This year’s Law Day theme is “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100.” In the century since the women’s suffrage movement successfully fought for women’s right to vote, other reform movements have followed a similar playbook.

There remains inequality in politics and the workplace, but we still celebrate the progress we’ve made.

It’s also an opportunity to celebrate our civic duties as voters and to remind ourselves that voter enfranchisement is still a key issue in our democracy. For years, advocates have sought to remove barriers to participation, from bureaucratic voter ID or registration rules to limited voting options, to gerrymandered legislative districts.

In recent weeks, we’ve even seen how a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic can strain our traditional voting habits.

In this magazine, CDLB writers Jordyn Reiland and Sarah Mansur report on women in the legal community who inspire us all – including the chief judges of Illinois’ three federal districts and the chief judge of the 7th Circuit – as well as local women who have argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. I’d like to thank the local bar groups who’ve spent the past year organizing panels and events also surrounding the 19th Amendment centennial who helped bring these women’s stories to the forefront.

Inside you’ll also learn the history of another notable law celebrating 100 years in 2020, as well as our popular annual report on legal spending in Illinois.

It’s been a tough few months for us all. But Law Day reminds us each year that there’s plenty to feel good about even in uncertain times, and that all challenges are surmountable.

On behalf of the CDLB family, I’d like to wish everyone good health in 2020 and thank each of you for your dedication – especially those placing their own wellness at risk to serve others in the community.