"Don, don't forget! Do a Mitzvah every day." How often I recall the great one, Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz, giving me the advice that resonates each and every day. How dearly I miss him. I do indeed try as he instructed me to do a good deed every day. Mentoring was an inherent way of life for Judge Marovitz. He reminded me often that when we are gone people won't remember so much how smart we are, what great lawyering we did or our wealth. Our eternal value here and in the after-life will be greatest if we share our good fortune by helping others.  I ask you: Help Lend-A- Hand. Judge Marovitz, with a twinkle, might say, "Good job, good job!"

--the late Donald Hubert, Former CBA President  

Leaders for Lend-A-Hand

Leaders for Lend-A-Hand is a committed group of leaders who promote awareness of Lend-A-Hand’s mission as well as participating in Lend-A-Hand events. All members are leaders, many of whom have served as presidents or other top leadership position within bar associations and other organizations.

Leaders enjoy networking with other leaders and together serve as ambassadors for Lend-A-Hand. Leaders promote and cultivate the Lawyers Lend -A-Hand to Youth mission by being directly and indirectly involved with the tutor/ mentor programs we fund. Some serve as mentors, others serve on the Boards. Others opt to organize or participate in events benefiting tutor/mentor programs, including: All You need is (g) LOVE (collection of winter gear for kids); Dan Cotter Lifting for Lend-A-Hand Event (unique fundraiser that raises funds via a power lifting competition); Watch Me Succeed (collection of watches for graduates); and Suited for Success (collection of women suits for young ladies entering the work force or summer internships) to name a few. By participating in these and other events, Leaders grow awareness for Lend-A-Hand and energize others to get involved.

Leaders serve on the planning committee for the Annual My Hero Awards Luncheon, which recognizes the contributions attorneys, law firms, corporations, and judges make in the lives of young people via tutor/mentoring.  GET INVOLVED TODAY! Contact Karina Ayala-Bermejo at kayala@chicagobar.org

Leaders for Lend-A-Hand Board

Rishi Agrawal (Asian American Bar Association, former president);Carolyn Amadon (CBA /YLS former Chair); Daniel Cotter (LAH Executive Board); Tatiana Czaplicki (YLS/ Attorney at Law); Honorable Israel Desierto (Filipino American Bar Association, former president); Dawn M. Gonzalez (Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, former president); Bonita L. Hatchett (Former LAH Board Member); Megan Healy McClung (CBA/YLS, former Chair); Kevin Hull (Phi Alpha Delta International Fraternity); Michele M. Jochner (Judicial Law Clerk to Justice Charles E. Freeman, Illinois Supreme Court); Daniel S. Kirschner (LAH Leadership Board/Corboy & Demetrio); Rachel Koch (Attorney at Law); Charlotte Kormendy (Filipino Bar Association of Illinois, former president); Jessica O'Brien (Filipino American Bar Association, former president); Judge Mark Schuering (President, Illinois Judges Association); Commissoner Homero Tristan (Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, former president); Honorable Neera Walsh (Asian American Bar Association, former president); and William Yu (Asian American Bar Association, former president)

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"The potential for greatness lives within each of us. More often than not, it takes a mentor to help an inner-city youth or a child living in poverty reach their full potential. I am certain that many of you were fortunate to have a mentor who contributed to the person you are today. So many immigrants, such as myself, owe our success to mentors. Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth mobilizes the legal profession to follow in Judge Abe’s footsteps and made a positive influence in the lives of others through mentoring, especially young people. Mentors led others to success and in turn have made society a better place for all of us to live in." Karina Ayala-Bermejo, LAH Executive Director

"After attending the Lend-A-Hand My Hero Award Luncheon, I was inspired to become a mentor.  Mentoring has been as positive and rewarding of an experience for me, as the two young persons I meet with every week".      Judge Mark Schuering, President, Illinois Judges Association

"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." This thought, expressed so eloquently by Winston Churchill, precisely fits the concept of mentoring. Mentoring is one of the most rewarding volunteer activities you can become involved with. In being a mentor, a small amount of giving on your part reaps a great benefit - not only to the individual students you assist, but also to our society as a whole. Over the years, it has been my goal to give back and to serve as a mentor in the same way that I have been mentored throughout my own career. What a wonderful experience it has been! Some of my most prized possessions are handwritten notes from the students I have mentored expressing their heartfelt appreciation for the time, concern and guidance that they were afforded. I can think of nothing more fulfilling than to have helped to guide the lives of young students so that they may unlock their talents, achieve their full potential, and attain a bright future. What better legacy can one have than to leave the lives of others touched for the better? In your hands, you have the power to make a positive and lasting difference. Get involved in the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth program - you will help young people achieve their dreams and also find great fulfillment. Just do it! --Michele M. Jochner, Judicial Law Clerk to Justice Charles E. Freeman, Illinois Supreme Court

Finding our moral compass, calibrating it, and keeping it in check: while students and lawyers may not seem at first glance to have loads in common, we actually do, when it comes to moral and ethical decisions we make on a daily basis.  As a former teacher and Program Associate at Facing History and Ourselves and now as a civil rights attorney, I can tell you that lawyers and students have a surprisingly natural connection that is forged so beautifully by the Lawyers Lend-a-Hand to Youth Program.  By developing this natural connection through the mentoring program, both groups benefit enormously. --Rachel Koch, Attorney at Law

