CHICAGO – One serves as a mentor to teens and the other leads the community as a Cook County commissioner, and both are included on the inaugural Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago list published by Crain’s Custom Media. Richard Boykin and Lindsey Dates, partners in Barnes & Thornburg’s Chicago office, positively influence the community each day through their work and volunteerism.
Crain’s, a leading business publication, featured 45 women and men who represent an impressive cross-section of the Chicago-area legal community, many who have practiced with distinction for decades.
In 2014, Boykin was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners where he represents the constituents of the 1st District. He has led the fight to repeal the sweetened beverage tax, served as a leading voice against gun violence, and was instrumental in passing legislation doubling the penalty for illegal assault weapon possession in Cook County. Boykin serves on several boards, including the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, the Dr. Martin Luther King Dream Classic and the StreetWise board of directors. He concentrates his legal practice on the representation of significant institutions headquartered in the Midwest before federal legislative and executive institutions in Washington, D.C., and before units of state and local government in Illinois.
Dates is a mentor and advocate for minority male teenagers in the Chicago area and serves as the chair of The Chicago Committee, an organization that seeks racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession. Through the Mentor Teacher Brother Program, he organizes and chairs the annual Don Hubert Scholars Mock Trial Competition, which introduces 150 minority male teenagers to the legal profession via a one-day mock trial competition, motivational speakers, and a networking reception. As a litigator, he represents U.S. clients in high-stakes litigation matters in forums across the country. He also represents global clients in U.S. courts and has significant experience representing companies that conduct business in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from 13 offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Delaware, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.
