Key Social Events
Chicago
John H. Pickering Award of Achievement
Saturday, August 1 | 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Jonathan K. Baum is the 2026 recipient of the John H. Pickering Award of Achievement.
The award honors the life and accomplishments of John H. Pickering, an outstanding lawyer who was involved in various pro bono activities and law-related societal issues affecting the elderly.
Join the Senior Lawyers Division for the presentation of the Pickering Award at our luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on Saturday, August 1 from 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Established in 2007 by the Senior Lawyers Division, the John H. Pickering Achievement Award recognizes the brilliant legal work, advocacy of pro bono service, dedication to the cause of equal justice for all, and promotion of the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in the law. This award is co-sponsored by the ABA Commission on Law and Aging, Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, and the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense.
Silver Gavel Awards for Media & the Arts
Saturday, August 1 | 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Since 1958, the American Bar Association has presented these awards annually to recognize work in media and the arts published or presented during the preceding year that have been exemplary in helping to foster the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system.
ABA President Michelle Behnke will present Silver Gavels and Honorable Mentions on Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. CDT at a public program during the ABA Annual Conference in Chicago.
Thurgood Marshall Award Presentation & Dinner
Saturday, August 1 | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Honoring Anthony D. Romero
The Thurgood Marshall Award is the highest honor bestowed by the American Bar Association's Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice (CRSJ). It recognizes extraordinary legal and moral leadership in the pursuit of equal justice, human dignity, and the rule of law.
In 2026, CRSJ will honor Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the first Hispanic recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award. Under his transformative leadership over the last 25 years, the ACLU has become the nation’s most powerful legal and advocacy organization defending freedom, equality, and justice for all.
We will also celebrate the Civil Rights and Social Justice Section’s sixty years of ensuring civil rights remain in the forefront of the legal profession.
36th Annual Margaret Brent Awards Ceremony & Reception
Sunday, August 2 | 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM
2026 Honorees
These esteemed honorees were chosen because they carry the legacy of Margaret Brent. Margaret Brent was the first woman lawyer in America. She arrived in the colonies in 1638. She was a master negotiator, an accomplished litigator, and a respected leader. She was involved in 124 court cases over eight years and won every case. In 1648, she formally demanded a “vote and voice” in the Maryland Assembly, which the governor denied. Over 250 years later, Harper’s magazine noted: “By this action, Margaret Brent undoubtedly placed herself as the first woman in America to stand for the rights of her sex." View a video about Margaret Brent's life here.
- Cory Amron, president, Women Lawyers on Guard Inc. | Arlington, VA
- Sheila S. Boston, partner, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP | New York, NY
- Hon. Michelle Childs, circuit judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia | Washington, DC
- Ramona Romero, vice president & general counsel, Princeton University | Princeton, NJ
- Mary Smith, independent director, PTC Therapeutics; CEO, Task Force for American Democracy | Lansing, IL
Additional must-attend programs: