HR0504 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0504 LRB099 12428 GRL 35732 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to recognize the installation of Judge Jessica Arong O'Brien as the 101st President of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien was born and raised in Cebu City, Philippines; she immigrated to the United States after graduating from high school; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien attended Boston University, where she obtained her degree in Hotel and Food Administration and a minor in Financial Management; she furthered her culinary arts education at Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland and received her Intensive Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in London; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien is a distinguished alumna of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, becoming the first student to earn both a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws in Taxation in just 3 years in 1998; she earned a second Master of Laws degree in employee benefits in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien has distinguished herself as a leader in the profession and the community by serving as the first Asian-American on the Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors and as a Trustee of the John Marshall Law School; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien has served as the president of the Filipino American Bar Association; she also cofounded the Diversity Scholarship Foundation with other judges and lawyers, serving as the Foundation's president for 6 years; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien has received several awards for her volunteer efforts, including the 2014 Advocate for Diversity award, the 2013 Unity Award from the Diversity Scholarship Foundation, the 2012 Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago's Judge Sandra R. Otaka Leadership Award, and the 2012 Barack Obama Call to Service Award; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien has served honorably since her swearing-in on December 3, 2012 as a Judge in the non-jury Civil Division of the First Municipal Court of Cook County, making her the first Filipino elected judge in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Jessica Arong O'Brien will be sworn in as the Women's Bar Association of Illinois President at its Annual Installation Dinner on June 4, 2015; this year's theme is "Leave No Woman Behind"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize and congratulate Judge Jessica Arong O'Brien on the occasion of her installation as President of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois and wish her all the best as she assumes the position; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Judge Jessica Arong O'Brien as an expression of our esteem and respect.