VAB Law was honored to sponsor the 2026 Diversity Scholarship Foundation, NFP’s Unity Gala and Award Ceremony. The DSF's mission is to promote the goal of advancing diversity within the legal community. To fulfill its mission, DSF seeks to financially assist underprivileged and under-represented minorities in attending law school by offering them scholarships. DSF’s reach goes outside of the Chicago area helping aspiring students in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa. We are especially proud of VAB Partner, Erica Byrd's work as Co-Chair of the Scholarship Committee! VAB Shareholder, Aurora Austriaco also helps to support the cause by serving on the Board of DFS. We were excited to bring as our guests Sarah Vehlow of Wintrust Bank Chicago and Suhana Patel, an aspiring law student. In addition to Erica and Aurora and our wonderful guests, VAB team members Susan Valentine, Reena Sikdar, Jennifer Novoselsky, Lance Willoughby-Hudson, Jack Casey and LaWanda May, MSHR were there to support this worthy cause and celebrate the recipients. Congratulations to all of the 2026 recipients of the DFS scholarships!
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 Sponsors the BEDS Plus Inc. 2025 Soup & Bread Benefit
We were honored to sponsor and attend this year's SOUP & BREAD event benefiting BEDS Plus Inc. last weekend! Their mission is to help vulnerable individuals stabilize their lives through housing and supportive services. hashtag#VABLaw's Susan Valentine continues to serve as their Board Vice President and greatly appreciates everyone who attended and supported this fundraiser.
Learn more about Beds Plus Care at: https://beds-plus.org/
7 VAB Attorneys Included on the 2025 Illinois Super Lawyers/Rising Stars Lists
A #VABulous round of applause to Susan Valentine, Aurora Austriaco, Lydia Bueschel, Sandy Morris and Erica Byrd for being included on the "Illinois Super Lawyers" list and to Reena Sikdar and Deborah Imafidon for their inclusion on the 2025 "Illinois Rising Stars" list!
5 VAB Lawyers Selected as 2025 Leading Lawyers by leadinglawyers.com
Way to go team! hashtag#VABLaw's Susan Valentine, Lydia Bueschel, Erica Byrd and Sandy Morris were all selected as 2025 Leading Lawyers by leadinglawyers.com, with Aurora Austriaco receiving the added honor of being asked to serve as an Advisory Board Member. 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
2024 VAB Super Lawyers
2024 is already looking #VABulous! Congratulations to Susan Valentine, Aurora Austriaco, Lydia Bueschel, and Sandy Morris who have been included on the 2024 "Illinois Super Lawyers" list. We are also very excited to report that Reena Sikdar and Deborah Seriki have been included on the 2024 "Illinois Rising Stars" list.
VAB’s 2023 Super Lawyers
Susan Valentine Shares Her Best Professional Advice with NAMWOLF
As sponsors of the 2021 NAMWOLF Virtual Annual Meeting, VAB's Susan Valentine was asked to participate in a video social media campaign where she was asked what the best piece of professional advice she's ever received.
Susan Valentine Panelist on NAMWOLF Trials PAC CLE Discussing Witness Prep Dos and Dont's
VAB shareholder Susan Valentine and fellow litigation experts, Barry Parsons, Howard Rosenblum, Lisa Messner and Rovin Rozario walked participants through how to identify the right expert witness, when the process should start, how to prepare an expert, and how to challenge the other side’s expert. This webinar was hosted by the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) and organized by the Trials Practice Area Committee.
Susan Valentine Co-Presenter on Panel Discussing Persuasive Brief Writing on the topic of "Style"
Susan Valentine co-presenting part II of the Financial Poise and West LegalEdcenter™ “Persuasive Brief Writing” webinar series, entitled "Style." This webinar explored best practices for structuring and organizing briefs, including how to most effectively frame arguments, use authority and find a winning theme. It also took a fresh look at an old law school war horse -- : I(ssue) R(ule) (A)nalysis C(onclusion) – one of the few rules in life from which there’s virtually never cause to deviate.
Congratulations to out 2021 Super Lawyers & Rising Stars
We are excited to announce that VAB attorneys have been included on the Illinois Super Lawyers (or Rising Star) list for 2021. Congrats to Susan Valentine (Business Litigation), Aurora Austriaco (Real Estate: Business), Lydia Bueschel (General Litigation), Sandy Morris (Business Litigation & Employment Litigation: Defense), and Elisa Wesche (Business Litigation). Super indeed! #VABulous
Susan Valentine Panelist on Financial Poise Webinar Entitled, "Persuasive Brief Writing 2021"
VAB shareholder Susan Valentine was be one of the five panelists who presented on the subject of persuasive brief writing on Thursday at 1:00 PM CST.
Other panelists included Robert Michaels (Environmental Law & Policy Center); Stephen Brodsky (Kaufman Dolowich Voluck LLP); and Gerald Meyer (MoloLamken LLP).
The Financial Poise Webinar was described as:
“Unclear and unpersuasive legal writing often comes from undeveloped analysis and undisciplined organization. This webinar explores best practices for structuring and organizing briefs, including how to most effectively frame and sequence arguments, use authority, and find a winning theme. It also takes a fresh look at an old law school war horse: I(ssue) R(ule) (A)nalysis C(onclusion) – one of the few rules in life from which there’s virtually never cause to deviate.”
Susan Valentine Attends the 2020 BEDS Soup and Bread Event
Susan Valentine, Vice President of BEDS Plus Care Board of Directors, attends January 27, 2020 Soup and Bread event along with Illinois State Bar Association President (and volunteer lawyer for BEDS) David Sosin. Also pictured: BEDS Executive Director, Tina Rounds (far right) and Janet Sosin (far left).
VAB Sponsors the BEDS Plus Care Soup & Bread Event
VAB sponsors the BEDS Care Plus Annual Soup & Bread event which benefits their emergency overnight shelter facilities.
