Fellowship | Leadership | Positive Change
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - President Barack Obama
BMLA is representative of Black male lawyers, judges, law professors, law students, and paralegals. BMLA is committed to fostering fellowship, leadership, and positive change throughout our communities. BMLA started in Chicago but has grown to become a global organization with over 1,000 members.
FEATURED MEMBER:
The Black Men’s Lawyers Association proudly celebrates the confirmation of Judge Jeffrey Cummings to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. With the U.S. Senate's endorsement on Tuesday, Judge Cummings, a 1987 alumnus of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and 1984 alumnus of Michigan State University with high honors, joins the bench as the fifth appointment by President Joe Biden for the Northern District of Illinois.
Judge Cummings brings with him an impressive legal acumen. His professional experience is vast and includes over two decades of experience working on behalf of individuals and tackling pressing issues like workplace harassment and discrimination. Judge Cummings has also served as a Magistrate Judge, which makes him intimately familiar with the types of cases that he will be resolving as a District Court Judge. Judge Cummings will also provide diversity on the Court, marking an important step towards ensuring that the Northern District of Illinois reflects and represents the diversity of our City and Country.
Here's to the continued legacy of excellence, Judge Cummings! Congratulations!
Fellowship
The cornerstone to our organization is fellowship. If we do not know each other, then we cannot lift each other. BMLA organizes several events per year with this purpose in mind:
BMLA’s three-day Global Leadership Summit & Black-Tie Scholarship Gala;
Monthly In-Person Open Office Hours;
Monthly Virtual (or In-Person) Round Table events, discussing such issues as being a Black man & lawyer in American during a pandemic and challenging times impacted by racism; job fair preparedness; business development; and running for judicial or political office;
Annual Golf Outing;
Joint events with various bar associations, including the Cook County Bar Association, the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, and the Illinois Judicial Council, to name a few.
Leadership & Positive Change
We cannot make a change unless we create and lead the movement. Many factors are impacting African American lawyers, judges, law professors, and law students. We have made it our priority to do something about it and to effectuate positive change throughout our membership and our communities.
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“Chicago is one city. We shall work as one people for one common good and our common goals.”
— Mayor Harold Washington