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2024 VAB Super Lawyers

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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 Sponsors the Hyde Park School of Dance’s Annual Nutcracker Performance

VAB was proud to sponsor the 2023 Hyde Park School of Dance’s Annual Nutcracker Performance.

Hyde Park School of Dance has been serving Chicago’s South Side since 1989. They are a 501(c)3 non-profit providing opportunities for students of all ages to study, perform, and create classical and contemporary dance at the highest levels of discipline and artistry

Welcoming dancers of any race, religion, body type, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and family income, they cultivate a love of dance and strength of body, mind, and character that will benefit the students throughout their lives.

VAB Proud Sponsor of the Chicago United Elevating Equity Bridge Awards Ceremony

We were excited to attend and sponsor Chicago United's Bridge Awards ​celebration on November 16th!

This event recognizes outstanding leaders and organizations that are committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Chicago business community. We are honored to have ​VAB's​ Aurora Austriaco​ serving on the Board of Chicago United and contributing to this important work.

Through the Bridge Awards, we celebrate the individuals and organizations who actively bridge divides and drive change, creating a more inclusive and equitable business landscape for all. We applaud their relentless dedication to advancing diversity and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.

Together, we can bridge divides and build a brighter future.

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Mary Smith 1st Native American Woman to Serve as President of the ABA

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Join us as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month by recognizing the incredible achievements of ​Mary Smith who has made history as the first Native American woman to serve as President of the American Bar Association.

Mary's remarkable journey not only highlights her exceptional leadership and legal expertise but also serves as an inspiration to aspiring Native American professionals. Her trailblazing efforts pave the way for future generations, demonstrating that barriers can be broken​.

During this month dedicated to honoring Native American heritage, we applaud Mary Smith for her remarkable achievements and for making a lasting impact on the legal profession. Let us continue to uplift and empower Native American communities and celebrate the diverse talents and contributions they bring to our society.

VAB Law is pleased to welcome our new Chief Operating Officer, LaWanda May, MSHR! LaWanda brings deep experience in managing and operating businesses and serving in human resource roles.

As VAB Law’s new COO, LaWanda will oversee the firm’s daily operations and work closely with our shareholders as we grow the firm.


We are thrilled to have you on our team, LaWanda!

Aurora Austriaco Moderated 2 Panels at Business Smart Week

Aurora Austriaco, Partner at VAB Law moderated two panels on the topic of “Facing Frontal Divides: Challenges and Opportunities for Minority Businesses” and “Managing Frontal Divides: Solutions to Minority Business Challenges” at the 2023 Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Business Smart Week. The theme this year was “Business Equity: Inclusion-The Pathway Forward.”

Lydia Bueschel on the Board of Directors of the IL Equal Justice Foundation

Congratulations to #VABLaw Shareholder Lydia Bueschel on joining the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation Board of Directors. IEJF works to ensure equitable and easy access to the civil justice system in Illinois, and VAB is proud to have Lydia serving in furtherance of this critical mission. 
 
Over the past 20 years, IEJF has helped keep families housed during the foreclosure crisis, recovered millions in funds for seniors victimized by scams, led the creation of legal self-help centers across the state, and developed three statewide legal aid networks. To support their crucial efforts, please donate by visiting: https://lnkd.in/gyiv875h

Sandy Morris Presents at the DRI Employment and Labor Law Seminar in New Orleans

VAB employment pro Sandy Morris presented at the DRI Employment and Labor Law Seminar in New Orleans on May 4th. Her session "Don’t Save Damages for Last" discussed the ins and outs of employment case damage calculations and was co-presented with Dr. Abby Turner of Charles River Associates. Sandy was joined at the #DRI seminar by fellow Chicago lawyer Stacey Austin of Wang Austin, who did some tax issue spotting for employment lawyers in her session "Tax Primer for Employment Attorneys."

VAB Chosen NAMWOLF 2022 Law Firm MVP

VAB was thrilled to receive the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) most valuable player award for its service and was honored to have presented the Diversity Initiative Achievement Award to Kim Metrick, Vice President, Employment Law, Legal Operations and Investigations for Walgreens Boots Alliance who accepted the award on behalf of Walgreens.

Additionally, we’d love to send a big congratulations to both Emery Harlan Founder of #NAMWOLF and Equity Partner at MWH Law Group LLP on receiving the inaugural NAMWOLF Trail Blazers Award and Theos McKinney Assistant General Counsel at Constellation Energy Generation on winning the 2022 Outstanding Service by an Advisory Council Member Award!

Aurora Austriaco Attends the White House's 4th of July Celebration

Aurora Austriaco was honored to be invited to the Presidential 4th of July celebration as we celebrated 246 years of independence! She even made it into the White House’s official Instagram feed alongside colleagues including Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Patricia Brown Holmes and Donovan Pepper, She was even able to get a couple of selfies with President Biden and Vice President Harris.

 
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