The CBA Legislative Committee is charged with structuring and overseeing
the Association's legislative program. The Committee has three
essential functions: (1) consider and make recommendations to the Board
of Managers on legislation drafted by CBA committees for inclusion in
the Association's legislative program; (2) review committee
recommendations for action on all legislation not sponsored by the CBA;
and (3) provide technical research, drafting and informational
assistance to CBA members and members of the Illinois General Assembly.
The Legislative Committee works with legislative liasons appointed by
CBA and YLS committees to assist them in learning about the legislative
process to maximize the Association's effectiveness.
2018-2019 Executive Officers
Ben Orzeske
Chair
312-450-6621
Benjamin Orzeske is Chief Counsel at the Uniform Law Commission, a
non-profit law reform organization formed in 1892 and made up of
volunteer lawyers from all fifty states, plus the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The ULC drafts uniform and
model state legislation on topics for which uniformity is desirable and
practical, and works for the enactment of uniform laws in state
legislatures. Ben is Co-Chair of the Uniform Laws Committee in the ABA
Section on Real Property Trust and Estate Law, and also a member of the
ABA Business Law Section. He is the ULC’s staff liaison to the Joint
Editorial Boards for Uniform Real Property Acts and Uniform Trust and
Estate Acts. He is also the Vice-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s
Legislative Committee. Ben is a graduate of the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign and DePaul University College of Law, and makes his
home in Chicago.
Tara Goodwin
Vice-Chair
312-739-4200
Tara L. Goodwin is a member of Edelman, Combs, Latturner & Goodwin,
LLC. She has practiced consumer protection and class action law since
1991. She has handled class and individual cases under the FDCPA, FCRA,
TILA, RESPA and local and state landlord tenant laws, with a recent
focus on cases involving mortgage servicing errors and credit reporting
issues. Ms. Goodwin is a past Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s
Consumer Law Committee. She has previously been a speaker at the
Practicing Law Institute’s Consumer Financial Services Institute in
Chicago, speaking on issues relating to the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act and mortgage litigation. Ms. Goodwin also spoke at the
2016 Conference on Consumer Finance Law’s Annual Consumer Financial
Services Conference on mortgage servicing issues. Ms. Goodwin is a
graduate of the University of Chicago (BA with Honors), and Chicago-Kent
College of Law (High Honors, Order of the Coif).
Lawrence J. Suffredin Jr.
Lobbyist
(312) 836-4120
Larry Suffredin has been in private practice for a number of years. Mr.
Suffredin has extensive state and federal trial experience. He has
argued appellate cases before the United States and Illinois Supreme
Courts as well as the Second and Seventh Circuits of the United States
Court of Appeals and three of the districts of the Illinois Appellate
Court. Mr. Suffredin has specialized in recent years in a government
relations practice that has included lobbying and administrative work at
the local, state and federal levels. He has represented major
corporations, large business associations, health care concerns,
cultural institutions, professional associations, local governments and
individuals in their interactions with various governmental units.
Tom Suffredin
Lobbyist Assistant
(312) 816-5563
Since beginning legislative work in 2003, Tom Suffredin has experience
in representing clients before both chambers of the Illinois General
Assembly, the Executive Branch and its agencies, the City of Chicago and
various municipalities. A licensed attorney since 2006, Tom Suffredin
specializes in assisting a diverse group of clients in drafting
legislation and shepherding it through the legislative committee
process; monitoring and analysis of proposed and pending legislation;
working with allied groups and individuals to pass or defeat legislative
initiatives; securing appropriations; and serving as clients' general
eyes and ears in the statehouse. Law Offices of Thomas M. Suffredin,
Ltd. Maintains offices in both Chicago and Springfield.
Loretta Wells
Director of Government Affairs
(312) 554-2060
As Director, Loretta is responsible for the planning and implementation
of all legislative activity in conjunction with the Association's
Legislative Committee, Legislative Counsel and Executive Director. As
the key component in the Legislative Committee's efforts to forward its
legislative agenda to both CBA members and the general public, Loretta
serves as a legislative liaison to all CBA and Young Lawyers Section
Committees, in addition to outside organizations.