Vincent Rizzo is currently an attorney at Hinshaw & Culbertson and focuses his practice in litigation at both the federal and state level, with a particular emphasis in the areas of government and labor and employment. He has extensive experience representing entities and employees in Title VII and Section 1983 discrimination claims. He has litigated countless cases to resolution including successfully trying several federal civil jury trials to defense verdict and obtaining multiple summary judgments. Before joining Hinshaw, Vincent was an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago Department of Law for nearly five years. In that capacity, he represented the City of Chicago in municipal prosecutions, administrative appeals and litigation involving discrimination claims. He is a current board member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and has been a member since law school. He also is a member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee and in this capacity, serves a vital part in investigating and providing substantive recommendations regarding judicial candidates and sitting judges seeking retention. He is also the current co-chair of the LGBTQ section of the Cook County Bar Association, and has led the way on many of its endeavors this year. Additionally, he is a committed member of Hinshaw’s LGBTQ affinity group, and promotes inclusion within the firm on a daily basis. He recently presented two CLEs, both on the Supreme Court’s decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop. During law school, Vincent was a public interest law intern for the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and also interned for the general counsel of Accident Fund Insurance Company. In addition to his academic accomplishments, he was a teaching assistant for Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy; Torts; and Street Law. Vincent was also an active member of his law school’s International Law Review and participated in the Commercial Arbitration Competition and the National Animal Law Appellate Moot Court Competition.

Hon. Beth Robinson – Justice Beth Robinson received a B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1986 and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1989. She clerked for the Honorable David B. Sentelle of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (1989-1990), practiced in the law firm of Langrock Sperry & Wool for 18 years (1993-2010), and served as counsel to Governor Peter Shumlin for one year (2011). Robinson served as co-counsel in and argued Baker v. State, the landmark 1999 case that led to Vermont becoming the first state to enact civil unions. She was also subsequently involved in the 2009 legislative battle to enact same-sex marriage, chairing Vermont Freedom to Marry. Governor Shumlin appointed her to the Vermont Supreme Court as an associate justice on November 28, 2011.