ROCKFORD, IL. (October 1, 2020): Joel M. Huotari, a partner with WilliamsMcCarthy LLP, a full-service Illinois-based law firm headquartered in Rockford, was recently elected to serve as president of the P. Michael Mahoney (Rockford, IL) Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. The Chapter promotes the welfare, interest, and education of its members and supports the highest standards of professional and social conduct for the legal profession in the Northern District of Illinois, Western Division.
The chapter was approved and chartered n 2014, and named after the honorable P. Michael Mahoney, who dedicated thirty six years on the bench, making him the longest serving magistrate judge in the federal district court when he retired. He continues to practice law and is a member of the Chapter.
“I served as a law clerk to Judge Mahoney from 2006 – 2008, so it is an honor to serve as the president of the Federal Bar Association Chapter that bears his name,” said Huotari. “Our Chapter has demonstrated a willingness and ability to deliver value to our members and the community we serve, and I look forward to working with our officers and membership to continue that tradition.”
Some of the Chapter’s most recent accomplishments include:
- Implemented the Prisoner’s Right Project in partnership with the Northern Illinois University College of Law. Under the supervision and guidance of an adjunct professor, third-year law students are allowed to represent inmates from the Dixon Correctional Facility who file civil rights claims in the U.S. District Court.
- Invited local students to learn more about the judicial system by participating in a civics initiative program. Third grade students toured the courthouse, participated in a mock bankruptcy trial for which FBA attorneys helped them prepare, and met with judges for a question and answer session.
- Continued to focus on education by hosting a continuing education program covering Employment Rights, which was open to attorneys from neighboring counties.
For more information, visit www.fedbar.org/p-michael-mahoney-rockford-illinois-chapter.
