An 18-year history with the ISBA

his story is about building the future. Since law school, Jorge Montes has been attracted to the ISBA. That attraction came in part because the ISBA took the initiative to come to Jorge when he was a member of the Latin American Student Organization at Loyola University of Chicago. The ISBA helped host events and do printing for the group. Jorge met Janet Sosin whose pivotal role gave shape to the fledging Latino movement. The ISBA provided the bridge between his activities during his law school years and his longstanding commitment to bar activities here in Illinois. That foundation grew.

The bricks and mortar were laid when Jorge joined the Young Lawyer's Division of the ISBA. Simultaneously, he worked for Hispanic bar associations. He served on the Judicial Evaluation Committee when there were no African Americans, no other Hispanics and only one woman on the Committee. Jorge was a trailblazer. He served as Board Manager to the Chicago Bar Association, and he was President of the Latin American Bar Association, which later became the Hispanic Lawyer's Association of Illinois. He has hosted television talk shows, published high-quality newsletters, and even hosted a radio show providing legal advice.

But just holding a membership has never been enough for Jorge. He was introduced to the Committee on Minority and Women Participation and has maintained involvement with that group since he first joined the ISBA. Jorge's main focus now is the ISBA.

Vision for the Future

What monumental structure befits the future for such a groundbreaker? Jorge works tirelessly toward his own vision for the future. He sees a day when the ISBA reflects the demographics of minorities in the general legal community. As such, the ISBA needs to aggressively inform minorities in law of the benefits of being in the ISBA. The benefits of belonging are not always seen in the immediate future, but that concept is hard for younger attorneys to appreciate. The network of legal contacts, the wealth of continuing legal education, and the lifelong friendships are the real tangible benefits of joining and participating in the ISBA. Jorge applauds the efforts of the new President, Ole Pace and the leadership of the ISBA, who have shown unprecedented aggressive efforts to recruit new minority and women membership in the organization.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board

Fortunately, Jorge has also been able to break new ground at the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. As an appointee of Governor Rod Blagojevich, he becomes the first Hispanic Chairperson of the Board, and the youngest in its history. In his work at the Board, he brings an additional level of sensitivity to the criminal justice system. That sensitivity manifests itself through his language capacity and cultural sensitivity to Latinos in the prison system.

In that context, Jorge's mission at the Prisoner Review Board has been to give people, who deserve it, a second chance. The Board, part of the executive branch, provides a necessary check and balance on the legislative and judicial branches of government. The Board is positioned to afford a remedy. He works tirelessly to instill that new mission at the Prisoner Review Board. There needs to be more sensitivity to what function the Board serves in the bigger societal picture.

Jorge also brings heightened sensitivity to the denigrating or "bashing" of immigrants through sheer ignorance. As the son of immigrants, he can adequately defend the positions and mindset of those people who can often not speak for themselves. He posits that like everyone else, immigrants just want to live normal lives.

On a personal note

Jorge is the proud father of three girls. Fatherhood has added a component of depth and serenity to his repertoire. Jorge is a very active Evangelical Christian who teaches Sunday school every weekend.

Jorge Montes has constructed a solid framework for young lawyers to follow in. He stands as a shining example of the benefits of the ISBA. When the ISBA actively recruits and cultivates minority and women attorneys we shall see many more just like Jorge Montes continue in this tradition.

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Andrew Fox, a graduate of Chicago Kent College of Law, is a Member of the Prisoner Review Board who has worked as an Assistant State's Attorney in Cook County, a Bilingual Teacher in Chicago, and a Jesuit International Volunteer in Tacna, Peru.