[caption id="attachment_4886" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Banners commemorating the Lincoln Bicentennial have made their way from Chicago to Springfield. "][/caption] Attendees of this week's Solo and Small Firm Conference in Springfield will see a number of ISBA banner's commemorating the Lincoln Bicentennial displayed on utility poles in front of the Attorney General's Office, Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois Bar Center and around the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum downtown. The banners also have hung near the federal building in Chicago and will be placed around the State of Illinois bldg on LaSalle St. for the month of December. Check IllinoisLawyerNow.com for frequent updates from the conference. Pictures from Day One

The Chicago Alumni Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, will initiate Hon. George N. Leighton as an Honorary Member of the fraternity on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 4:30 p.m. This ceremony will be followed by remarks delivered by Judge Leighton as part of the Chapter's "Distinguished Lecture Series." Upon conclusion of Judge Leighton's remarks, a complimentary hors d'oeuvre reception will follow. The event will take place at Petterino's Banquets (Lower Level), 50 W. Randolph. The remarkable career of Judge Leighton, a former state and federal judge who, at age 96, is Of Counsel to the Chicago firm of Neal & Leroy, epitomizes the core values of Phi Alpha Delta. Space is limited and RSVPs are required by Oct. 16 to padchicagorsvp@gmail.com.

ISBA member E. Lynn Grayson will be presented with a "Women with Vision" award by the Women's Bar Association of Illinois at the 68th Annual Join Professional Reception on Thursday, Nov. 5 at the Hotel Allegro. The event starts at 5 p.m. Grayson was nominated by the ISBA's Women & the Law Committee. Click here to view her bio. Individual tickets for the reception and award presentation are $85 for current members, $100 for non-members and $125 at the door. Contact Eriana Spencer Echols at (312) 341-8530 or e-mail wbai@wbaillinois.org.

The 2009 Unity Dinner and Seventh-Annual Swearing-In of Bar Presidents co-sponsored by the Filipino American Bar Association and the John Marshall Law School will be held on Thursday, October 8th, 2009 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Chicago Hilton and Towers, 720 S. Michigan Avenue. The 2009 Unity Award honoree is Jerold S. Solovy, Chairman Emeritus, Jenner & Block LLP. In addition, Hon. Shelvin Louise Marie Hall of the Illinois Appellate Court, and William A. Von Hoene, Jr., Executive Vice President, Finance and Legal, Exelon Corp., are this year's recipients of the 2009 Advocate for Diversity Award. Over 50 area bar associations are participating in this year's event, whose leaders will take a ceremonial oath to promote diversity within their groups and the larger Chicago legal community administered by Justice Anne M. Burke of the Illinois Supreme Court. Tickets are $125 for members of participating bar associations, and $150 for all other attendees. The net proceeds of this event will benefit the Diversity Scholarship Foundation, NFP. For reservations or sponsorship information, contact Jessica O'Brien at (312) 965-9604, or by email at jarongobrien@sbcglobal.net.