Supports and Attends the BWLA Spring Fundraiser Luncheon
VAB was proud to celebrate the "Enduring Legacy" of leadership in Chicago at the BLACK WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER CHICAGO INC Spring Fundraiser Luncheon. It was an honor to see nearly $50K in scholarships awarded to six incredible law students—congratulations to the next generation of legal talent!
We were especially proud to cheer on friend of the firm and Chief Legal Officer of Nobel Schools Gina B. Lawrence as she accepted the 2026 Enduring Legacy Award.
Representing #VABLaw were Scholarship Fund Board Member Deborah Imafidon, BWLA Member Hilary Allen, and Reena Sikdar. We are proud to continue our support of this essential organization and its mission.
VAB Welcomes Associate Natalie Gastevich
VAB is pleased to announce that Natalie Gastevich is joining the firm as an Associate. We’re thrilled to have Natalie on our team, where she will work on commercial litigation and real estate matters.
Welcome Natalie!
Lydia Bueschel Elected to Serve as Vice-Chair of NAMWOLF Board of Directors
Big news! Lydia Bueschel has been elected Vice-Chair of the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Board!
From her first NAMWOLF meeting in 2017 to this well-deserved leadership role today, Lydia has been passionate about this organization and its mission. We couldn’t be prouder!
VAB Supports 2026 Project Law Track
VAB is proud to support the 2026 Project Law Track!
This March, we joined the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago & Northwest Indiana to help inspire girls to pursue careers in law. A huge shoutout to our own Erica Byrd for co-chairing the event and Amy Sorenson for volunteering!
Seeing the talent and passion in these future lawyers was the highlight of our weekend.
Our local ABC News affiliate did a great job reporting on the event. Check that out here: https://lnkd.in/gzEJ7NAx
VAB Attends and Presents at the 2026 NAMWOLF Spring Meeting
That’s a wrap on another engaging National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Meeting!
Team VAB was out in full force, with Lydia Bueschel, Hilary Allen, Lance Willoughby-Hudson, Jennifer Novoselsky, and Sandy Morris all in Nashville to represent the firm.
Thank you to The Emerging Leaders Initiative, which asked Lydia to share her expertise on their panel discussing the vital skills of giving and receiving feedback.
To everyone who made this meeting so meaningful, THANK YOU. We’re already looking forward to the Annual Meeting in our very own Chicago!
VAB Supports Black Futures
This month VAB Law is proud to highlight the work our team members are doing in the community to support Black women embarking on bright futures:
Our very own Deborah Imafidon is a dedicated member of the BLACK WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND Board and recently co-chaired their gala, which provides vital financial support to aspiring Black women law students.
We also want to celebrate LaWanda May, MSHR’s commitment to Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she is a member (pictured here with her daughter, Nia, who is a youth affiliate of the Sorority). LaWanda has been dedicated to their mission of enhancing the quality of life within the community through service and education for 26 years!
Happy Black History Month and here's to Black Futures!
Congratulations to Team Members Named as 2025 Leading Lawyers!
Way to go team! VABLaw's Susan Valentine, Lydia Bueschel, Erica Byrd, Sandy Morris, Reena Sikdar and Jennifer Novoselsky were all selected this year Leading Lawyers for the year 2025 by leadinglawyers.com. Leading Lawyers are recommended by their peers to be among the TOP LAWYERS in a given practice area. Less than 5% of all lawyers licensed in each state have received this distinction. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/eKnfWErM
VAB Celebrates Our 2026 Super Lawyers
A VABulous round of applause to Susan Valentine, Aurora Austriaco, Lydia Bueschel, Sandy Morris, Erica Byrd and Jennifer Novoselsky for being included on the "Illinois Super Lawyers" list and to Reena Sikdar, Deborah Imafidon and Preslav Mantchev for their inclusion on the "Illinois Rising Stars" list!
VAB Welcomes Preslav Mantchev
VAB Law is pleased to announce that Preslav Mantchev is joining the firm as an Associate. We’re thrilled to have Preslav on our commercial litigation team, where he litigates and arbitrates financial disputes.
Welcome Preslav!
VAB Welcomes Lance Willoughby-Hudson & William Powers
Please help us welcome Lance Willoughby-Hudson who joins us as an Associate focusing on Internal Investigations and William Powers who will be our Legal and Office Assistant. We’re thrilled both of you have joined theVAlaw team!
VAB Sends Thanks and Best Wishes to Summer Intern Noah Jackson
A big thank you to Noah Jackson for serving as our summer intern in 2025! Noah wrapped up his work with VAB on Friday and returns this week to Howard University for his Senior year, majoring in journalism with a minor in economics. Noah performed wonderful work for VAB on a number of substantive research and writing assignments, firm presentations, and administrative projects. We wish you the best this year and beyond, Noah – any law school would be lucky to have you enter as a first year student in fall 2026!
Welcome Octavia King as Billing Specialist and Bookkeeper
#VABLaw is thrilled to add Billing Specialist and Bookkeeper Octavia King to our small but mighty administrative team. She brings large law firm experience and a winning attitude, making her a VABulous fit for our practice. Welcome Octavia!
Welcome New Associate Jack Casey
#VABLaw is pleased to announce that Jack Casey is joining their growing team. Jack’s experience with the City of Chicago Department of Law will allow him to hit the ground running as he joins VAB’s commercial litigation and internal investigations practice groups. Welcome Jack!
Sandy Morris DRI 2025 Employment & Labor Law Seminar Program Chair
#VABLaw is happy to announce that we are sponsoring DRI’s 2025 Employment and Labor Law Seminar! Our very own Sandy Morris has been working hard in her role as a Program Chair.
Welcome Partner Jennifer Novoselsky
We are thrilled to announce that this powerhouse will be joining our team! Jennifer Novoselsky joins VABLaw as a Partner. Jen is an experienced litigator who handles commercial, financial, and securities litigation and arbitrations.
Jen defends financial institutions and public and private corporations in a variety of commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts, including claims for securities fraud, defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, business torts, and violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act. Jen also has extensive experience representing broker-dealer firms in FINRA arbitrations, serving as lead counsel in more than 50 proceedings in the past 5 years. She handles industry and customer disputes, including those involving claims for fraud, unsuitability, churning, unauthorized trading, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent supervision, and Form U-5 expungements with claims for defamation and/or tortious interference.
Welcome Hillary Allen
VAB Law is pleased to welcome our new Associate Hilary Allen! Before joining VAB, Hilary worked as an Associate on Complex Commercial Litigation matters at Honigman LLP. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where she served as Co-President of the Reproductive Rights and Justice Society, and on the Deans’ Advisory Committee for the Black Law Students Association. Hilary worked for the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic and the Community Enterprise Clinic while in law school.
VAB is thrilled to have you on our team, Hilary!
