Rep. Chris Welch (’97), Other Alums Honored at Unity Dinner

Alums Erica N. Byrd (’08) , Marvet Sweis Drnovsek (’11) and Antonio Romanucci (’85) were also honored as Advocates for Diversity. This award celebrates those individuals who have actively advocated and promoted diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Byrd is currently a senior attorney at Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel PC, where she practices commercial litigation and real estate litigation. Sweis Drnovsek is the founder of MSD Injury Lawyers. She also sits on the Executive Committee for UIC Law’s Advisory Board, where she mentors law students regularly. Romanucci is a founding partner of the Chicago-based law firm Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, a national trial practice committed to fighting for victims of negligence, abuse and wrongful death arising from corporate negligence, civil rights violations, business interruption, medical malpractice, mass torts and class actions, as well as police misconduct. He was also recently named Chicago Lawyer Magazine’s 2021 Person of the Year for his work representing the family of George Floyd in their civil lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis and four of its police officers.

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