"You would not be reading this sentence if you weren't helped along by a Mentor. Hundreds of attorneys, both inside Illinois and beyond, owe their wisdom and cunning to Judge Marovitz. Anyone who ever visited his chambers felt the power of Abe's powerful reach, whether to the counselors that have preceded us or those just finding their stride. Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program is your access to this rewarding pursuit and the Lend-A-Hand Program can accommodate the schedules and interest of every attorney and company - you'll be amazed at how easy it is make an immediate difference in the lives of our children."  -Kevin Hull, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity

"As a member of the Executive Board of the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program, I encourage you to personally get more involved in tutoring/mentoring and to get your corporation involved as well. Getting involved with tutoring and mentoring the future generation of our country is one of the true "win-win" propositions out there - there are really no downsides to involvement! I know that I have personally received many rewards from my involvement in various efforts working with school-aged children." --Daniel Cotter, former CBA YLS Chair/Vice President and General Counsel Argonaut Select Markets

"Every honest individual who has experienced a degree of success, attributes their success to their relationship with a mentor.  Each of us has been inspired and affected by someone. We owe it to our nation's youth to make ourselves available to pass along our experiences and the knowledge that we have gained so that they too may lead successful fulfilling lives. I would encourage all members of the legal profession to get involved with the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program as a way of passing along your knowledge and experiences to a young person." ---Bonita L. Hatchett, Bell Boyd & Lloyd/former LAH Executive Board Member

"Mentoring is a way to give back to our communities for all the good things in our lives. It is a way to show young people that you don't have to have come from a privileged background to succeed and the power to make a difference in the world is in each of us. We all have life skills that can help others." --Honorable Neera Walsh, Asian American Bar Association, former president

"The Lawyers Lend A Hand to Youth Program provides an invaluable experience for mentors and mentees alike.  Last year through the YLS E-Mentoring program, I connected with a senior high school student who decided to join the Marines after graduation.  To this day, we stay in contact through e-mail during his tour of service in Iraq, discussing his educational goals and career prospects after his military service ends.  This relationship is so special to me because he shared his perspective of life in Iraq, which is incomparable to edited newspaper reports."  Megan Healy McClung, former CBA/YLS Chair

"I would encourage everyone to get involved with the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program. A big part of where I am was determined by the mentors that I had. Learning to try cases from lawyers like Justice Fitzgerald, Justice Wolfson, and Judge Erickson made me the lawyer I am today.  Because of their example, I continue to teach and mentor at Kent.  I think it was Donne who said "no man is an island".  It is only with the support of our mentors that we are where we are; it will only be with our support that the future of our profession will be where it will be." --Honorable Israel Desierto, Filipino American Bar Association, former president

"If you want to make a difference in a child’s life, be a Mentor. I encourage all government attorneys, administrative and circuit court judges, and officers of the court to participate in this valuable cause. Lend--A-Hand to kids from disadvantaged and underprivileged communities, who need as little as 1 or 2 hours of your time per week. You can even help these kids by e-mail or by telephone whether it be by assisting them with their homework, helping them deal with some personal issues or providing needed words of encouragement and advice. As attorneys, we have been given the distinct honor to uphold the law, to defend those who can’t defend themselves and most importantly, to make a difference. What better way to accomplish this than by being there for a child who yearns for some guidance in realizing his or her dreams! As an immigrant to this great country, I wouldn’t be where I am today, had I not had the mentors that I had along the way, including my best mentor, an attorney who is now with the FBI! He made a profound difference in my life. You too can make a difference in a child’s life by donating your time or money to the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand To Youth Program."--Jessica O’Brien, Filipino American Bar Association, former president/Special Assistant Attorney General, Illinois Department of Revenue

"Mentoring is the key to mobilizing a community. Mentoring plays a key role, especially in the lives of underprivileged young people. As lawyers and leaders in our respective communities it is crucial not only that we participate to mentor others; we must also encourage others to also give of their time. Mentoring is also a means to reduce the Hispanic/minority high school drop out rate and a way to increase the numbers of  Hispanics/minorities entering the legal profession. I would encourage every member of the legal profession to participate in the Lend-A-Hand Program as it is the legal profession's vehicle to accomplish this goal." --Commissioner Homero Tristan, former president of Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois

"Mentoring and working with children allows you to experience that "ah ha!"moment. That moment where you realize that by donating just a few hours of your time, you are giving the greatest gift that one can give. A gift of joy and respect, where there sometimes is none, and support to a child that yearns to be appreciated, encouraged and loved. In a world where it is often easier to write a check than to give a moment of your time, the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program makes it easy to connect with those within our communities that are most in need."  --Tatiana Czaplicki, Attorney at Law

Do a Mitzvah every day! Join Leaders for Lend-A-Hand. Lift a spirit, Lend-A-Hand! Share your thoughts and inspire others. For more information on how the legal profession is making a difference in the lives of kids visit www.lawyerslendahand.orgor contact Karina Ayala-Bermejo at 312-554-2041 or via e-mail at kayala@chicagobar.org