CHICAGO, IL – Former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Michael Streit, who along with two other justices lost a bid for retention after a bruising campaign funded by well-financed organizations opposing the court’s marriage equality ruling in 2009, will speak about his experience and the impact on judicial independence at a luncheon during the Midyear Meeting of the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) and Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on Friday, December 9, at 12 noon.

The meeting will include the annual Illinois Bar Foundation Fellows Awards Breakfast on Friday morning, and a reception and dinner Friday evening honoring the Illinois Supreme Court with remarks by Justice Mary Jane Theis.

Two IJA/ISBA programs with MCLE credit will be held on Friday morning. “The Legacy of Myra Bradwell: In the Light of Experience,” will feature an in-depth panel discussion about the Illinois woman who became the first female to gain entrance to the Illinois bar and, in the process, influenced the future of Illinois law. “Revitalizing the Jury Trial,” presented by Chief Judge James F. Holderman and Professor Stephan Landsman, will include video presentations about various problems and solutions arising with 21st century juries.

On Saturday, the 203-member policy-making Assembly of the ISBA will convene. Also, the IJA will conduct training sessions at the Sheraton for judges who want to deliver its two student education programs. At 9 a.m., a training for a new civics program, “Bringing the Courtroom to the Classroom,” will be presented. At 10 a.m., a training for the IJA’s “7 Reasons to Leave the Party,” will be held. Eighty judges have already registered for the civics training.

For further information or to register, visit www.isba.org or www.ija.org.