At the June 17, 2021 meeting of CDEL’s Governing Board, long time Board Member and Past President Erin McCloskey Maus was named a Life Director of CDEL’s Board of Directors.  Erin served on the CDEL Board of Directors since 2002, and was the Board President from 2009-2011.  In addition to providing continuous and committed leadership and direction to CDEL during her Presidency, in 2010 Erin led the effort to create CDEL’s first Strategic Plan, setting the organization on its course for growth and long term viability.  Erin has distinguished herself through her work at CDEL, and her support and service have been exemplary.  Erin has been an advocate for CDEL throughout the Chicago legal community starting with her own firm, Baker McKenzie LLP, where she is a Partner in the Litigation Practice and a Member of the firm’s Pro Bono Board for North America.  Baker McKenzie has provided significant financial support to CDEL as well as host to CDEL’s signature annual fundraiser, the Light Up the Loop Winter Awards Benefit.   Additionally, Erin has actively participated in exceptional pro bono work during her tenure as a Board Member participating regularly in CDEL’s Senior Citizen Initiative clinics and representing individual clients. 

As Erin accepted this honor from the Governing Board, she shared her thoughts and reflections regarding her service with CDEL.  Erin relayed a story about one of the many CDEL clients she has assisted over the years.  Her client was a young man with disabilities who had recently enrolled in college and was not receiving the accommodations to which he was legally entitled.  During his first meeting with Erin he told her, “I feel like my dreams are being interrupted.”  Through her rigorous advocacy, Erin helped get the client the services he needed allowing him to complete his education.  Erin reminded everyone about the incredible impact a legal advocate can have on a person’s life, and the importance of pro bono in the legal community. 

In addition to her incredible work on behalf of CDEL, Erin is a highly respected attorney practicing for over twenty years at Baker McKenzie.  She is an expert on international and domestic products liability and mass tort litigation, while supporting companies in regards to compliance issues and supply chain risk. She has also won numerous awards for her pro bono work including the Chicago Bar Foundation’s Edward J. Lewis Award given to an attorney who displays a deep commitment to the fundamental principles of equal protection and equal justice in the community through outstanding pro bono service. CDEL is grateful for the remarkable work Erin Maus has done and we salute her leadership, commitment and dedication to CDEL’s mission.